50 Ways and Guides to Cope With the Higher Living Cost

With the living cost on the rise, here are some tips and guidelines to help you save. I will say some are pretty extreme. Some of these measures had been implemented by myself for months as I had anticipated this scenario. Well, we still need to eat. So, nothing can be saved there. We still have to go to work, hence, can’t save on transport. There is nothing we can save for the baby or children foods, education and other essentials.

1. Get rid of Astro. Stick with RTM 1, RTM 2, TV 3, NTV 7, TV 8 & TV 9. They are all free

2. No more movies in cinema. Download all movies by bitcomet or utorrent. After all you pay a flat rate for internet service. Make full use of it. You probably need to wait 2-3 months after the movie been released to get a quality pictures from download.

3. If your work place is about 5km from your home, cycle to work instead. Put aside your ego and pride.

4. If you had some land in your house, plant potatoes, fruits, vegetables and etc.

5. Get rid of incandescent light and replace with energy saving light. Better still, change all light to LED light. Low power consumption and longer endurance. Unfortunately, LED light is nowhere to be seen here. You can find it in E-bay.

6. Get an electric motorcycle. It is environmental friendly too. Unfortunately, I hardly see this type of motorcycle around. Last time around, it is sold around RM3-4k.

7. Use motorcycle to work. Free parking, no road tax, lower fuel consumption, cheaper spare parts, lower maintenance cost and easy to maneuver in traffic jam.

8. Get a hybrid car. Again, this car is nowhere to be seen in this country.

9. Service your vehicle by yourself (after the warranty period is over). Review the maintenance manual and do it yourself. It is actually not that hard.

10. Always check and replace vehicle’s air cleaner/filter and fuel filter. This will ensure it is not choked and save on fuel consumption.

11. Buy engine oil, gasket, air cleaner, fuel filter (not from the authorized service centre as they tend to sell it more expensive) and service the vehicle yourself. Make sure the spare is not imitation.

12. Keep the tires of the vehicles properly inflated. Follow the manual specification.

13. Release the acceleration pedal and let the car momentum to carry the car, as appropriate.

14. Reduce visit to hair saloon. Leave your hair as long as possible. If possible, trim it yourself. Stop dying the hair. It damage the hair in long run and it cost more now!

15. Pay all the credit card bills on time. No more outstanding or there will be interest.

16. Trace and document all your spending and review each month on items you can save.

17. Clean air conditioned air filter regularly. Choked filter means extra load for the air condition unit. If possible, avoid air condition. Opt for fan

18. Cancel the insurance policy. Do this at your own risk but this should able to shed a few hundreds a month.

19. Stay healthy and this will reduce your chances to visit doctor and save on medical bill.

20. When eating out, don’t order drinks. Just order food.

21. Bring drinks or water from home when go to work or eating out.

22. No more junk food. Goodbye Mr. Potato, Pringles and etc.

23. No more supper.

24. Bring food to work. Hence, avoid eating out.

25. Walk as practicable as possible, if the distance is not too far.

26. Try to supplement your income via blogging or PTC (Paid to click) program. I have a few PTC links here. Have a look and participate. I had been paid before! You can even sale your thing in e-bay or lelong.com.my

27. Use quality power supply for your computer for better efficiency and reduce power wastage.

28. Get quality/branded items such as watches, shoes, DVD player and etc. It might cost a bit more but it will have a better life span. Remember, cheap things are not good things.

29. Stop buying clothes unless you really need one

30. Stop the habits of changing mobile phones. Just use the existing one until it breaks down.

31. Drive according to the speed limit and abide the law. You don’t want to be slapped with RM300 summon or pay Kopi “O” (bribe the police)

32. Use public transport. Well, public transport is almost non-existence in some town/city. Even our capital city is nowhere near the standard of London Underground, Paris Metro or Singapore MRT.

33. Minimize traveling as much as possible. Hotel, food and transportation all increased.

34. For mothers who just gave birth, breast feed the babies. Milk is expensive now

35. Stop smoking

36. Stop going to the pubs for booze/beers

37. Stay at home more often. If going out, cycle if possible. You get the exercise and protect the environment.

38. No more fine dining, fancy restaurant or fast food restaurant. Eat at hawker stall or kopitiam.

39. Wear no underwear when at home (if you living alone or with your spouse only). Minimize the laundry and water.

40. No more entertainment or fashion magazine.

41. Take part in some competitions, lucky draw or contest. You might be the lucky one.

42. Swindle Company’s money, if possible. Keep it under wrap.

43. Monitor the content in your fridge and freezer. Make sure there is no wastage and everything is well utilized. Usually there is a lot items left abandoned there until they are no longer usable.

44. Collect all the coins and use it to the fullest. Usually people tend to toss the coins around. You be surprised how much coins you have.

45. Stop donating. This might sound harsh but we are living in a desperate time.

46. Cancel health club or gym membership. There are cheaper way to stay fit. Walk and cycle.

47. Stop sending children to tuition centre. Teach them at home.

48. Stop buying newspaper. Just go to the newspaper’s website for the latest news

49. Store your valuables properly. Crime rate is expected to rise. Losing valuables or wallet means you losing money as well.

50. Change of Government?

"Remember, focus on the solution, not the problem" Quoted by Donal Trump