JOHOR BARU: “Dining in” is the go-to option for many households these days.
Families prefer home-cooked meals, which they feel are better for their budget amid the rising cost of living.
Part-time makeup artist Abdul Hakim Azmi, 27, said that he no longer eats out to avoid spending too much on food.
“My mother now cooks for me and my brother in the morning. We will pack and have it for lunch at work. We eat dinner at home.”
Otherwise, he said his current earnings would not be enough if he keeps dining out.He said eating at home had helped reduce his spending, although it was still quite hard to cope as the price of ingredients had also increased.Retiree Tan Choo Oo, 62, said he and his wife are cooking at home more often these days as a way to reduce spending.
“I recently shut down my business – selling second-hand cars – after facing significant losses in the past two years. I am now depending on my savings to survive, so I must be careful with my expenses.
“These days, I spend most of my days tending to my farm that is located not far from my house. This means I can go home for lunch.
“I used to frequent coffee shops in the morning with my friends before heading to my shop, but I have decided to do away with that now as I feel that it is a waste of money,” he said, adding that he also prefers home-cooked meals.
Tan said he would also clean his own car instead of sending it to the car wash.
As for buying clothes, he would opt for those sold at “bundle” stores.
“These are some adjustments I have made as a way to stretch my finances and make sure that I have enough saved up for rainy days,” he said.
Housewife Wolni Jungin, 38, said she and her sister would wake up early every morning to prepare packed meals for their family.
“We will cook simple dishes such as fried rice or noodles for my children and nephews to bring to school. This is one of the ways we cope with the increase in the price of goods.
“We also rarely dine out these days and even if we do, we will plan what to order so that we do not overspend. Many things are getting more expensive and small measures like these could help reduce the burden a bit,” she said.