Shopping Free Day/Hari Tanpa Belanja

 

Whenever at Jakarta several days ago declared as Car Free Day, today had marked as Shopping Free Day throughout United States. Although this habit is not familiar yet in Indonesia, I found some community trying to following that every latest Saturday on November.

Actually, what the meaning for this kind of day? For me it is not too important, but maybe it’s came from consumerism habit which getting usual. At the first world, working days put you inside a cage which make shopping became specific entertainment. Likely Indonesia with its 220 millions of citizen will change into consumerism. We can see from massive building of shopping centre at Jakarta and other big cities in Indonesia. Just imagine every people being asked to shop every single day. However ridiculous, but uptown citizen put shopping centre as their holiday destination.

At the contrary, for people like me whose like traditional market (my parents house lies very close with local traditional centre market), shopping can be fun without fallen into consumerism habit. Actually this is psychologically stereotype which seeing woman like shopping much. But in the fact, woman and man both like shopping. But it has different type. Woman like to do window shopping during shopping, meanwhile man go directly to buy their needs only. Because of woman seen more related to kitchen and domestic thing, it has implied to her shopping list getting longer than man. On the other side, man more related to his own hobby. Just ‘egoistic’ of course, but if man meet his ‘toys’ he can insist to choose his own, just like a woman indeed!

Because shopping is related closely with financial planning, go to shop have its own tips and tricks. I know possibly many of you had read something like this already, but I try to give some point to make you “wiser shopper”. Here they are:

1.    Be discipline. Just obey your budget plan.

2.    Avoid impulsive buying. If suddenly you want to buy something, just look after to number 4.

3.    Make your shopping list according to your budget plan. You can write it down on a paper or your PDA. This budget plan put maximum limit for your monthly shopping. Make it detail with kind of goods that you need. You do the same way if you want to buy something big like renovate your house. Plan it carefully and put into clear step.

4.    Hold it. If accidentally you see some ‘cutie’ or ‘I think I need this’ thing, think again. Just say, ‘mmm, I think I don’t need them now’. Just wait and see, in several days further your desire to that thing is not same anymore.

5.    Just go to the store or shopping centre if you plan it before already. Write detail what will you buy and don’t buy anything out of plan.

6.    Remember, make, mix, and do it yourself just cheaper than buy. As turn into entrepreneur, I just became more calculating myself. Just imagine, a glass of ice sweet tea at restaurant can priced at Rp 8.000,00-Rp 15.000,00 (approx. USc 90- US$ 1,8). If you go to street vendor, at least you must pay Rp 1.500,00 although usually Rp 2.000,00 (USc 15). If you buy your own tea you just pay Rp 8.000,00 (contain of 20 bags). If you added sugar and ice, basic price for one glass of ice sweet tea is Rp 600,00 (USc 7,5) only. It will be cheaper if you like raw tea. I cooked by myself and can be more cheaper than buy food outside everyday (I am single, okay J). So, try to make it yourself. Just buy raw materials and make it yours. 

7.    Watch the price carefully. Every store can be different. At “a hypermarket” food stuffs is cheap, but at “b hypermarket” electronic equipments are at the good price. I have experience price at one department store and hypermarket differs by Rp 50.000,00 for approximately Rp 100.000,00 good’s price. Amazingly, both of them are under the same company group! So, you better bet on walking around J and remember, price for foods, textiles, even electronic equipment are cheaper in traditional market. But it is not using one stop shopping concept which can make you tired walking around the market. 

8.    Never fall into fake lifestyle. It is useless if your pocket getting empty. For example, if you want toyou’re your friend any kind, plan it far before and don’t make it coincidentally. You can do it at your birthday or any special occasion. Just say no also if any of your friend ask for loan except you have surplus budget.

9.    Cash is better than credit. Avoid usage of your credit card as often as you can. Is it more important if your shopping bill is under Rp 250.000,00 (approx. US$ 226). You must remember that credit card interest is high, about 30 % / year. This is almost twice than bank deposit interest you can get around 17 % / year. But in the case of buying electronic equipment, some time buying with credit is better. Especially if there is 0 % interest of credit from merchant.

10.   Remember, all of your spending must not more than 70 % from your income. This is including other routine spending like your kids education fee, medical, etc. Just put aside about 10 % for deposit. And another 30 % for emergency budget. Every time you shop, try to put plafond around 15-20 % of your monthly income every month.

11.  Choose empty or un-peak time or day to shop, because crowded environment in the store or hypermarket is a stimulus for you. You had been conditioned into unfair competition with other shopper who has full shopping trolley.

12.  Set up only one time to get your monthly needs every month. Do not often going to hypermarket, because every time you come you will have ‘must buy something’ feeling. Never buy any thing in package –like a dozen- if you will use it for your private purpose only. That kind of package trickily looks cheap, but actually just size up your spending.

All the tips above can be useful if your income in Indonesian rate ranged between UMP (Indonesian acronym for Province Minimum Wage) until thrice above. I suggest this because UMP counted based on one single guy/girl life standard. So if you have one wife/husband and one kid, your life needs thrice than UMP. You can use your money more freely if you are a single guy/girl and your income is fifth than UMP already. (FYI, new Jakarta UMP is RP 972.604,00, approx. US$ 92).

OK then, enjoy your shopping free day!

 

 

 

 

 

Kalau di Jakarta beberapa hari lalu dicanangkan sebagai hari bebas kendaraan bermotor, hari ini ditandai sebagai hari tanpa belanja di Amerika Serikat. Meski di Indonesia belum membudaya, ada ajakan untuk mengikutinya tiap Sabtu terakhir di bulan November. Sebenarnya, apa sih esensinya sampai ada hari semacam ini? Buat saya sih tidak begitu penting, tapi mungkin hal ini dilatarbelakangi oleh budaya konsumerisme yang makin merajalela. Di negara-negara maju, kesibukan kerja telah begitu menyita waktu sehingga belanja pun jadi hiburan tersendiri. Tampaknya Indonesia yang merupakan pangsa pasar empuk dengan 220 juta penduduknya pun kini hendak dijadikan seperti itu. Ini terlihat dari banyaknya pusat perbelanjaan baru di Jakarta dan kota-kota besar lain. Seakan-akan tiap hari orang disuruh belanja.

Tapi toh orang-orang di kota besar menyambutnya dengan menjadikan pusat perbelanjaan sebagai tujuan wisata di hari libur. Buat orang seperti saya yang justru senang pasar tradisional (rumah orangtua saya sangat dekat dengan pasar induk lokal), belanja itu bisa menyenangkan tanpa harus jatuh ke dalam konsumerisme. Sebenarnya hal ini sangat psikologis mengingat wanita sering dianggap sebagai senang belanja. Padahal, sebenarnya baik pria maupun pria sama-sama senang belanja. Cuma tipenya berbeda. Kalau wanita senang cuci mata alias window shopping aneka barang, pria umumnya lebih suka langsung belanja yang terkait keperluannya. Karena wanita dianggap banyak berurusan dengan dapur dan rumahtangga, maka cakupan barang belanjaannya lebih banyak. Tapi pria biasanya terkait hobbynya sendiri. Agak lebih egois memang, tapi pria kalau sudah bertemu ‘mainannya’ bisa betah berlama-lama pilah-pilih barang. Persis seperti wanita!Karena belanja ini erat kaitannya dengan perencanaan keuangan, maka berbelanja pun ada tipsnya. Meski mungkin banyak yang sudah sering membaca, berikut saya sampaikan tips agar kita bisa belanja bijak:

1. Disiplin terhadap diri sendiri. Ini harus, karena tanpa disiplin dompet bisa jebol. Patuhi anggaran yang sudah dibuat.
2. Hindari pembelian spontan (impulsive buying) alias lapar mata. Kalau Anda tiba-tiba ingin suatu barang secara mendadak, lihat penjelasan nomor 4.
3. Buat rencana belanja. Bisa ditulis di kertas atau malah di PDA. Rencana belanja ini menetapkan budget maksimal untuk belanja bulanan. Buat dengan detail barang apa saja yang diperlukan. Demikian pula bila perlu pembelian dengan dana besar misalnya renovasi rumah, rencanakan dengan cermat kapan akan dilakukan dan atur tahapannya.
4. Tunda. Bila tiba-tiba Anda melihat suatu barang yang ‘kelihatannya bagus’ atau ‘sepertinya saya perlu’, pikirkan lagi. Bilang saja ‘ah, saya mungkin belum perlu sekarang.’ Lihat saja, dalam beberapa hari pasti urgensi pembelian barang itu tidak sama lagi.
5. Hanya pergi ke toko apalagi pusat perbelanjaan bila memang sudah direncanakan. Tulis dengan detail apa yang akan dibeli dan jangan beli apapun yang tidak ada dalam rencana.
6. Ingat, membuat, mengolah dan meramu jauh lebih murah daripada membeli. Sejak jadi pengusaha, saya jadi amat berhitung. Bayangkan, segelas es teh manis di restoran bisa dihargai Rp 8.000,00-Rp 15.000,00. Di warteg saja minimal Rp 1.500,00, meski rata-rata kini Rp 2.000,00. Padahal, harga satu kotak teh celup cuma sekitar Rp 8.000,00 (isi 20). Bila ditambah gula dan es, harga dasar satu gelas es teh manis sekitar Rp 600,00. Lebih murah lagi bila Anda suka teh tubruk. Saya juga masak sendiri dan ternyata bisa sangat menghemat dibandingkan makan di luar tiap hari seperti dulu saya lakukan (maklum, masih bujangan J ). Jadi, usahakan buat sendiri saja. Beli bahan mentahnya dan olah sendiri.
7. Perhatikan harga. Tiap toko berbeda harganya. Di hypermarket a harga bahan makanan murah, sementara di hypermarket b justru harga elektroniknya yang murah. Saya pernah mendapati harga di sebuah department store dan hypermarket terpaut cukup jauh, sekitar Rp 50.000,00 untuk barang seharga Rp 100.000-an. Padahal keduanya satu grup! Jadi, rajin-rajinlah jalan-jalan J Dan ingat, untuk bahan makanan, tekstil, bahkan elektronik pasar tradisional tetap lebih murah. Hanya saja tidak one stop shopping dan capek keliling-keliling.
8. Jangan menang gaya. Tidak ada gunanya menang gaya tapi kemudian malah mati angin karena duit habis. Mentraktir teman misalnya, harus direncanakan dan jangan mendadak. Misalnya hanya saat ulang tahun atau ada perayaan lain. Jangan mau pula bila mendadak dimintai hutang kecuali Anda memang punya dana lebih.
9. Tunai lebih baik dari kredit. Hindari pemakaian kartu kredit sebisa mungkin. Apalagi kalau nominal belanja Anda masih di bawah Rp 250.000,00. Bunga kartu kredit tinggi, sekitar 30 % per tahun. Hampir dua kali lipat bunga yang kita dapatkan dari deposito yang berkisar di angka 17 %. Tapi dalam kasus barang elektronik, terkadang membeli kredit menguntungkan. Apalagi sedang ada program promosi bunga 0 %.
10. Ingat, seluruh pengeluaran Anda tidak boleh melebihi 70 % dari pemasukan Anda. Ini termasuk pengeluaran untuk anggaran rutin lain seperti pendidikan anak, kesehatan dan sebagainya. Sisihkan dulu 10 % untuk tabungan. Dan 20 % untuk dana mendadak. Tiap kali belanja, usahakan jangan lebih dari 15-20 % pemasukan Anda tiap bulannya.
11. Pilih hari atau jam sepi untuk belanja, karena suasana ramai di toko apalagi hypermarket merupakan stimulus. Anda jadi terpacu untuk ‘berlomba’ dengan orang lain yang membawa keranjang penuh belanjaan. 
12. Usahakan hanya sekali belanja besar tiap bulan. Jangan bolak-balik ke hypermarket, karena tiap kali datang pasti ada saja yang kurang. Dan jangan membeli barang dengan sistem paket -misalnya selusin atau sekodi- bila untuk pribadi. Ini terlihat murah, tapi sebenarnya cuma memperbesar pengeluaran.

Semua tip di atas sangat berguna bila pemasukan Anda masih berkisar antara UMP hingga 3 kalinya. Karena sebenarnya UMP disusun berdasarkan standar hidup seorang lajang. Jadi bila Anda beristri/suami satu dan beranak satu, kebutuhan hidup Anda 3 kali UMP. Anda bisa lebih santai membelanjakan uang Anda bila Anda seorang lajang dan pemasukan Anda sudah melebihi 5 kali UMP. (Sekedar informasi, UMP baru Jakarta adalah Rp 972.604,00).

Oke, selamat menikmati hari tanpa belanja!