Weekend snapshots- cheap, simple meals and choking from tightening belts
Some of you who visited my weekend snapshot last week will know I am trying to reduce expenses in the light of today’s rising prices for almost every consumer goods and services.
One of the ways is expenditure on food. Traditionally Sunday is a day of rest for Mrs Bengbeng. She has worked very hard the whole week. She deserves this rest. So, often in the past we used to go out and eat for the three hawker meals with expenditure an average of Rm40.00 including food, drinks and petrol just for one day.
This week, I cooked the following. It is for three meals.
it is basically vegetables and ladies finger, luncheon meat dipped in beaten egg and deep fried garnished with midin, and chicken soup cooked with spicy preserved vegetables
However I underestimated my son’s appetite. It was jusr enough for breakfast and lunch. So, for dinner I cooked fried kueh tiaw with garlic, daun kesom or nice smelling veg, prawns and black sauce.
I saved on petrol bills not eating out. I also spent only a fraction of what I normally do. However I anticipate, hard times are ahead for all Malaysians soon in the months to come.
Before ending this post I want to share a verbal comment I received. ” Bengbeng, prices go up. It is part of life. Change your lifestyle. Reduce your expenditure.” As you can see, I don’t eat lobsters or caviar. I don’t drive a Volvo or Mercedez. I don’t go clubbing or have a night-life. I even shop around for the best but cheapest mechanical pencils for my son.
For God’s sake. We almost spend nothing on ourselves or luxuries. Food and clothing for our child once a year and his educational expenses makes up the bulk of our expenses.. Many of our stuff are produced in Indonesia and China because they are cheaper.
I am clueless how I can further change my lifestyle to reduce expenses. On weekdays, my wife and I skip dinner. ( it’s a habit we picked up due to our hectic life-style) Of course we prepare food for our child. Cycle the 2000km a month which our car covers every month? Swim across the river and save the thousands of ringgit we pay annually on toll charges every year for using a 1.3km bridge? 
Not only have you saved on money but with you cooking everything and the rest of the family at home, family bonding is all the more pronounced. Have a great week ahead!
Have you consider fighting the root cause for all these price increases? Rising prices do not have to be part of life. Don’t be so accepting la.
but how? we r so powerless
BB, I ask myself that too. I have three children so our expenses are a bit too much some times, especially when we get home late and I don’t have time to prepare dinner so we end up buying takeout. Sigh. But as they say, “Tough times don’t last but tough people do” to which I ask, “For how long?”
Have a great week! Haven’t “seen” you for a while.
My WS:
Twilight
FreshBlueberries
What a very good post to end the week Beng. I agree…being a mom is not an easy task, so Mrs. beng beng really deserved a day off at least.
I salute you
I have the same gripe as yours,ahh with all those cutting expenditures blah.
wah, kueh tiaw…my favorite!
Have a great week ahead of you
Good post and the meals look delicious. It is hard to budget for everything where I live too. I hope you have a happy week.
It’s a common problem everywhere now. Inflation is going to rise further with the oil prices going up and the US prime mortgage loan crisis looming….. We save for the rainy days ahead whenever we can. I’m considering planting my own veggies. hehe….
How? I am sure you know how as you seem like a very educated and knowledgable person. If you want the best for benghui, you will find a way how.
I will find a way
eh, i’ve heard that change lifestyle thing before, but where??
however, i do not have a lifestyle to speak of, so what is there to change lah?
happy voting next weekend
kudos to you for doing a great job, budgeting is also tough here in the philippines. prices are always going up.
You did a great job with budgeting
Happy WS.
i miss kwee tiauw… happy WS
Good job on saving money!
aiya Beng! have to eat lah don’t starve yourself lidat!
we jus dont feel like having dinner as we have a very late lunch..usually around 4.00pm
I agree everthing have gone up but salary..LOL! I have 3 kids too and budgeting is not easy but we have managed to survive the last few years when hubby was out of job and living on one salary. We don’t cook so many dishes. Just one or two. Stew and veggie or One Meat and soup. Our cost per meal is approximately RM10 per meal for 5 people. Or hubby will fry kway teaw like you or fried rice. Don’t worry so much lah.. No matter how bad the economy is or how little you have, be glad that you have the support of family and God. Remember, he said he shall provide. Has he ever let you starve? When in dispare, think of those that are worst off than you and you will see how blessed you are.
i am not complaining but i wanted to highlight the rising prices of goods
First, I don’t think you guys should skip dinner (if only to save) - health is even more important.
Other than that, I think you’re doing as well as anyone can do - don’t worry too much about how others who tell you that you have to change. We all have different personality, we see (hence do) things differently and at the end of the day - as long as you and family are happy and healthy, that is what matters.
i agree with u. as for dinner thingy it is a matter of choice as we dont feel hungry at dinner time. habitual thingy
Everything is rising in prices… may I add that medical fees almost doubled for the exact same medicines given?!?! Now I can truly understand what people mean by saying “å¯ä»¥æ»ï¼Œä¸å¯ä»¥ç—…”!!! *bang.wall*
p/s: I hope Benghui and you are feeling better already
cutting expenditure is one way,(i suggest u change benghui’s school to an govt english/malay school, u save on all those extra chinese classes!!!If all u want is for him to learn mandarin u dont have to send him to a chinese school.if when he grows older he wants to speak mandarin, he can take language classes.) increasing income is also needed. any suggestions on that? how about renting out a spare room?
we tried renting out a room but the arrangement didnt work out
5 months in arrears and no sign of paying. i had no heart to chase the tenant out. in the end, he left one day without paying n some things were missing