8 Super Easy Ways for Broke Malaysians to Save Money

Whether we’re working or still in school, spending money on a daily basis is inevitable. We spend on food, petrol, coffee, groceries, stationery and the list goes on. In this day and age, saving money has become increasingly difficult. However, here are some simple ways to help you save some extra Ringgit:

1. Take a break from social media

Just get rid of your phone while you’re at it.

“How’s that supposed to help me save money,” you ask? Well, according to a study by Glasgow University, it found that the use of social media did not only result in poorer sleep quality, anxiety and depression, but in lower self esteem as well. This is because everything posted on social media portrays the “perfect life”, and users like you and I are constantly trying to live up to that standard as well.

With that, we’re constantly spending more than we need to on short term pleasures that don’t really benefit us in any way, like cafe food, overpriced accessories, movie tickets every week and more. Bye bye, money.

2. Dig into economy rice soup pots like you’re digging for gold

Economy rice shops tend to offer customers free soup. So if you ever decide to have mixed rice, scoop less lauk from the mixed rice section, and instead dig for free vegetables or meat from the bottom of the soup pot. You’re bound to find some buried treasure there!

Besides, consuming more liquid before you eat will stop you from overeating – now you know you actually don’t need that much lauk nor rice in the first place!

3. Loan money to yourself and then pay back with interest

Want to buy that RM50 top but don’t have the cash? Need to dig some up from your piggy bank? Sure! Just make sure you pay yourself back the RM50, plus interest!

Set an interest, say 10% each month, and you’ll be able to see your savings increase in the long run. This makes you more wary about splurging your money and next time, you’ll think twice before spending RM50 on a cafe’s brunch menu. Just make sure that you actually pay yourself back, of course!

4. There’s no shame in tapau-ing everything

Whether we’re still in school or working a full-time job, leftovers are inevitable. So make sure you have your tupperware ready to tapau all the leftovers so you can have it for your next meal! Waste less food, save more money!

5. Pick a specific Ringgit note and avoid using it at all costs

You could pick from RM1, RM5 or even RM100 notes if possible, maybe even 20 sen or 50 sen coins! Whatever it is, be sure to take those notes (or coins) out from your wallet, keep them in a jar and never use them. You’ll be amazed at how much you can save in a month!

6. Pay for your bad habits

We all have bad habits. Maybe it’s smoking cigarettes, biting your nails, or even things as small as forgetting to switch off the lights and picking your nose in public.

Whatever they are, put RM1 into a jar every time you or someone else catches you doing that bad habit. Not only are you able to reward yourself, but you can ultimately move towards quitting your biggest, baddest habits (say quitting smoking and no longer buying RM17 worth of cigarettes).

7. Have as little cash on you as possible

Just hear us out! How many times did you find yourself having RM300 in your wallet, then realising you’ve used it up just three days later? Well, to keep your spending at a minimum, have as little cash on you as possible and make yourself spend CASH only. No swiping of the card!

8. Selling off items you no longer use on Mudah.my

Look into your cupboard right this second. You probably have a ton of clothes and other things like gadgets or appliances that you don’t use anymore. Instead of just throwing them away or keeping them forever without using ’em, make some extra cash by selling them on Mudah.my, Malaysia’s Largest Marketplace! Aside from that, you can even shop on Mudah and buy other sellers’ pre-loved items for affordable prices!

What’s more, from 16 July until 3 September, you can even purchase pre-loved items sold by local celebrities! All proceeds will go to a selected organisation of the celebrity’s choice.

Want to know more about which celebrity is selling what? Then make sure you catch ‘My Mudah STORies bersama Altimet’. Learn about the various tips and tricks on how to buy and sell items easily on Mudah.my as well!

Have a laugh, learn about local celebrities and possibly even make some money out of it. Just make sure you catch the series coming to you this 16 July on Astro Ria and on Mudah’s YouTube channel!

Find out more about mudah.my and the ‘My Mudah STORies bersama Altimet’ series here.