The value of Money

When I was a kid, I used to worry that my mom and dad worked too hard and earned too little so I tried not to ask for much. Then my parents told me not to worry and I stopped worrying.

Now that I'm working, I realise how much they've done to prevent me from worrying about money.

I earn about RM 800 a month working a full time job from 8AM to 5PM, lunch break from 12:30 to 1:30 PM

Each week, on lunch alone I spend about RM30. Just food and drink.

RM 30. Lunch alone. Food. Drink. In five days, that's already RM 30 for one meal a day. On average, that's RM6 a day.

Doesn't seem like much does it? That's what I thought until I did the math for living alone on a RM 800 salary.

Lets allocate and average of RM 4 for breakfast, RM 6 for Lunch and RM 5 for dinner. That's RM 15 a day. We now have RM 15 a day. 30 days a month. Times the two together and you have RM 450.

Out of a RM 800 salary, how much is that? A whopping 56.25 % of your salary goes into food.

If you're on 800 big ones a month, I doubt you have anything like a car so lets say we don't have one. We take the bus or the MRT. Lets say, each ride from work and back from work is RM2. We'll just ignore the days we go elsewhere, pretend they don't exist. RM 4 a day, 22 days a month. RM88 a month.

How much have we spent on food and transport already? 450 + 88 =538. That's right. You've now spent over half of your salary on food and transport.

What about the water and electricity bill? You're not at home a lot so I guess you won't be using much electricity. Lets say a nice RM 50 altogether? Plus another RM 80 in offerings and tithes cause I'm Christian.

RM668 spent altogether now. You now have RM 132 to spend on whatever you like. Or rather, since you're living alone, I'm guessing that you rent the place and you have to pay that off too.

If you're a lucky freeloader, better put that in your savings account. In case you need it.

Money goes really fast. The basic necessities of life alone will cost you about 600 bucks in a single month. I just wonder how my parents did it. Never mind my parents, I wonder how of the parents I know do it.

If one person can spend 600 bucks in a month, what if you have a family of five and you're poor?

I'm scared to spend my money now.