Change for the better :)

If this question has kept you up at night, it’s time to find out the reasons behind expiry dates on your bank payment cards. Your bank debit card will typically expire every five to seven years (depending on the issuing bank) and when it does, you will not be able to use the expired card. Bank credit cards however, expire a little quicker but the good news is that renewal is often automatic and new cards will be mailed to cardholders. Debit cardholders face the hassle of having to make their way to a bank to get it renewed. So why don’t banks simply allow cards to be functional in perpetuity? Here are three main reasons why your cards actually benefit from periodic renewals: Additional Security Layer to Curb Potential Fraud The expiry date is the extra bit of information required to make a purchase online in addition to your name, card number and security code. A payment would not go through if the expiry date does not match corresponding information on the card. ...

Getting your set of wheels in top shape does not need to be difficult or expensive. Here are some easy-to-follow steps and instructions for basic maintenance! Previously, we've shared with you some quick DIY car checks you can do before going on a long car trip:  Any car owner would agree that maintenance costs take up quite a chunk of their monthly expenditure. These expenses are necessary, of course, since it can get worse if we skip regular services and end up with a malfunctioning car in the middle of the road. While we cannot avoid paying for car maintenance, there are a few easy procedures that we can do ourselves to reduce the costs. Read on for some handy tips on DIY car maintenance to save your hard earned money. Replacing a Flat Tire Changing a flat tire may sound like the Hulk’s job, but it isn’t, even a woman on high heels can get it done easily (although we don’t recommend you wearing high heels when doing so). You’ll need: A jack A wrench A ...

Before you walk down the aisle, take some time to talk to your future spouse about the thing that makes the world go round – that’s right – M-O-N-E-Y! Why We Have to Talk About Money In an  interview  with a local new site, psychiatrist Dr Sumeet Kaur cited financial troubles as the main cause of marriage breakdowns in Malaysia. This should certainly be reason enough to get on the same financial page before heading into wedded bliss. But what exactly should you discuss? Get the conversation started on these five essential money matters: 1. Financial Goals Personal goals may differ between spouses– you may want to own a home within the next two years and your future spouse may plan on investing in a new business. It’s best to discuss what your goals are, how it will affect the other person and what steps to take to make it happen. It’s possible that some goals will have to take a back seat due to insufficient funds. Thus, it’s good to know where you’re headed...

Being offered cash back and cash rebates are completely tempting when making a purchase – but did you know that these rewards are not always the same? What Is A Cash Back Reward? As a term most often used with credit card purchases, cash backs are rewards that return a percentage of the money you’ve spent with your card. For example, assume that your credit card issuer (or bank) promises 5% cash back on grocery expenses charged to the card. If you’ve charged RM100 in groceries; you should receive RM5 back. This is a rather simplified explanation but it’s basically how cash backs work. Banks may impose a minimum spending amount as well as a maximum cash back figure before rewards are earned. Thus, your cash back amounts are usually capped. What Is A Cash Rebate? You might come across cash rebates with promotions that offer to ‘refund’ an amount of the selling price. When you think about it in those terms, a cash rebate is essentially a discount of sorts. Cash r...

Is RON97 Really Better Than RON95?  – Tried And Tested! For the first time in history, petrol kiosks in Malaysia are experiencing a shortage of RON97 petrol, after demand for the fuel surged following a reduction in its price on Dec 1. The high demand came after the Government scrapped subsidies for RON95 and diesel and implemented a managed float system, which resulted in a very low difference between the price of RON95 (RM2.26 per litre) and RON97 (RM2.46 per litre). The price of RON97, which incidentally fell nine sen from RM2.55 to RM2.46 per litre in December 2014, saw some petrol kiosks double their sales of the fuel from an average of 500 litres to 1,000 litres in a day. In February 2015, retail prices of RON95 and RON97 fell further to RM1.70 per litre and RM2.00 per litre, respectively. However, prices of RON95 and RON97 went up by 20.5% and 22.5% in August to RM2.05 per litre and RM2.45 a litre respectively. Here is a comparison of RON95 an...