Ringgit can only stretch so far
Interview and picture by Chuah Bee Kim
STRETCHING the ringgit is a real challenge these days with stagnating salaries and escalating prices.
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| DINING CHALLENGE: The price of a mixed-rice meal at a hawker centre has gone up by more than RM1.50 in Johor Baru. |
For a furniture designer like myself who earns a basic salary of RM2,000 a month, it is hard to live from paycheque to paycheque.
In the past, I could still set aside a small sum for a rainy day. Now, there’s no pocket money left after paying the utility bills, housing loan, car loan, petrol and other things.
I used to believe in “sedikit sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit” but now that vision of a mountain is drifting into obscurity. I am not certain if I would even see a molehill by the time I reach retirement.
Little things like eating in stalls in Johor Baru that sell “economy rice” is becoming an expensive affair after the recent petrol price hike.
Before, I could get a decent meal for between RM3 and RM3.50. Now, it costs up to RM5 for a rice with a three vegetables.
To scrimp and save, I sometimes opt for a plate of chicken rice for RM3.50.
A difference of RM1.50 may not seem much but at the end of the month, when I calculate my expenditure, the difference adds to a substantial amount.
An economy rice meal caters to the public and is usually one of the cheapest options available at a hawker centre.
My wife and I dine out most of the time as we both work, so we always seek the most affordable meal options.
Budget 2009 does not spell better times ahead for the common folk.
As for the furniture industry in Johor Baru, consumers are belt-tightening when it comes to decorating their space. There is almost a 30 per cent drop in spending for the furniture industry here. The buying power of local people is not as strong as those in Kuala Lumpur.
People here tend to look for furniture which are of lower quality and they are price sensitive.
Their mindset is “as long as it can be used for a few years”. In the old days, customers would go for something that would last a lifetime. That is not the trend any more.
Lucky for us, there are new houses being built all the time in Johor so when people move into a new home, they usually get new furniture.
Customers now prefer to check out home fairs and furniture exhibitions where there is a vast selection to choose from. They can compare prices and save petrol at the same time as everything is under one roof.
• Born and bred in Johor Baru, Ng Han Meng, 37, used to work as a graphic designer before switching to furniture designing
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