OVER the weekend, a friend of the Tired Eye was willing to forgo a game that he is passionate about because he felt the game was being held too far away. The “far” distance he was referring to was from Tabuan Jaya to Batu Lintang and measures approximately 6 kilometres. The recent hike in fuel prices makes 6 kilometres seem like 60 miles worth of fuel to many people.

He lamented that these days, he could only hang out around Tabuan Jaya for fun and that a full tank of Kancil will cost him ‘round about RM65 which runs him for about a week if he’s got no life, other than work (which happens to be located in the far reaches of Demak). This dude (let’s call him Jack) works as an underpaid executive in a private company. Unlike the civil service personnel, those in the private firms in Sarawak have not been as lucky as to have received significant pay raises in recent years.

Jack is lucky that he’s still living with his parents. But that doesn’t mean he does not have financial responsibilities — helping out with the house bills, part time studies fees and car maintenance. Jack’s lucky he’s got a down to earth and understanding girlfriend who earns her own money. Lucky for him, she’s not the “high maintenance” type. Yet, he’s trying to cut expenses where he can and is already feeling the tiny little electrifying and painful pinches through his pockets (not from his girl pinching him).

The Eye was out of town when the government announced the fuel price hike. A week or so later, the Eye was reunited with its funky diesel-run mobile and of course, a full tank that cost twice as much as before. Eye still pay the average of RM70 a week for fuel, but for less litres and much less mileage due to less frequent lepak sessions and “observatory field work”.

Some say it is time to go vegetarian, some say it is time to change from that fuel guzzling continental luxury car to an economical local “half-a-car” (as one of the Eye’s friends so fondly calls it). Others say its austerity drive time so cut on everything — save electricity, save water, save fuel, don’t go out so much, buy cheaper diapers, quit smoking, quit drinking, don’t eat so much unnecessary food, no need to watch movies every Wednesday night, no need to patronise all the hip-cool-café joints and no need to pay RM8 and above for a cup of coffee.

Ideally, you should know what you have, what you need and what you can live without, and make the slight adjustments in life so you don’t end up having your car repossessed, bills arriving printed in red, banks taking ownership of your house and your babies don’t end up drinking only evaporated milk diluted with water.

Rising fuel prices (should) remind us to not take things for granted and to appreciate the simple, basic things that we have. That it is not necessary to splurge so exorbitantly on all things unnecessary. “Should” being the operative word, of course. Unfortunately many Malaysians are trapped in the habit of spending and are poor at budget planning.

Many have the typical attitude of “if cannot pay now, pay later la… buy on easy instalment plan lor”. Those who live by the “instalment plan for everything” doctrine will be feeling the bite more than those who, as much as possible, avoid debts and take only minimal and necessary loans.

Then there’s that thing about the civil service personnel being paid twice monthly and that the private sector should follow suit. Personally, Eye feel that it would not solve anything. Will it help them budget better? Would it make them more disciplined in spending their hard earned cash?

In reality it is either you’re good at budgeting or that you’re a flop at it. You can be paid ten times a month, but if you can’t plan your expenses, there’s really no point in having your pay given to you all spread out. If you’re paid once at month’s end, at least you KNOW you MUST clear your loans and other “hutang” by the first week of the following month and make do for the rest of the month with whatever you have left. Being paid twice a month requires extra planning, extra discipline to save for loan payments, for the same amount of money that you earn. At the end of the day, it’s back to square one.

Someone actually suggested that the banks start accepting loan repayments in two parts per month. Brilliant! The idea is just exceptionally brilliant that the banks would definitely take up the idea AND CHARGE extra transaction fees and such (in case you can’t read between the lines, the Eye is being sarcastic here). It will be their utmost pleasure — after all more transactions equals more service charges for the extra time put in to process loans twice a month. Don’t expect banks to spoon feed its clients and provide everything for free.

Well, how one deals with the rising cost of living really depends on self discipline and whether a person has been spoilt by constant use of vehicles, air conditioning and cholesterol loaded food or if he or she is smart enough to appreciate what’s necessary. The government obviously cannot always spoon feed its people.