When was the last time you scrutinised your mobile telephone bill?
These days, telecommunications companies are so competitive that you will be surprised by how much you can save if you spend time in their stores.
The home minister did that at a mall in Shah Alam, Selangor, last week.
Unhappy that she was paying RM159 a month for a main, and two supplementary lines, she walked into the telco’s service centre.
“Eh, your plan is so old that I do not even know when we had someone like you walk into the store,” said the shop assistant, who identified himself as Lim.
And he was right. Even the home minister could not remember when she signed up for the plan – but it was way before the invention of WhatsApp and other applications that allowed one to make phone calls or send messages via the internet.
Lim explained that her plan was for unlimited free telephone calls and SMSes to the supplementary lines – a necessity back then as the home minister calls her mother in Bau, Sarawak, twice a day, spending over an hour, each time.
A few clicks on Lim’s tablet revealed that she could downgrade her plan to just over RM100 a month, keep her two supplementary lines and, best of all, if she signed a contract for two years, she would be eligible to get a free mobile phone or tablet.
He tried to entice her with other plans which offered phones with the latest specifications, but the home minister was not interested.
Lim also said that once her contract ended, she could change plans, sign a new deal, and be eligible for another free device.
“You can do this every two or three years – depending on your contract,” said Lim.
“We also have good deals for the latest phones. That is a hit with many younger customers who like to change phones often.”
We thanked Lim for his assistance and quickly relayed the information to several friends, some of whom planned to visit their service providers this weekend.
It pays to be frugal!
BEING CHARITABLE
The Rotary Club of Bandar Utama will organise a charity golf event on March 17.
Each flight costs RM2,000. The money collected goes towards helping the Orang Asli, the poor, an autism school, and many more.
Those interested can contact Allison Fong at 012-3811611.
Separately, Hollywood Treasures, which plans to hold an exhibition to showcase its vast collection later this year, is also doing its part to help the underserved community.
Owner Wong Jin Zhen said the company sourced tapioca to donate to several homes around Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
“Tapioca is high in calories and carbohydrates but can give the daily amount of several critical nutrients that we need,” said Wong.
“Times are hard, and we want to do our part to help. So, each week, we source 100kg of tapioca and deliver them to old folks’ homes, or other organisations that need assistance.”
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
In conjunction with International Women’s Day, Yuzu Media presents Take Back The Night at Taman Rimba, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, on March 16.
Take Back The Night is a global movement, and is a peaceful, candlelit vigil to end violence against women and gender-queer individuals. Admission is free.
LAGU-LAGU DULU-DULU
If you like taking a trip down memory lane, tune in to BFM’s ‘Lagu-lagu Dulu-dulu’ every Tuesday, hosted by singers Sean Ghazi and Ida Mariana.
I stumbled upon the show after picking up the home minister from her boot camp at 9pm and I ended up not wanting to get out of the car!
Sean and Ida have great chemistry, and we do not get the nonsensical noise we usually get from hosts on the other radio stations.
You can listen to all the episodes on the BFM app.
THE MOST VERSATILE FOOD OF ALL TIME
Journalist-turned-cookbook author Mark Bittman has several recipes for eggs, which he says is the most versatile food of all time.
AT LAST
Last Tuesday, ‘Lagu-lagu Dulu-dulu’ showcased talented female artists ahead of International Women’s Day, which is celebrated on March 8, every year.
One of the songs hosts Sean Ghazi and Ida Mariana selected was by the late funny lady, Adibah Noor.
Adibah, a former English teacher, won the 1994 Suara 90-an Nescafe competition. She died on June 18, 2022, after losing her battle with ovarian cancer.
During the show, Sean and Ida played Adibah’s brilliant rendition of an Etta James classic, ‘At Last’. The song starts at 8:37s, or you could enjoy the entire show.
Until next week, stay safe.