Two weeks ago actually...

2 weeks ago, Monday, 28/3/2016

Well one of my resolutions for this year is spend less & save more. It's not easy when the temptation is about everywhere... name it friends, families & social media. The temptation to have everything or something nice, new, high end, latest & fun.

The installment for the car that I'm driving now has settled already. The car itself is almost 11 years. At first, JD did... I don't know the word even in Malay... pujuk? Kenen? But it was something like that... me buying a new car. He suggested quite a few cars. I don't see the point since I'm very comfortable with the car. It's old but it works fine. That's all I care. Serve the purpose of transporting me to work everyday. Sometimes we switch car because he wants to go to his work site. Fine, his car is big, comfortable but seriously I don't like driving it. I have to be more careful because I can't just squeeze in like I normally do, need more space to park & feel bulky.

The handphone that I used now is already 3 years old. Can be considered as an old phone for some people. JD himself had changed his phone thrice within these 3 years. He used to use the same handphone like mine. He also encourages me to buy a new phone knowing that my current handphone is not up to standard compare to the latest one. My friends did suggest me buying an iPhone. Yup, I do think iPhone 6S in rose gold is gorgeous. But I'm comfortable using Android. I don't wanna a headache trying to sync my iPhone using iTunes just for the sake of transferring musics & videos. But for some using iPhone is considered cool & lavish. I do consider of switching to iPhone because I don't find any Android phones that I like nowadays. I don't want Samsung & Sony's Z5 design turns me off. But I kinda afraid I might don't like it. I don't like iTunes for sure... used to have an iPod & decided to stop using it just because I don't like to deal with iTunes. It might be the same situation like the car. Something lavish, nicer & considered cool for other people might not be for me.

Actually I typed the above paragraphs last Friday. Now reading it again, I'm not sure where I'm leading to. So let's just continue & finish it with whatever I'm thinking now.

Not to talk about handbag. I have several friends who wear high label designer handbag like LV, Prada, Gucci & even Chanel. But there's no pressure for me to wear one too. I do have a couple but I rarely wear them. There will be pressure if we feel like to compete. We tend to have the same luxurious thing & so called high lifestyle. Even the definition of high lifestyle is vague. Some people think by having branded item, some by dining at fine restaurants & some think it must be all of them.  We'll spend on something unnecessary just because to be looked great in a real life & worse, social medias especially.

Alhamdulillah I guess I'm not easily succumb to "peer-pressure" which actually doesn't really exist. It only exists in our mind. When other people talk about their achievements, vacations, meal they've eaten & goods they've bought, it's up to us to think that they're just bragging or showing off or just sharing their joy & excitation. Just like an FB status that I recently read about people who's 'eksyen'. It's either we 'eksyen' back or just listen & try to learn something from their stories. If we don't agree, just keep quite. That's what our Prophet (PBUH) encouraged. So we don't waste time on arguing, trying to compete on something that is only duniawi.

It's good to have a big house, a big car, spend on fine meals, travel oversea & wear designer things but in the end it's our life. How do we want to lead our lives are up to us. Do we prefer to have a lot of saving with moderate life style or just spend lavishly & have only enough until our next pay day? Am speaking in the context of middle income just like me & most people around me, not about rich people. The ideal of course having both. But as I always remind myself the best place to live is within your budget. & even we've gained more money, it's not an excuse to spend more cos when Allah blesses you financially, don't raise your standard of living, raise your standard of GIVING! InshaaAllah, as a reminder to myself.


Today, Friday, 15/4/2016...

Let's recite al-Kahf!