9 things always confirm blow our budget
We recently wrote about how Malaysians make excuses to avoid going out and spending money, but there will come times when avoidance is not an option.
As we move into new chapters of our lives, it’s essentially impossible to decline celebrating each other’s successes. And, like most things in life, they now cost (at least a little bit of) money.
1. Meeting the friend you haven’t seen in 5 years
With friends flying overseas for job opportunities, or education, or returning to their kampung, or even just losing touch, we can say with certainty that we see a lot less of friends nowadays.
So when they return, it’s a cause for celebration and catching up. Naturally, this also results in many food trips to cram in as much Malaysian food before they need to leave again.
2. Engagement brunches
Surprise! Your friends are getting engaged while you sit alone at home eating Maggi Kari.
Don’t dwell on it too much, just bring them out for a nice drink, listen to their excited plans, and be a good supportive friend. After that, you can go home and cry in forever alone- but it’s not your fault.
3. Distant relative weddings
Your mom texts you one day and tells you that you need to go for your cousin’s-uncle’s-brother’s-adoptive-son’s-best-friend’s wedding, and you have nothing better to do except enjoy free food, so you agree.
Then you realize you still need to drop a few hundred ringgit on a gift either way and possibly spend more to get a nice-looking baju. Was it worth it? You tell us.
4. Baby showers
After the weddings come the baby showers, naturally. You may be feeling a little overwhelmed, wondering if these people the same age as you are really meant to be parents at all.
Regardless, they’re parents now! And they have a child! A tiny human! What kind of monster would you be if you didn’t go to the baby shower?
It’s almost like a rule that you need to bring the parents itty-bitty baby clothes or noisy baby toys and coo at the mini-person and say things like, “Oh he is adorable, he has his mother’s eyes”.
Ps. Pro tip: the best gift for the parents at this point is a lot of sleeping pills, ear plugs, and alcohol.
5. Birthday gifts and dinners
You know how it is: someone in your social circle has a birthday, you all agreed to chip in for a gift, and then get dinner together to catch up.
What you severely underestimated is that now all your friends are pretty much grown up and suddenly dinner at a mamak no longer suffices, and gifts now are elaborate and… expensive.
6. (Extended) family gatherings
Everyone knows the ultimate power move: treating your family to dinner with your first paycheck. It’s how you show that you are now An Adult™ and no longer a child.
Of course the pride very quickly wears off when you realize that a large family gathering also means a very large bill. But that’s what credit cards were made for, right?
7. Visiting the in-laws
You know when you’re out with the in-laws, you’re paying. Especially if you are a man (this is why we need feminism, betul?) and you’ve basically sworn to care for your wife when you married her.
So to save face, you gotta pay for a nice dinner, complete with dessert. Even if you didn’t budget for this expense, make sure to not let it turn into resentment.
8. I-quit-my-job dinners
With how often millennials struggle in the workplace, it’s not surprising to have you or your friends quit their jobs.
Since that often means a huge change in lifestyle, that also means you should meet up with them to make sure everything is A-OK.
9. I-got-a-new-job lunches
Of course, after quitting a job there has to be a new job. So when your friends ace their interviews and land a new position (with a raise, hopefully!) it definitely is a reason to celebrate again.
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