Have You Come to Realize How Much Your Drinks Actually Cost You?

The Malaysia economy situation is going down the drain. Nonetheless, do you realize you don't reduce your expenses while you are complaining you can't earn much faster than the inflation does? In fact, you can save A LOT from NOT ordering drinks outside (now all the F&B sellers would hate me). 

Simple calculations
(based on the average monthly situation):

Example 1: Kopitiam Lifestyle 

RM1.50 - RM2.00 per cup
3 meals per day 
30 days per month 
RM1.50 x 3 meals x 30 days= RM135 

RM130 - RM180 saved for a month from not ordering drinks!
(Now, think what you can do with the money that you could have saved)

Example 2: High Class Tai Tai (rich housewives) Level

RM10 - RM15 per cup 
2 meals per day (with the assumption Tai Tais don't wake up that early) 
30 days per month
RM10 x 2 meals x 30 days = RM600

RM600 - RM900 saved IF you don't order expensive drinks like milkshake, expensive coffee in every meal you take!

Example 3: Common Gen X, Y, Z trend (slightly complex with forecast scenario)

Working day = RM1.50 for breakfast drink, RM1.50 for lunch drinks, RM5-10 for dinner drinks 
Weekends = RM10-15 (lunch drinks), RM15-20 (dinner drinks) 

Working day = RM1.50 + RM1.50 + RM8 = RM11
RM11 x 22 working days = RM242

Weekends = RM10 + RM15 = RM25
Saturday + Sunday = RM25 x 2 = RM50 
RM50 x 8 days = RM400 

RM242 (weekdays) + RM400 (weekends) = RM642 

Approximately RM500 - RM800 can be saved every month, if we don't drink the way we are doing it now. (just FYI, this hasn't factored in the Starbucks, themed cafes, alcohols that you would usually over-consume during Friday, Saturday and Sunday).

Some of you might think the data isn't reflecting the truth. If you don't believe it, try to record it down for a month. Don't try to save, just do it as usual, but just record the cost of drinks you spend for a month, you will be surprised by the amount of money you spend on drinks.

I was from a very average family and our family members didn't usually order drinks. We were trained to order Chinese Tea and warm water, which was free back then. And actually if we have soup or liquid in our food, it's not advisable to gulp down that full glass of drinks as well, which will not help with our digestion.

Yes, I am being very prudent in spending money. The reason is because the value of money isn't as kind as it used to be. People earned RM2000 per month, and still could raise 4 persons (the bread winner, wife, 2 kids) with basic needs. Ask yourself, what can you do with RM2000 nowadays? And as fresh out, we only earn RM2-3k and we are complaining all right? We leave the inflation topics aside now, focus on what you can do, to save you some pennies to be used on other purposes.

I am not asking you to not enjoy the delicious drinks out there, this post is just for illustration purposes. But just to be honest with you, my dear readers, I only spend less than RM50 per month for my drinks I guess. And I will make my own drinks at home, and you can adjust how much milo powder you are going to put and how big mug and concentrated you want it to be. Isn't that wonderful too?

Now, it's just a beginning lesson on how can you save to buy a house. :) I will share more on personal finance management in the future posts. Stay tuned!

Have you come to realize already? 

Share this post if you like it! 

Scott

Have You Really Made Full Use of Your Day Off?

Most of us have this little thought -
"I must be doing what I wanted to do for my day off tomorrow!" 

(Ya right, did you really wake up and do that?)

The monologues in our head (A= Angel, D= Demon): 

A= "It's holiday tomorrow! What should I do? It's been to a while since I hit the gym in the morning!"

D= "Really? I thought of sleeping until I wake up naturally (12pm-ish), that's more like it. Let me sleep a little longer."

A= "After the gym, I will go for a hearty lunch with my best friends in the newly open cafe, take a selfie!"

D= "Probably will just go downstairs to tabao and continue my sleep after that."

A= "Cleaning my wardrobe would be nice in the afternoon."

D= "Ah, it's already 4.30pm, I should wake up now to do my laundry." (checking facebook and chatting non-stop)

A= "I should cook myself dinner tonight."

D= "What is left in the fridge? That's my dinner."

A= "Done! Now I iron my clothes and get ready for tomorrow. Read a book and sleep early tonight, so I won't feel that bad tomorrow to go to work."

D="Damn, it's already 10pm, my laundry is not done, I have a meeting tomorrow! Nah, it's ok, just go to watch the ANTM now, it's the final tonight."

We often find ourselves debating with our monologues. How many of us are actually acting like an Angel and how many of us are a total demon? Oh well, come on admit it already, most of us are taking a balance among these two. Whilst being Demon as above is very indulging, nonetheless we will still do something when we are laying back to relax. 

IF you are not, see below: 

Total Angelic behaviours - You are a person who forces yourself to improve and achieve. Yes, it's important and healthy. Nonetheless, don't you think that perfection is overrated? It sounds to me you are fulfilling the superego  of yourself. While it's perfectly fine to be perfect, we do need to chillax our mind and body. Personally, I find people who are over-productive are plastic and fake. AND, do you find yourself really calm and happy while you're doing all these? If yes, I apologize. You're probably a great motivator among your peers. Outstanding! 

Total Demonic behaviours - You are a person who will just follow your body's will to act. That's called Id. You just do whatever that pleases your current mood. Most importantly, most of the decisions made are purely laziness and unproductive. Nobody shall over-relax themselves, because only dead bodies do that. In a total nothing-to-do day, unless you are completely fine with your decision to waste your day by doing nothing, the least you ought to do is go out to have a walk! Wherever it is, the park, the mall, loiter around in your car, buy a newspaper, etc. At the end of the day, you will feel slightly depressed because of what you did (yes, basically nothing other than inhale, exhale, eat, and go to the loo). You often ask yourself what did you do today, end up nothing, hit the sack and continue your routine over and over. While it's perfectly okay to be lazy, but you are harming yourself in a long term run. Do not complain while others are having better body, better network/friends, more knowledgeable than you, better pay and better appearance. It's all because you didn't invest your time properly. 

Summary of above: 
Your mind > your plan > your action > consequences > sense of achievement > positive/negative feelings.

Personal Reflection: 

I always make sure I get to relax and be productive at the same time. Like now, I am writing my blog, one step closer to my dream, but in the mean time, I took a 3-hour nap in the afternoon. I cook my dinner too! And I will off for a swim soon after this post. I don't usually rush for my day off and I do experience total demonic days too. But it's over now, I feel depressed if I do nothing for a day. Seriously, life is short. Do whatever pleases you, but eventually, feel good about it! 

Personal Advice: 

Do exercise during your off day. Staying stagnant whole day at home, doesn't really release any happy hormones (endorphin). 

So, share with me how did you spend your day off like today? 

Share this post/blog if you like this article. Thanks!

Scott

Have You Ever Won An Argument?

So you think you've won an argument against someone (or ANYONE, for some real hardcore individuals). The most you will get is victory of your egoism. Do you see from the other side of what have you really lose then?

1. You lose your health. Don't you realize every time when you argue, you will feel the heat up to your head? and also the palpitation (probably the worries of running out of ideas to argue or the fear to lose an argument). It's because when you argue, you tend to haste your speech, hence haste your brain to function faster, and that's when you need your blood to flow in more oxygen to your brain. That's the reason why your face is red, your heart rate is racing and blood pleasure is sky-rocketing! Is that worth it to win an argument over your health? Personally I definitely don't like the doctors to win some consultation fees from this. 

2. You lose your mind. Unless the other person is really some insignificant others, or else winning an argument for the sake of winning, you are just feeding your own egoism. Soon you will regret what you have said that leads to the damage of the ones you actually love. 

3. You lose your character. We, as civilized human beings, are expected to be polite, kind, courteous in our words. When you argue with someone, you slip a lot of words out of your tongue without checking with your brain. The audiences who have the pleasure to witness your standing-ovationable quarrel would applaud for your free entertainment. Nonetheless, trust me, in their mind, they don't even want to make an eye contact with you. As a 2-second stare might be accused as public flirtation or sexual assault just because they just see some eye bogey at the corner of your eyes. Oh well, nobody is ever gonna tell you that your nostril hairs are soon sticking into your mouth if you are always in that defensive mode. 

4. You lose your friendships/relationships. Every argument which is not constructive (throwback to all the ancient histories into your current argument is rather low and truly emotionally) will usually lead to damaging a relationship like a broken vase. You might argue that it's to support what is happening now, but does that really matter? When you have made your points clear more than 3 times before, it's time to stop and tell yourself, take it (to accept it in order to continue love him/her) or leave it (to slowly stay away from this friend/family member/partner). This is simply because if someone doesn't change, which simply means he doesn't want to. No hurt feeling, really.

Summary of above: 

You argue > you blood pressure is going up > your words hurt people > people don't respect you > you lose your relationships > you are forever alone > end of story. 

Personal Reflection: 

Everyone has experienced this, including the very flawed me. I tried to win all the arguments in some stages of my life (and I still do sometimes). But, I have tremendously reduced my chances to get into argument with anyone, as the 4 points above have proven themselves as facts. Seek to understand, then to be understood, that makes up one of my motto in life. 

Personal Advice: 

Agree to disagree. People have different opinions, as long as that doesn't involve you as the output of the decision or his actions, you need to learn how to keep some words to yourself, really. Let people prove their points, before you discuss with them by facts, not emotions. 

So, share with me how do you cope with arguable situations? I shall come out with another post on "How to Cope with External Conflicts" if you think I should! 

Share this post/blog if you like this article. Thanks!

Scott

Have You Ever Thought of Writing A Diary/Journal?

Dear Readers,

Welcome to Have You Ever Done That. The purpose of this blog is to discuss about the miscellaneous stuffs that make us think inside, but never really being expressed. Sometimes these trivial thoughts can be disturbingly annoying, when it haunts you, and you couldn't seem to be able to cope with it.

I am Scott, possesses a Degree in Counselling for my Undergraduate study. It's been 4 years since I left the course, but it's never totally disappeared, for my mind to stop involving in Counselling matters.

Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to share my thoughts with you, about how we actually live our lives, and how can we actually improve our decision making and actions to react to certain situation.

I would welcome 200% of participation from all the readers across the world. So, please do let me know, what kind of topics would interest you, or what social circumstances that you encountered, and you think you would like to share with us and I shall try my best to analyse for you.

The contact form is just on top of the right side of this blog. Let's get this blog rolling and inspire me to write MORE interesting topics for you.

Scott