How To Have Lunch for RM 3 For 1 Week At Work

With the current economic situation, gone are the days when our parents were telling us stories of how they used to have meals for the whole family for 3 Ringgit. What if we were to tell you that you can still have lunch not for a whole family but for yourself at only RM 3? Well sort of. Sometimes in desperation people will get creative.

We hooked up with a guy named Albert Chia who shared with us some pretty interesting and sometimes weird tips on how to have lunch during these difficult times with a 3 Ringgit budget for the whole week at work.

Day 1 Nasi Lemak Kosong

Rice is a staple diet for most Malaysians. Some even vouch that they can't even live for a day without rice. Especially during 'tengah bulan' when you are short on cash but still in dire need of that rice carb hit.

According to Albert, at times like these he can just go for nasi lemak kosong. Nearby where he worked, there's a shop that sells nasi lemak kosong placed on the table by a supplier and it cost RM 1.50. With a 3 Ringgit budget you can get two of those yummy thing. It's not luxurious but at least it could get you through the day until 5:30 pm unless you are working in a highly laborious job then you might faint before the end of the day.

What about drinks you say? Just be strong and drink some water once you get back to the office pantry. You can also have it as take away anyways.

Day 2 Nasi Campur

Also known as mixed rice or 'chap fan' in Chinese. The only catch is if you are a meat lover, you have to abstain from it for this one or else you will blow your budget of 3 Ringgit. How? Just take a bowl of rice, a portion of veges and splash some 'kuah kari' or any other gravy to your liking. Be sure to not scoop up some chickens or you will get charged extra. This rice and veges combo will probably set you around 2.80 to 3.00 Ringgit. Just perfect.

As usual try not to choke on the food or you can always bring it back to the comfy office and sit in front of your computer and wash it down with free water from the office pantry. Albert was right. We tried this at work today and I think it's not a bad thing having lunch without the usual meat stuff.

Day 3 Roti Canai + Teh Tarik

Enough of rice. Time to cut down a little. After two days of rice for lunch maybe we can tone it down a little bit on Roti Canai and some Teh Tarik. Besides you deserved it. A total of 6 Ringgit spent for two days of lunch is no small feat. Order a small glass of teh tarik (this is important) and a regular ol' Roti Canai. You will not walk out of the shop with a filled belly but at least you will not feel so hungry that your tummy starts growling in front of everyone during the 3 o'clock meeting. Or maybe not. Anyways,  depending on where you are, teh tarik may be around RM 1.80 per glass. Roti Canai is around RM 1.40. I know it bust your budget a little but I'm sure you have some 20 sen in your pocket or around the office somewhere

Day 4 Kuih-muih / Pisang Goreng

It's close to the weekend and your mood may have started picking up. But make sure you don't go around splashing money buying fancy lunch stuff just yet, oh no. Let's declare today as supporting our local kuih day. Do you know that pisang goreng has about 170 calories compared to a typical burger at 354 calories? Better than eating a burger right? Besides, you are actually helping the local community. Sometimes it's all about doing what's right. Drink lots of water (from the office pantry again to). Chances are the pantry will also have coffee or tea. Now everything is perfect. Enjoy your meal.

Day 5 Boss Belanja (Boss Treats)

This doesn't always work and it all depends whether your boss is around and if he or she actually invited you to lunch. By inviting you to lunch it is pretty safe to say that your bills are very much covered. But what if your boss went out for lunch without inviting you? Well according to Albert, you could always 'just happened' to walk the same path he is going and happened to meet him in the same restaurant. Try to invite yourself to sit at the same table with your boss and the rest is up to you.

When the bill comes, take out your wallet 3-4 seconds slower than your boss. Offer (very unconvincingly) that you would like to pay your own lunch and let your boss pay everything in the end.

Final Words

Just like the date of our last day on earth, there is no guarantee that you will definitely know if everything recommended here will work for you. Having more than 3 Ringgit with you during these quests will save you not only from humiliation but also from harm. Have you eaten lunch for only 3 Ringgit? Share us your experiences.

About The Writer
KAY KASTUM
Born in Sabah with an interest in open water diving, wall climbing,music and video production and a passion for Android custom ROMS on his XT910 Motorola Razr Kay Kastum plans to make the world a better place by empowering people through his work. Whatever that means. You can follow his YouTube channel to see what he is up to during his free time

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8 Places In Mont Kiara You Can Enjoy Set Lunch On a 20 Ringgit Budget

Here's a quick list of 8 places we discovered in Mont Kiara where you can set aside 20 Ringgit for a set lunch. You may be surprised how some of these places you may never came across before. If you did try everything in our list, then you are a true Foodie! Share us your comments.

#1 Shunka, Japanese Family Restaurant @Publika

The ambiance is nice. Their place is not as spacious as you would hope but I guess you should focus on the food when it comes to having a budget of 20 ringgit.Check out the menu. The price is just right in our opinion and this is something that Shunka is trying to bring to their customers: " To provide the tasty Japanese home-style foods with economic price to everyone in the local community."

How to get there

#2 The Cup @Publika

This one is for those who are on the go. They sort of brand themselves as "Slim, Stylish & Simple". Yes it is from Korea. Their menu is pretty straight forward. Large or Small, rice, noodle or salad. Very sexy.

How to get there

#3 Gerai Ikan Bakar Segambut

There's plenty of leftover money when you come here to dine. Guess how much for a plate of rice with some gravy, veggies, fried egg and a glass of teh o ais limau? Just a little over 7 Ringgit. Of course you don't get air conditioning and a comfy padded chair. You do get to smell the aroma of grilled fish and the ambiance of a roadside eatery. The price and the tasty grilled seafood will be worth the 'sacrifice'.

How to get there

#4 Ministry Of Coffee

Their coffee are brewed using the fair trade Doi Chang Coffee beans. It's obvious that coffee is their maion theme here. Having said that they also serve lunch sets. There is also a live band setup here evident from the musical instruments and mixers that is visible near the entrance. Their decor is pretty cool too. When you have a CHANCE go visit the gents, you may notice the main character of the popular 'Breaking Bad' series indicating that you are entering the right door.

How to get there

#5 Nabe Bakery Cafe

If you prefer something a little lighter but still need a bit of that carbs boost for lunch then why not go for a menu with both bagel and salad at the same time. At 14.90 Ringgit you will be having freshly brewed coffee with your freshly made salad and bagels that are baked to perfection. The menu says breakfast/brunch but they still serve the menu even when we came in after 2 pm which was nice.

How to get there

#6 Gyuniku Restaurant

Beef lover? We are a little bias when it comes to this restaurant. We have to admit it. Why? Because their signature dish the Sautéed beef rice is excellent. Make sure you eat those tendons. It's firm yet when you sink your teeth in it it sort of melt with it's jelly-like texture. In fact you can't go wrong with any of the menu. You should try them all. You get your money's worth and the price is still within our targeted budget of 20 Ringgit. Insist on the freshly blended cucumber juice. It goes well with their dishes.

How to get there

#7 Ban Thai Esan

People normally suggest that if you want to have a real experience of eating Thai food, you either go to Thailand or make sure the cook is a Thai. We can't really confirm that as there has not been any proper study that we know of on this subject. Nevertheless the wife of the owner of this place is a Thai. Now you know that the food is good when you already had something earlier and are full and without warning magically able to continue eating rice dishes. It's that good. Unfortunately if you do not take pork then you will not be able to try this out. Ask for the boiled pork legs. It's awesome.

How to get there

#8 Uokatsu

The concept is actually a fish monger. Really, they are fish mongers. They sell fresh imported seafood from Japan. At the same time they also serve you freshly made orders in their open kitchen. You can actually see the chef preparing your orders right from the beginning up to the part when it arrives on your table. The place has a small setup. According to the bubbly and wonderful owner this is to ensure guests are being kept as close as possible to the action. This will also allow them to serve guests at a more personal level. I think it's a very nice thing to do. Instead of going for the volume, they are going for quality experience. The food? It tastes fresh and we enjoyed every one of them.

How to get there

About The Writer
KAY KASTUM
Born in Sabah with an interest in open water diving, wall climbing,music and video production and a passion for Android custom ROMS on his XT910 Motorola Razr Kay Kastum plans to make the world a better place by empowering people through his work. Whatever that means. You can follow his YouTube channel to see what he is up to during his free time