Recession builds character so let’s embrace it!

I search the term recession in my previous posts and I found a lot of old posts on recession.

DPM talking about 20 sen reduction in roti canai,

Malaysia claimed that she is better off than Singapore

A laffing DPM and PM on recession

To spend or to save confusion

And today, our DPM and Finance Minister came up with a brilliant idea of pumping RM60 billion, out of which almost 50% will be used to revive private sector industries.

Anil said ‘The “boys” will be licking their lips.

Rocky said our DPM is a very caring DPM.

Tian Chua said it is unstimulating.

Tony Pua doesn’t even need to say anything and already someone got riled up and ask Tony to grow up.

Meanwhile Jeff Ooi said it is hogwash over two years.

But people, those who think politics are irrelevant in your life and claimed that my blog is boring because I touched on too much politics, this issue concerns you now.

You know why? Because you will be in the midst of the R word and it will bite your butt. I tell you what recession means.

My hubby once had to work for no salary (out of compassion for the boss) because whatever money the boss had was used to pay the workers’ wages. When there wasn’t enough money to pay their weekly wages, they whacked my hubby old Honda Civic second generation because they thought hubby refused to pity them.

I once applied for a job and there were 73 applicants and most of them were over qualified. (oh ya, I got the job because I was the one in the million my ex-boss was looking for)

Hubby and I were not married and we didn’t have kids nor housing loans. I took the bus and we rented an apartment that costs only RM180 per month per apartment which we sub-let. We allocated only RM2 per meal. Instead of staying in Penang, we stayed in Seberang Jaya because cost of living was much lower.

For Chinese New Year, we only buy underwears and pajamas! Because it was too expensive to buy new clothes mah. Supermarkets closed down. Tour companies tutup kedai. All the small time businessmen who supply to the supermarket stand swimming because their lifetime savings were gone. I was a legal clerk and only my blood sucking lawyer boss was earning money from all those litigation cases.

But in all, it builds character for both hubby and I. It taught us to be frugal and when we have more money, it was much more enjoyable spending them. There wasn’t credit card debt to tie us down or any loans to give us sleepless nights.

Now, if there is going to be another recession, I say bring it on. It may be tough but people will come out of it much wiser.

But then, back in those times we have Daim Zainuddin and Tun M. Now? *shivers*

10 thoughts on “Recession builds character so let’s embrace it!

  1. My friends of my age are not politically concious and all they care is just study and friends and indulgences. I don’t think they were aware of the fact that what they study (syllabus) is politically oversighted. That’s why when it comes to hard times, it boils down to the competence of those holding political power because there’s this “political interference” in all matters that’s governmened and regulated.

    Recession is coming to town, no doubt. The stimulus is coming too late, and when our politicians admit it, a lot of people has already lose their jobs. See?

    And I especially like the part where Intel laid off workers by relocating the factory. Well, they didn’t say “you’re laid off”. Instead, all they did was just relocating, and a lot will say family commitments lar, transportation cost lar even if not can’t afford relocating bla bla bla so the workers can virtually do nothing but leave their jobs! LOL.

    Malaysia = hopeless for the time being now, that’s all I can say. T.T

    boon kheng´s last blog post..Choked

  2. Yeah.. Recession builds character indeed.

    I graduated at the time of recession, where you took any task the boss gave you, even though it was tough and not suitable. When the boss sent you to Timbuktu to implement a system for a client, you went along – NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

    That was 10 years ago, and now, we’re facing it again or rather, we’re “facing” it.

    Our politicians are living in a dreamworld or rather, just waiting for the right stimulus package to come along to just cabut to their private island or Swiss Alps lodge.

    Angie Tan´s last blog post..Had It Bad In Life? These Four Yorkshiremen Had It Worse…

  3. terence – Your poket and my poket and all the poor rakyats’ pokets. Like they stuff a huge tube into our blood, drain it and then, sell it back to us likedat. Geddit?

  4. And my pocket as well…

    Tell you all what… if recession happened between 2002 and 2006, I’ll be in deep shxt and you won’t see me dilly-dallying in blogging – I must make money here. Credit limit almost overflowing all the time, and thank God the debtful times were bygone. And yes, that did build character!

    I do concern about those who are about to graduate though…

    Oh, to start curbing the crisism I’m starting to pump Octane 92 gas now…

    David C.´s last blog post..Spring in Penang

  5. The so called stimulus mini budget will be spent within 2 years, which I don’t think they have any short term plan at the moment. The recession is just right in front of us and yet they are trying to stimulus the economy in the span of 2 years. Let’s keep an eye and see how the money will be spent lah.

    By the way, I wanna say you have a very smart hubby who I think have very high financial IQ!

    Bryan´s last blog post..WordPress 2.7.1 Released

  6. This time around the situation will be the worst ever, after we get out of this mess, we will plunge into inflation….There seems to be no ending, so tighten your belts guys…we are in for a real ride.

    Jimmy Leow´s last blog post..What’s Up With Chinese?

  7. “Hubby and I were not married and we didn’t have kids nor housing loans. I took the bus and we rented an apartment that costs only RM180 per month per apartment which we sub-let. We allocated only RM2 per meal. Instead of staying in Penang, we stayed in Seberang Jaya because cost of living was much lower.”

    WOW. Sounds like the life of those starting their working life, like when I did. Ah the days of packed lunch, kee kee. Walking about an hour to work in London to save on Tube fare, and keep fit. 😉

    Anyway hope to read more about Penang since you’ve graduated from your citizen journalism course. Something like the lives of ordinary rakyats in Penang… 😉 And of course, secret yummy makan places…MUAHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHA

  8. In one’s life time, how many people can actually say they went thru 3 recessions(in Malaysia)? Usually, they will a taste of recession once and maybe twice but three times, we must be really a lucky lot! Malaysia Boleh Lah!
    Those were the days when you have to work 15 hours a day, work when your clients office is close, sleep for a couple of hours and repeat it all over again for 3 months. Sometimes it makes me wonder how in the world did I get thru that? Well, those days also we don’t need to control our “makan” habit, eat all you can and still maintain “handsome” figure one…ha,ha,ha!
    But I would thought after going thru 2 recessions, nothing will top the last recession(currency crisis 97) but how wrong, this is the mother of all recessions. Previously, most economics professor or “think tank” say this is short term and is a “U” shape recession but lately, signs are pointing towards a “L” shape one, now I am really sweating! So for those who have saved for rainy days, good for you but those who did not(like me, single income family)…..got to think outside the box now and find “alternatives”.

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