Be a smart Shopper

Here's how to resist the urge to splurge

1. Examine your spending habits -  Are you buying decisions motivated by your own values or by advertisments?  Don't be influenced by consumerism and an obsession with spending.
2. Break down why you shop and ask yourself what real needs are satisfied by shopping trips - Are you doing it out of habit because that's what all your friends do, and get bored easily?  Finding other shared experiences like sports, hobbies, and special interest club cna help break that cycle.
3. You can get the same or better, shopping at flea markets and thrift shops - Are you rewarding yourself for small achievements?  That's a good pattern, but you can look closer at what type of rewards motivate you best and ask yourself if time doing something fun is a better reward.
4. Stay home - If you don't need to shop, don't go shopping simply because you are bored.  Don't use shopping as a recreation or amusement.  Find other amusement and hobbies, if it's lonely, then invite people over, or organize a group to play games togather.
5. Leave the money at home - The easiest way to not buy anything is simply not to take any cash, checks, debit cards or credit cards with you when you go out.  At most, take a small amount of cash with you for emergencies.
6. Buy used - If you really need something and haven't been able to beg, borrow or dumpster-dive it, go to Cash Convertors and get one for a few ringgit.  Online auctions and yard sales are also good, although there is still the temptation to buy "stuff" you don't really need.
7. Buy for durability - If you decide to purchase something, choose something that won't wear out, or won't wear out quickly.  Also avoid purchasing items that will go out of fashion.  Think through how you will use the item and how your choice will meet your needs for as long as  possible.  Thinking in the long term, a more durable items costing 30% more up front will still save you money if you can use it twice as long.
8. Buy for easy compatibility - If you really like an item, think how well it will work with what you have already.  Maybe a clothing item is fresh and flattering, but if it doesn't coordinate will with at least two or three pieces you won, you will either get limited use out of it, or worse, you may 'need' to buy more to use it at all.
9. Pay cash - Studies show the average person spends less when paying with cash and mush more when paying with credit, possibly because when you use a credit card it feels as though you are not parting with 'real' money.
10. Make a budget and stick to it - Don't treat your budget like a New Year's resolution.  While creating and sticking to a budget requires self- control, it is a really good way to get your finances under control.

30% Production rebate for movies filmed in Malaysia

International and local movies filmed in Malaysia will be given a production incentive of 30% from this year, said Information, Communications and Culture Minister DAtuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.

He said locally-made international movies, with a minumum cost of RM5mil while filming in Malayisa , would be entitled to the incentive while local movies would have to spend a minimum of RM2.5mil to qualify.

"The move is to encourage the filming of international movies in Malaysia and the growth of the local movie industry."

No decision yet on SBPA reclaim

The Government has not decided on reclaiming money which may have been disbursed under the recently scrapped New Public Services Remuneration Scheme (SBPA)

Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Donald Lim dismissed media reports yesterday that civil servants and pensioners who received substantial pay rises, will have to return any excess to the Government now that the scheme has been scrapped, calling them inaccurate.

Indon maid for only one chore

The fresh batch of Indonesian maids bound for Malaysia will be trained in four household chores but will employed to carry out only one task for their prospective bosses.

Means that, if the maid is employed as a cook, she will only be tasked with chores related to cooking and will not be doing any others duties, such as baby- sitting or washing clothes.

What do you think about it? Do you agree with above statement?
Just cook for the family and will get RM700 every months? Is it worth for the pay and their job function?
Even you just a clerk in a small company and the company pay you RM1000, your job task is not only do the documentation job or just pick up the call, right?

Dissatified smallholders picket outside PM's office

Smallholders from Kea Farm in Cameron Highlands, whose stalls are to be demolished next month, picketed in front of  the Prime Minister's office.

About 20 of them stood for two hours asking for a proper alternative site before the stalls are torn down.

PSM Cameron Highlands secretary Suresh Kumar, who helped organise the protest, said the smallholders were not against the move but were worried that their income would be affected.

The protesters handed over a letter to an officer from the Prime Minister's office before moving on to Parliament in an attempt to meet Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Taiwan firm chooses Penang

The Hokkien connection has once again put Penang in the limelight, albeit, this time on a positive note.

Taiwan-based Phison Engineering Corp has chosen to set up its first Malaysian branch in the state this year because the hokkien dialect is widely used here.....

SMS via SPM results on Wednesday

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results will be released next Wednesday and students will be able to get the results from their respective schools after 10am.

Students can also get their results through SMS from 10 am on March to midnight on March 27 by typing SPM followed by their candidate number and sending it to 15888.