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