First thing you should know is there is no financial sifu or resident advisor here, just posters sharing their experiences and opinions – so don’t take all suggestions given as the gospel truth or expect any financial formula that will ensure success in whatever objectives you’re searching for.

Second thing you should be aware, is this poster (me) likes to use ‘you’ in his sentences. Don’t take them too personally; as most of the time the ‘you’ is NOT directed at you personally. But also the general readers/browsers/lurkers, as this is an open forum... no point addressing issues that are specific to you, as you are not paying me anything; and it’s more fun (and easier to bullshit) to just simply share whether opinions/ideas that crosses my mind.

Third, as you can see, I have too much time...  so here goes...

Are you a smart consumer? If you think you are, then you already answered your own question on whether you’re on the right track on money matters.

For example, purchasing a medical card that cost RM150 monthly. How do we, as a smart consumer, know whether it was a value purchased or not? Do you spend the 150 after doing some shopping/research, or because it was recommended, or because a friend has the same thing?

In the case of car insurance, where you can get optional coverage on the windshield for, let’s say, RM60/year.

A smart consumer before getting this optional coverage would find out the cost of the windshield, let’s say about rm180. Then he/she will try to estimate whether it is worthwhile or not.

I wouldn’t off-hand say it will be worthwhile or not because everyone’s situation is different. He/she may be living near a quarry where there’s lot of lorries carrying small stones, or his/her house is in a plantation area with unpaved roads, plus lorries carrying palm fruits that frequently send flying a seed or two onto the cars following behind.

Or he/she may be living in a neighbourhood, where it is unheard of, of car owners replacing their windshields – even for drivers with many years of driving experience.

And even for that motorist living near a quarry, he/she may not think it worthwhile to have the optional coverage; as he/she maybe not that fussy – a small chip on the windshield, never mind, la... no need replacement; or he/she feels that the cost of the replacement is not a worrisome amount to be fret about... no big deal la, just pay out of the pocket as and when it is needed to do so.

On other matters, you seemed to be doing fine... emergency fund nearly touching 6 months of gross salary, just barely the minimum...

Savings per month 500-800... maybe you should try putting money aside into separate ‘envelopes’.

One envelope for travel, one envelope for gifts/festive season expenditure, one for long term (retirement), one for special purpose (like opening a small business – that dessert shop which you edited).

This way, you would know how much exactly you are really saving each month, after deducting those set aside for specific expenses.

As for investments, I biased towards unit trusts/mutual funds, read those threads for more info... I would suggest only invest those savings you aside for the long term ie. retirement.

Wah,  800x12-rm9600/year

You are too generous to yourself, but how come so high, you alway follow tour, stay 5 star hotel and good food?.

I travel more frequent  than you, but max 3-4k/year,
I stayed at 2 star hotel, enjoy local food, fly with AA promotion ticket only, DIY travel with prudent habit.

For a diy trip, it suppose not that expensive, how many day you travel to taiwan or korea? For sharing purpose, recently i travel to Kansai, Japan, totally cost me rm 1.7k for 7d6n pertrip inclusive of everything. For taiwan, i dun thing you need to spend that much considering the living standard was not that high. For airfare, i will pay priority to those less than rm350 for return fare. Anything more than this, i will think twice, another option is to book those new destination, it will be cheaper than establish destination.

I think one trip peryear is too much retriction, 2 trip peryear with maximum of 2.5k peryear for travel budget will be alright, i usually spent about  60-70% of my monthly salary for yearly travel budget.

For the fd, u can withdraw and invest  at least 50% of it into a unit trust through fsm, the return at least double than you keep in fd, then u have some extra money once the unit trust pay out dividen.

Oh i see, thatwise yrs travel cost will at least another rm400-500 for return air ticket to east malaysia.Try to get local travel mate loh, and seach for those direct flight with cheaper option.

I been to danang about 10 year ago, during that time, AA not yet start flying. It a beach town famous for sand,  beach activities, seafood is cheap, but it was not if you come from Kk, or tawau. Actually nothing much they, unless you want like mat salleh women to have a sunbath at the noon. Danang can be tour for 1-2 day only, for better sightseeing u need to catch bus to Hue and Ho Aan , each one can spend at least one  to two day, depend on whether u like it or not, family guesthousr was abundance and relatively cheap.

You can check the lyn "travel n living "subforum for more detail. Some travel infor can get fr travelfish.org forum as well.