{"id":20107,"date":"2015-11-04T17:00:11","date_gmt":"2015-11-04T09:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/?p=20107"},"modified":"2015-11-04T17:00:11","modified_gmt":"2015-11-04T09:00:11","slug":"budget-2016-what-can-the-middle-class-really-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imoney.my\/articles\/budget-2016-what-can-the-middle-class-really-do-about-it","title":{"rendered":"Budget 2016: What Can The Middle Class REALLY Do About It?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced Malaysia\u2019s annual budget with the theme, \u201cProspering the Rakyat.\u201d This year\u2019s affair highlighted the government\u2019s plans to narrow its budget deficit, as well as measures to address issues such as the rising cost of living and housing unaffordability<\/a>.<\/p>\n These measures include increasing its cash handouts under the 1Malaysia People\u2019s Aid (BR1M)<\/a> assistance programme and raising the minimum wage<\/a> for workers.<\/p>\n They also introduced new income tax provisions, such as the introduction of tax relief<\/a> for children who provide for their parents and an increase in tax relief from RM1,000 to RM2,000 for each child from year of assessment 2016.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s face it \u2013 amid inflation woes triggered by the sharp drop in the Ringgit, the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and the recent increase in toll rates across the Klang Valley \u2013 these measures really don\u2019t do much for those already grappling with the rising cost of living.<\/p>\n Middle-income earners who are not eligible for cash aids, and yet do not earn enough to weather the rising living costs, continue to bear the biggest brunt of the current economic situation.<\/p>\n Many middle-income earners in Malaysia are already resorting to drastically cutting back on their expenses, including fewer trips to restaurants<\/a> to tackle rising living costs.<\/p>\n A better solution for this would be to boost their disposable income. The million dollar question is, how?<\/p>\n One of the easiest ways to do this is by increasing your passive income<\/a>. Unlike active income (which you usually earn through having a job or running a (profitable) business), passive income generation typically requires less time and effort.<\/p>\n Passive income can include investments, especially with low-to-mid risk instruments that let you leverage on capital with minimal active input.<\/p>\n This could be in the form of unit trusts<\/a>, REITs, shares, investment-linked policies or even in your good ol\u2019 fixed deposit<\/a> account. They let you accumulate returns while you grow your savings pool.<\/p>\n The more you save, the more returns you will get. Lower-risk financial instruments like fixed deposit will give you lower returns, but they are generally considered safe and are an effective tool to help preserve the value of your contingency funds.<\/p>\n Stretch your Ringgit further by adopting strategies that allow you to save while you spend. For example, buying essential items such as rice and toiletries in bulk can save you a small fortune.<\/p>\n You can also save a few bucks with hypermarket loyalty cards<\/a>. Benefits often include reward points, special member price for selected items or additional discounts from selected merchants. They may also offer shopping-related benefits. For example, the AEON member card offers free parking for the first two hours.<\/p>\n You can also save money on purchases when you shop at online stores, or by using a shopping credit card<\/a> that offers rebates or privileges when you shop online. For instance, the CIMB Cash Rebate Platinum card<\/a> gives you 5% cash rebate and up to 25% discounts when you shop online.<\/p>\n Bogged down by fluctuating petrol prices? You can fuel up your purchasing power as you fill up your tank when you use a petrol credit card<\/a> that gives you cashbacks or reward points.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a difference between investing and investing properly. Anyone can put their money into investment products, but without a sound financial plan, you may not know which investment strategy or products will work best for you, and how to build a balance portfolio.<\/p>\n The key to building your financial strategy starts with understanding your goals and risk appetite. Younger investors typically have a higher tolerance for risk and can afford to make riskier investments due to their longer investment horizon. They also have longer time to work on achieving their financial goals.<\/p>\n Next, you will need to identify your short and long-term goals, and how much you can afford<\/a> to set aside, in order to determine the type of financial products that will work best for you.<\/p>\n Without taking these factors into consideration, you may end up investing too much in the \u201cwrong products\u201d, or end up putting all your eggs in the same basket, financial advisor and coach Yap Ming Hui explains on his website<\/a>.<\/p>\n For example, investing in property is not a bad thing. But if you\u2019re putting your entire fortune into a single asset class, you risk \u201cover investing\u201d and exposing yourself to \u201ctoo much risk\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the property sector takes a dip, it will badly affect your investment. In addition, it may also affect your cash flow if you take too much loan to finance your property investment,\u201d Yap says.<\/p>\n Having a diversified investment portfolio that comprises various asset classes can help protect your capital from adverse market conditions.<\/p>\n If you have the capital and a goal but are a little sceptical on how to reach it, a financial planner<\/a> can give you a nudge in the right direction and help devise a financial strategy to help you get there.<\/p>\n This strategy will work as a road map towards your money goals \u2013 whether it is buying a house, saving for your kid\u2019s education<\/a>, or achieving early retirement.<\/p>\n<\/span>Who are Malaysia\u2019s middle-class?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span>1. Generate your passive income<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>2. Make your money work harder for you<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>3. Avoid investment mistakes<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/span>4. Get a financial planner<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n