Is This Creative Spending?

Why do we have tendencies of reflecting both extremes in our daily consumption? Like a mediocre dinner at a local food stall followed by a visit to a night club? Creative spending?

Why do we keep exact change as possible for bus fares and other stuff like toll fare but when it comes to opening a bottle or buying a jug, that goes out the window?

In other words, we penny pinch when it comes to cents but piddle away on dollars. Why?

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Tags: consumption, dinner, dollars, extreme, fares, mediocre, night club, penny pinch, spending, toll

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7 Responses to “Is This Creative Spending?”

xin
October 31st, 2007 at 3:33pm

good point. some ppl are very funny, they even save on drinks during every possible meal. but, they tend to overspend on useless stuff! i find tht amusing too

Christine
November 1st, 2007 at 1:29am

because retail therapy big or small gives you a buzz

Chironjit Das
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:14am

Here’s the correct idiom;

“penny wise, pound foolish”

Diarmuid
November 4th, 2007 at 8:21pm

I think its a reflection of the extremes that exist in the cost of living index in South East Asia compared to Europe. The basics in Malaysia are relatively cheap, and they have to be, but its still damn hard to survive on an average salary here. Anything imported, anything regarded as a sin product, or a luxury product is taxed to the hilt.

You could stretch Ringgit quite well if you do not smoke, drink, or drive. But you’ll go mad trying to use Rapid KL, or the taxis, and as for KL itself, you may as well smoke 10 cigarettes a day living in the Klang Valley with the air as it is. Not that I complain, I happen to love this place, warts and all.

Gallivanter
November 5th, 2007 at 11:50am

xin Pathetic isn’t it?

Christine Retail therapy sounds like an excuse.

Chironjit Das Aye!

Diarmuid Agreed, a person with an average income of RM3000 will still find it difficult to make ends meet.

Diarmuid
November 5th, 2007 at 2:24pm

RM3,000 is an average income in the Klang Valley?….I don’t think so. It takes years of experience for many Malaysians to reach that level. A more accurate indicator is the median salary, which is somewhere around RM1,800.

The problem is that wages have remained static since the 1997 economic crash, and its only now that they are begining to recover. In order for the Malaysian economy to recover, both Mahathir and Badawi’s administration lashed on taxes on imports and fun. Its not just a Malaysian phenomenon, its pretty much worldwide, and its about to get a whole lot worse elsewhere. Mind, Malaysia should come through it fine. It looks like the boom will be starting again here.

Gallivanter
November 5th, 2007 at 2:38pm

Diarmuid I didn’t say that RM3000 is an average income in the Klang Valley. The median salary is approx RM2000 now. It’s time for an economic boom, but the private sectors need to play an active role in keeping up with the inflation rate as best as they can. For some, they claim that since economy is “bad”, an increment of 2% will suffice. Is the economy “bad”?