Much like Singapore, Malaysia is a multicultural country. It has substantial influences from the British, Arabic, Persian, Indian, and Chinese culture. Aside from this, it shares land borders with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei.
Not to mention, we can simply travel to Malaysia by land. Whether you are travelling to Malaysia or having a business transaction, here is a list of everything you need to know about the Malaysian Ringgit!
#1: MORE THAN JUST ART
Vibrant colors sprinkled on the notes are the first things that people notice about the Malaysian Ringgit. Did you know that these colors serve a purpose? Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, the colors enable you to identify the denomination in a glance.
Now, look at the reverse side of the note. Most bills contain images of Malaysia’s infrastructure at the back. For instance, the famous Petronas Twin Towers grace the 5-ringgit note.
#2: MOVES LIKE JAGGED
In Malay, the word “ringgit” means “jagged”. It originates back to the colonial times where rough Spanish silver coins were once used. During this time, the coins were called dollars. This is why you may have seen some prices listed as “$” or “M$” before.
Currently, the currency in Malaysia is issued by the Bank Negara Malaysia (National Bank of Malaysia).
#3: SMART MONEY MOVES
When travelling to Malaysia, you have to be mindful with how you spend your money. Spare your small change to the street vendors or the people who have a problem breaking down your large notes.
Save your RM50 and RM100 banknotes to hotel, bars, mini-marts, and other establishments that carry plenty of cash flow.
#4: MUCH IS THE SAME
Interestingly, the Ringgit shares the same denomination as the Singaporean Dollar. It is divided into RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20, RM50, and RM100.
There used to be an RM500 and RM1000 denominations, but the government demonetized it in the 1990s to curb money laundering. If you see this note being handover to you, stay vigilant. Do not accept any of these notes from anyone.
#5: MONEY SPENT AND MONEY SAVED
According to a study, the top three ways that Malaysians employ to eliminate their spending include spending less on clothes, reducing entertainment costs, and switching to more affordable grocery items.
On the other hand, they spend most of their disposable income on dining out. This is followed by their petrol and housing costs.
#6: SAVE YOUR TIPS
Save your tips as most people do not expect to receive it. Tipping is not a common practice in Malaysia. Some places such as restaurants and luxury hotels may add a 10% service charge to your bill.
LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort is packed full of family fun with more than 70 hands-on rides, slides, shows and attractions. From LEGO® experiment centres to roller coasters, the Resort is a day-long voyage of discovery for the whole family.
Maybank Cardmembers enjoy special offers on Family packages or LEGOLAND®Theme Park and Water Park tickets.
SG50 Special: 50% off One-Day Combo Ticket (15 July – 31 August 2015)
35% off Admission tickets (1 July – 31 December 2015)
Valid for all Maybank Credit/Debit Cards.
That means paying just RM 103.5 or S$37* for a combo ticket to the Theme Park and Water Park. (U.P RM 207 or S$74*)
Only visiting the Theme Park? You still enjoy 35% off your admission tickets.
Simply make your payment onsite at the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort ticket counter with your Singapore-issued Maybank Credit/Debit Card.
* 1 SGD = 2.80 MYR
Terms & Conditions
Valid from 15 July to 31 August 2015.
Payment must be made with a Singapore-issued Maybank Credit/Debit Card onsite at LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort ticket window only. Not valid for online or advance purchases.
Limited to a maximum of 4 One-Day Combo tickets (Adult/Child/Senior Citizen) per transaction.
Valid for LEGOLAND Malaysia Theme Park and Water Park One-Day Combo Ticket(s) only.
Valid for admission on the day of ticket purchase.
Offer is not valid with pre-purchased tickets, online sales and any other discounts, rebates or promotion including Mykad promotion, Annual Passes, groups and education offers.
Ticket prices and operating hours are subject to change without prior notice. Please refer to www.legoland.com.my for the latest rates.
LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort reserves the right to refuse, alter, amend, delete or add to the stated terms and conditions or withdraw this promotion at anytime without prior notice.
Additional restrictions may apply without prior notice.
LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort terms and conditions apply. Please click here for more details.
Live and Invest Overseas is a trusted online publication dedicated to giving information on retiring, living, and investing overseas. With a similar goal, International Living, established in 1979, had surveyed experts and contributors to get the cost of living information of countries around the world. These are the latest large-scale data available to date:
1. NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA
Nicaragua, a multiethnic country of approximately 6 million people, is one of the most beautiful countries in America as it boasts its Pacific coastline, Caribbean beaches, and freshwater lakes. You can live for about S$1,350 a month inclusive of utility bills (no air-conditioning), groceries, entertainment, rent, maid (3 times a week), and health insurance. Not a bad way to retire!
2. PHILIPPINES, ASIA
Philippines, a picturesque country consisting of 7,107 islands, ensures that you can enjoy a low-cost island life once you retire. For about S$1,410 a month, you can avail services such as electricity, water, gas, cable TV, Internet, grocery shopping, rent, and entertainment costs. Relax in the beach and reminisce the old times while sipping a fresh coconut juice that will cost you lest than a dollar!
Image Credits: Brian Evans via Flickr
3. MALAYSIA, ASIA
How about retiring close to home? In Malaysia, you can retire for a cost of approximately S$1,450 a month. This is inclusive of utility bills, handphone bills, Internet services, maid (4 hours/week), transportation, health insurance, and entertainment. Keep your healthy physique by buying a bagful of fruits that will cost you only S$5.
Image Credits: Tatiana Vdb via Flickr
4. ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA
Aside from English, if you are fluent in Spanish then, you may consider living in Ecuador. With mostly Spanish-speaking citizens, Ecuador known for its rich ecosystem that hosts many species of plants and animals. For approximately S$1,760 a month, you can indulge on utilities, grocery shopping, health insurance, maid (2 times a week), Internet services, cable TV, handphone services, entertainment, and transportation. The top choice of most American retirees is the wonderful city of Cuenca due to its glorious weather and affordable real estate.
Image Credits: andresmbernal via Flickr
Age gracefully by retiring in a comfortable place where you are at peace with your finances! The world is your oyster. 🙂
“As you travel solo, being totally responsible for yourself, it’s inevitable that you will discover how capable you are.”
Living in one of the smallest and safest countries in the world, it is impervious that majority of the Singaporeans aren’t as independent as the greater part of the world growing up. The sad fact that we aren’t able to defend ourselves and be as “street smart” puts us in a real disadvantage. Not to compare to anyone, but instead a disadvantage to ourselves when we set foot into a new territory on our own. Born with a silver spoon in our mouths, the world beyond this little island that we grew up in can be very intimidating.
As a Singaporean myself, travelling out alone is definitely something I really enjoy, but nonetheless it was daunting at first especially in a country where I’ve never been to before. I had the chance to travel out alone recently, and for me, it was awe-inspiring and refreshing. For those of you who have been considering travelling solo, here’s my two cents worth of tips.
Possibly one of the worst things to do is take a flight to a country you know nothing about. Aside from all the attractions and sightseeing spots, certain countries tend to charge tourists a different rate from the locals. Knowing things such as which cab services to take and where the best places to shop are will shed light on what you can expect to ensure you’ll have a smoother trip and less hiccups.
Unexpected things happen more often than not when you least expect, and so you should always be prepared. Keep a photocopy of your passport, travel details, extra cash and maybe a credit card somewhere in case things go awry. A thumbdrive with the soft copies saved will also do the trick. You might also want to save the number of your embassy and bring along a power bank to charge your mobile, laptop and any electronic peripherals that may comes in handy.
People travel alone for a vast number of reasons – be it to shop, explore or take a break from their hectic schedule. Since you’ll be alone, it’d be best to take your own luggage with you all through the way just to make sure it’s in safe hands. Keeping your baggage light allows you to move around more freely and, maybe also shop more. The Samsonite Firelite is crafted from woven thread of polypropylene with Curv technology making it one of the most durable and lightest bag under five pounds. (Costs $465 on eBags with 15% discount from vPost)
Be Cautious Of Your Surroundings and Personal Belongings
(Image credit: TheeErin, via Flickr)
Self-explanatory, the small bag you carry around should be guarded with all you’ve got – it is in fact, all you’ve got when you’re out roaming the streets. Best to be observant of your surrounds and people: not paranoid, alert. Make sure you create clear labels and tag your bags.
Weigh Your Decisions
Travelling alone means you can do whatever you want, whenever. But with great power to decide, comes great responsibility to return in one piece. Jumping off that cliff sure looks like great fun, but know what you’re getting into before taking the leap.
With that said if you’re still hesitant, take the adventure to a place you’ve been to before or a place where the popularity can speak simple English. Here are a couple of places which has loads of unexplored adventures that are good for starters with a budget:
Australia
Ayers Rock, Uluru (Image credit: Mark Wassell, via Flickr)
Being the sixth largest country in the world, there’s definitely places you’ve yet to visit and things you’ve yet to do. From diving to visiting the beautiful Ayers Rocks, this country’s beauty will sweep you off your feet. Love camping? Bring along your outdoor gear!
Chiang Mai Night Market (Image credit: Caitriana Nicholson, via Flickr)
A popular destination amongst Singaporeans, the Land of a Thousand Smiles is rich in culture. Although language may be a barrier, the signs and directions are quite clear. With the help of the people, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Boracay at Dusk (Image credit: Chewy Chua, via Flickr)
The Philippines is similar to Singapore with majority of the population able to converse in English which makes travelling around easy as pie. The lot of beautiful beaches and the world’s biggest shopping mall at your dispense ensures that you have everything you need.
A highly cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong is full of scenic gardens, fantastic hiking trails and great food. One of the biggest cities in the world, you’ll never finish exploring Hong Kong’s uniqueness. If you love shopping, you would definitely fall in love with the night markets along Temple Street.
Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park (Image credit: robdu91, via Flickr)
One of the more technologically advanced cities in Asia, it is the hallmark of an ideal exotic locate. From the wild forestry to the skyscrapers in the city, it’s like being in two places at once.
Before you embark on the greatest adventure of your life alone, be sure to book your flights by comparing the fares from SkyScanner without compromising on your safety. Book your hotels with the best rates with our hotels search engine: http://hotels.moneydigest.sg
