How Malaysians Can Make Sure There’s Still Food On Their Table And Shirt Around Their Body?
Dear Friend,
I know this is a tough time.
For ‘post-independent’ child like us, this is ONE of the most, if not THE MOST life-threatening moment of our time. Indeed, this moment is unprcedented.
It used to be just a few cents hike - 0.05, 0.10 and it happened in a few years apart. But the recent oil price increase?!! It’s 0.70 cents and it happened in a blink of an eye (almost!).
Who’ve seen it coming?
‘They’ announced possible increase will likely happen in August (they represent all the people Malaysians elected during 2008 General Election) but the ‘killer’ announcement was made 2 months earlier. And guess what? Rumors already had it that there’s going to be 2 more increase - until the oil price is USD 1.00 per liter (USD 1.00 = MYR 3.5++).
Remember those days?
Those were the days when I can fill-up my car petrol tank for less than MYR 60.00. Even after I upgrade my car a notch (due to a new member of the family - my daughter), I paid about MYR 120.00 for a full tank. I consider that a fair bargain because my car is Korean made (well known for its high fuel consumption) and I can refill in a week time. Well, depend on my travelling actually but a week is about right…
But today, after the announcement…
‘Thanks’ to the new oil price, I paid almost MYR 200.00 for a full tank. With my current job and other people who gladly ‘volunteered’ me to take them for a ride, for their purpose, my full tank usually last me for 3 days! 3 days the most. That’s mean (roughly) 8 times refill a month equivalent to MYR 1600.00.
How’s that for a change?
You know what my wife said? “When are we going to buy that HONDA?”
Judging from the current situation, well, she got a point there. Or at least a TOYOTA. I just read in the Newspaper that Proton was about to make headway as Malaysia’s No.1, again. Hmmm…too bad isn’t it? I’m not going to make it as my next choice.
Too bad…
You know what…oil price is just the beginning
What can you expect next?
Next on the list are:
- elctricity
- transport charges
- labour fee
- food price (already taken place it seems)
- raw material price
- ‘unrelated’-mee-too stuff (I’ll tell you about this one)…
Let me tell you about the final item on my list.
I was making my back to Kuantan after attending my wife’s sister-in-law’s brother wedding reception (that a mouthful) in Kuala Trengganu (KT).
Now, last week, KT was in festive mood. SUKMA (national sporting event) was on. School holiday was on.
As usual, I made a stop at Marang where they sell corns - raw or cooked. I didn’t bother asking the raw corns. “How much is this a piece?” I asked lifting a cooked corn.
“Two bucks,” came the reply.
“You’re kidding?” I said.
“No Sir. This is due to the oil price increase. I can’t help it,” reply the lady-seller.
I just look at her with blinking eyes and wondering how’s that related when she’s cooking the corn using firewood!
Do you get my drift here?
I’m not forecasting doom and gloom here but…
How are we Malaysians going to ensure there’s going to be enough food on our table and enough clothes to wrap our bodies?
We can do 2 things:
- Defend. This simply means we do our best to eat less, eat ‘cheap’, shop less, shop cheap, etc.
- Attack. Have you heard the expression ‘attack is the BEST defense’? Let me explain a bit about this…
The guys and girls we just elected suggest that we, act as good, responsible citizens. We should live below our means. Save for the rainy days. Adjust our lifestyle and save some more. And some more…
But here’s the catch.
How can you save when there’s barely ‘enough’ for your own use?
Take the inflation rate for example. The ‘published’ rate is close to 5% but I can guarantee you, it’s double that amount - in actual. So, if you save say in ASN, and the return is 10% a year (lets just say), well my friend, you just break even!
No profit. Nada, Ziltch.
And how would you feel if you used to eat 5 times a day and spend say 5 bucks a meal and now you have to not only cut that down to 3 times a day and eat Maggie mee-based meals?
Would that make you happy?
After all the labor and hard work, you ONLY have that to fuel you up?
Just imagining the thought makes me miserable already!
So, as a ’sane’ human being, I’m not going to sit around cutting up things I enjoy and let some ‘arbitrary’ power takes control of my life.
Would like to hear THE alternative?
Yes?
Here it is:
- Be more ‘proactive’
- Decide to take control
- Look for ways to increase your revenue (not cutting them).
I’ll tell you why this makes more sense - TECHNOLOGY.
Nowadays, it’s possible to create more than one source of income - using technology.
Nowadays, it’s possible to work without you physically present - with technology.
Nowadays, it’s possible to save precious times and energy and still make profit - with simple technology.
And the good news is: technology is abundant and it’s readily accessible to all of us.
With technology, it’s possible for you to work at home, spend more times with your loved ones, reach out to more people outside Malaysia at lightning speed.
Technology my friend, make all these possible.
But my question to you is:
Are you ready to take control?
Are you willing to explore the possibilities?
Are you willing to take appropriate action?
If you are, you can read MORE about the technology, concept, ideas and simple plans to put you in control and allow you to spend more times with your loved ones. And think about all those travelling times, petrol cost and entertainment expenses you get to drastically cut back.
And who can tell if you came out better than before.
Nezrul.
Tags: alternative for Malaysians, alternatives income, oil price increase, tough times