How You Duit - Blogger Edition 2 | CompareHero

This time we’re going to be featuring another group of authors from famous financial blogs in Malaysia!

• Finance Malaysia
  As a blogger of Finance Malaysia for several years now, it's been an amazing journey to learn and share with fellow followers. Overwhelming responds from our followers give us the motivation to continue writing and sharing. My hands feel itchy if I didn't post updates every day :)

• Michelle, The Money Magnet
  She recently left her full-time employment to be a stay-at-home mum so that she can spend more time with her toddler. When her toddler naps or sleeps, she writes on her personal finance blog at https://the-money-magnet.com. She hopes that sharing on her blog will benefit her readers in terms of better financial decisions.

• KC Lau
  KC Lau wonders, “Am I the most well-known financial blogger in Malaysia?”
  Maybe?

• Lynn & Ringgit
  Late 20's with a heart for friends, food and writing money diaries. Likes to thrift, splurge, collect freebies and dividend slips.

• Aaron, Mr. Stingy
  He started his career in a great company in a good industry, but never saved any money. Like any typical millennial, he too had an identity crisis, and decided to quit his job to pursue bigger dreams.  With an education debt, he had to learn to save money and be creative to pay it back.
  He is also fortunate enough to have significant salary increases over next few years and didn't really upgrade his lifestyle, deciding to put these into savings/investments instead.
  After that, he quit another good job to pursue his passion, taking a 52% pay cut, only to then quit again to try something new and novel.
  Now that he is financially stable, he is working for financial independence while balancing everything to have a passionate, meaningful life.
  “Not easy, but important things are never easy aren't they?” No, they never are.

• Charles Tan, Kopi And Property
  Charles Tan believes everyone should own at least one property so that one day when one retires, there's no need to worry about rental. He blogs at kopiandproperty.com, sharing his experience as a working professional who's also a property investor (slowly…). His favourite car brand is Audi, but he's currently driving a 9-year old Persona, which has served him very wel (power-window's working just fine). He loves shopping, looking for value; his favourite food and drink is dry-curry mee and Ipoh white coffee.

Related: How You Duit Blogger Edition 1

Curious about their financial habits and want to have a peek in their wallets? Read on!

How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?

Finance Malaysia: RM500

Michelle: RM205

KCLau: US$20

Lynn: RM231.05

Mr. Stingy: RM110

Charles: RM600

What’s the best financial advice you have ever received?

Finance Malaysia:  Do your own daily budgeting and starts investing as early as possible.

Michelle: Save early and watch the miracle of compounding interest as you grow older.

KCLau: You don't have to make a lot of money to be rich.

Lynn: 1/3 giving, 1/3 investment, 1/3 spending.

Mr. Stingy: Pay yourself first (save/invest first) before you do anything with your monthly salary.

Charles: It's best to start investing 20 years ago. You missed it. Second best time is now.

What’s your most expensive purchase? That’s not a property or vehicle.

Finance Malaysia: Overseas vacation trip because of honeymoon after married.

Michelle: My IVF treatments to fulfill my dream to have my baby.

KCLau: RM25000 baby grand piano, because I play it everyday!

Lynn: Mui Mui headband. It's a headband. -.-

Mr. Stingy: A nice watch for my dad. Because the best way to buy happiness is to spend it on those you love.

Charles: My GEOX leather shoe. At nearly RM400 after a massive discount, it is still more than double what I usually pay for leather shoes. I wanted to see if it's really that good. Yes, it's pretty good.

What did you spend your very first pay on?

Finance Malaysia: Loan repayment.

Michelle: Gave some to my mum and a nice dinner for my family.

KCLau: A digital 88-key keyboard.

Lynn: I don't remember. Give me a time machine and I'll show you. We’ll try!

Mr. Stingy: Belanja friends and family.

Charles: That's 20 years ago. I bought a pair of Camel leather shoe.

Are you more of a spender or saver? Why?

Finance Malaysia: Saver. Because of personal financial security feeling.

Michelle: I used to be a saver, but since I have my baby, I am slowly becoming a spender. I think I need to revert myself to a saver again!

KCLau: I try to strike a balance. I only spend on what I need and want, but not on luxury.

Lynn: In between. I am an emotional spender and saver.

Mr. Stingy: Naturally a spender. Took on this Mr-Stingy alter ego and ended up a saver. Because one day I did some calculations and discovered I was in a really bad financial situation. Saving saved my life.

Charles: I love to shop, and I have over 25 pairs of leather shoes. However, I think I am a saver as I seldom buy anything without discounts.

Which do you prefer using - cash or card? Why?

Finance Malaysia: Card. Convenient and safer from robbery after cash withdrawal from bank.

Michelle: Card whenever possible. It is quick, convenient and I can better track my spending.

KCLau: Card - points, rebate, air miles and tracking.

Lynn: Cards! I like to max up the perks of a card.

Mr. Stingy: Credit card if at all possible. For the cashback and points.

Charles: CARD. Flexibility, Points and Prestige.

Do you own a property?

Finance Malaysia: Yes.

Michelle: No.

KCLau: Yes.

Lynn: No.

Mr. Stingy: Yes.

Charles: Yes.

Tell us how you made your biggest financial mistake! 

Finance Malaysia: Listening to stocks tips given by friends.

Michelle: I should have learned to be willing to take more risk by investing more in my younger years.

KCLau: Invest without due diligence. Every time when I lose money, it is always in the situation that I cannot control, e.g. business partnerships that I don't run the show, exotic investment schemes.

Lynn: I surveyed everything about buying a gadget, and the shop offered a good price. But the sales person pushes me to a different model with different parts, which I did not do the price check, end up I paid much more than online price.

Mr. Stingy: First two years of work. Didn't have any significant savings even though I was earning okay. All because I said, "I'll save at the end of the month what's left over." Of course, there was never anything left over.

Charles: Bought one particular stock which someone recommended. Spent 5-figure. Lost it all when stock got delisted.

Can you describe your recent impulsive purchase?

Finance Malaysia: Impulsive action from me.

Michelle: Two beautiful dresses (of almost the same design) at one go because I just love how comfortable they made me feel!

KCLau: I seldom have impulsive purchase... I try to buy the things that I need to use only. The most recent bigger-than-usual-purchase was renting a Chevrolet Camaro for my upcoming Phoenix trip.

Lynn: I saw someone holding a beautiful Issey Miyaki Bao Bao. Next thing I know, I woke up with the bag.

Mr. Stingy: Something really small, like an Aunt Anne's pretzel. (Other than food, I don't do impulsive purchases.)

Charles: Three new long sleeve shirts. It was on offer and was like buying three for the price of one.

Do you have a PRS (Private Retirement Scheme)?

Finance Malaysia: Yes.

Michelle: Yes.

KCLau: Yes.

Lynn: Yes.

Mr. Stingy: Yes.

Charles: Yes.

How You Duit? is a recurring feature on CompareHero.my’s blog, where we ask 10 questions on personal finance habits and dive into the wallets of our fellow Malaysians.

If you haven't read the first part of this series, check out our How You Duit Blogger Edition 1