The Two Hardest Conversation You Will Ever Have
Ring up your partner (or if you are single, prep yourself for a date). Set up a date. We are going out.
Financial success takes more than willpower to succeed; it takes intention and collaboration.
Forget candlelight dinners. We are going to the Mamak.
Why? Because it’s loud, unpretentious, and costs RM10. It is the perfect place to strip away the ego and talk about the one thing that kills more Malaysian relationships than infidelity: Money.
Most financial advice tells you to talk to your spouse. That’s good, but in Malaysia, it’s not enough. We are the “Sandwich Generation.” We are squeezed between raising our own kids and caring for our aging parents.
So, Step 1 involves two dates. One with your partner, and one with your parents.
DATE 1: The Partner Summit
The Goal: Total Transparency. No secrets. No “hidden” credit cards or debt.
The Pre-Date Homework: Before you order your Roti Telur, both of you must download and register for three apps and screenshot the home screen:
- eCCRIS (Bank Negara): This is your financial report card. It shows every loan you have and your repayment history.
- myPTPTN: The exact balance of your student loan.
- Bank Apps: Your savings and credit card balances.
The Agenda:
1. The “Naked” Reveal (CCRIS Check) Show each other your eCCRIS report.
- Look at the “Conduct of Account” column.
- ‘0’: Great. You pay on time.
- ‘1’ or ‘2’: Danger. You missed payments.
- ‘Special Attention Account’ (SAA): Crisis. This usually means a loan has gone bad or is under AKPK.
- Why this matters: If you want to buy a house together, a bad CCRIS score from one partner will kill the loan application for both of you.
2. The Combined Debt Number Add it all up. PTPTN + Car Loans + Credit Cards + Personal Loans + “Hutang Kawan” (Money owed to friends).
- Write this number down on a napkin. This is your enemy. This is what stands between you and your freedom.
3. The “Ultimate” Goals Discuss the end goal of what you are saving for.
- The Wedding: If you aren’t married yet, agree on a number. Do you need the 500-pax hotel banquet (RM100k+), or can you do a beautiful garden nikah?
- The Car: Is the Honda Civic necessary for your job, or is it for your ego? (Hint: A Myvi gets you to work just as fast and saves you RM500/month).
Continue to step 1.2