When Nonsense Makes Sens: 5 Thrifty M’sians Share Unexpectedly Practical Ways to Save Money!

Here at WORLD OF BUZZ, we often find that the best source of life advice to impart to you (our beloved readers 😘) is from fellow Malaysians! And in true Malaysian fashion, these nuggets of wisdom can vary in terms of simplicity and practicality. But today, we’ll talk about a few money-saving tips we’ve received from these militantly frugal Malaysians.

You may raise an eyebrow at some of these but trust us, they actually make a lot of sense especially if you’re trying to be more fiscally responsible!

 

1. Set a timer to turn off your air conditioner and other appliances

This one should be a no-brainer, especially since our appliances are responsible for those scary numbers on our electricity bills! This habit helped Vincent to lower his electricity costs and it can lower yours too! “What I usually do is time my AC to switch off after four hours out of the seven I spend sleeping. The bedroom will still stay cool and I can always turn the fan on instead. I also recommend turning off phones and laptops before going to bed so that we won’t need to charge them as often.” – Vincent, 31

 

2. Turn your car engine off at a long red light

Without a doubt, leaving your engine on idle during red traffic lights take up a huge chunk of fuel. That’s why for Johan, it should be a no-brainer that you turn off your engine if you’re expecting a long red light! “I got this idea when I stayed in Switzerland, where some drivers switch off their engines during red lights and switch them back on super quick when traffic starts to move. I found out that it actually saves some fuel even if it’s turned off for only 10 seconds! Nowadays, lots of new cars utilise an auto start-stop system for fuel efficiency, so perhaps those of us with older cars can start doing this as well during red lights.” – Johan, 38

 

3. Reuse old decorations every year for festive seasons

There’s never a shortage of holidays for Malaysians in any given year, kan? Although festive seasons will never disappear, the money you spend during said holidays definitely will! That’s a lesson Siew Lan learned the hard way when she started her own family. “It was so tempting to spend hundreds of ringgit every year on Christmas decorations for my home! But nowadays, I just reuse the same decor that my family bought years ago. I figured that my bank account could use a holiday too!” – Siew Lan, 55

 

4. Unplug all appliances before sleeping or leaving the house

And we mean ALL of them (except for the refrigerator, of course)! Sure, it sounds like a total hassle but your electricity bill will go easy on you! “I spend at most 5 minutes unplugging everything each day before going to bed or leaving the house; even the Wi-Fi router! These days, I just breathe a sigh of relief whenever I receive my bills!” – Aina, 28

 

5. Eating at the same restaurant every time sure has its perks!

Not everyone has the luxury of being able to cook and/or eat at home, which means eating out is the only resort for busier Malaysians. But that doesn’t mean you can’t save money while eating out! “I eat at the same restaurant every workday, so I eventually familiarised myself with the price of each item on their menu and ordered according to my budget. Plus, I built a good rapport with the uncle who runs the eatery, so I often get discounts for being a loyal customer!” – Amir, 25 

Speaking of which, you wanna know where you can eat delicious food repeatedly AND enjoy savings?

Malaysians can get delicious food and a bang for their buck with Nando’s Generously Generous Reward Programme!

In case you didn’t know, Nando’s has a Generously Generous Reward Programme that has been around for the longest time! By signing up as a Nando’s member, you get to enjoy the best in both food and value for money! Don’t miss out on delectable rewards including a FREE Chicken Meal for every three visits to the restaurant (with a minimum spend of RM30 per visit)! 

Which means, with just three visits and an overall minimum spend of RM90 (3 visits x RM30 per visit), you’ll be immediately rewarded with a meal worth from RM21.90, giving you up to 25% rebate! Yay to free food and value for money! 😍

And it’s not just any small side dish or dessert you’ll be rewarded with. Nando’s will reward you with one of their delicious meals worth RM21.90* for free! Here are the four Chicken Meal rewards you can choose from!:

Wanna know how to get a free Chicken Meal? It’s PERi-PERi simple!:

1. Register or login as a Nando’s Member to start using your account. You can choose to register through one of two ways:

• • Via the Nando’s Malaysia app (available on the App Store and Google Play).
  • By dining in and scanning the table QR code to register straight away.

2. Scan the QR code on the table and login to order a minimum of RM30 in one receipt to collect ONE Chilli.

3. For every 3 Chillies, you can get one Chicken Meal reward credited to your account.

4. Login when you want to place your order online and redeem your Chicken Meal reward**!

Sounds easy, amirite? In fact, this rewards programme by Nando’s is the easiest to remember compared to other loyalty programmes AND is the fastest to reward you too! 

To illustrate, here’s how Nando’s Generously Generous Reward Programme compares to other brands’ loyalty programmes!:

Brands	Loyalty programme mechanics	Rebate
Nando’s	Minimum spend of RM30 for 1 Chilli Overall minimum spend of RM90 for 3 Chillies Can get one meal worth from RM21.90 per 3 Chillies RM21.90*/RM90 = 24.333%	25%
Brand S	RM1 spent = 1 point Every 300 points = Free drink/food Overall minimum spend of RM300 for a reward	Around 6%
Brand M	RM1 spent = 10 points E.g. 1200 points = 1 burger Maximum point per account = 25,000 points Maximum of up to 10 orders daily (to gain points)	7.5%
Brand SK	RM1 spent = 1 point Every 20 points = RM1 reward	5%

Now, you can see for yourself why Nando’s rewards programme is the best one in the market, kan? But this programme isn’t the only cool thing about being a Nando’s Member! Here are some of the other spicy perks you get to enjoy as a Nando’s Member!:

• You can earn a free full platter worth RM78.90 for EVERY 50 Chillies you accumulate!
• Get a Birthday reward on your birth month!
• Exclusive invites to Nando’s events and gatherings!
• Be the first to hear about the latest news and promotions!

So what are you waiting for? Collect your Chillies now and enjoy delicious rewards with Nando’s by using their Nando’s Malaysia app!:

• App Store
• Google Play

For more information on the Generously Generous Rewards Programme, visit Nando’s website or follow them on their social media pages:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

*All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

**Chillies don’t expire but earned Chicken Meals are valid for 3 months from the date of being earned.