How to make your Ringgit go further overseas with these easy tips from Uncle Tim!
It’s travel season, and your social feed is probably filled with “limited-time offers” and jaw-dropping travel promos. But before you get carried away booking that cheap flight, here’s a reality check: most Malaysians are not maximizing their Ringgit when travelling abroad. And no, it’s not just about how much you spend on flights or hotels, it’s also how you spend it once you land.
A new survey by Wise reveals that even savvy travellers are making costly mistakes when it comes to currency exchange and spending abroad. That’s why content creator Uncle Tim (Adam Izzy) is here to dish out smart, down-to-earth tips so you won’t end up crying at the currency counter.
Flashy Travel Deals Can Be a Trap
Yes, that flight ticket might look cheap, but it’s often just the beginning. Add-on charges for bags, seat selection, meals, and even legroom can quickly stack up. Then, once you arrive in a pricey destination, everyday costs like food and transport can hit hard. Suddenly, your “budget trip” turns into a spendathon.
Uncle Tim warns, “You see cheap-cheap flight, you go book fast-fast. Then later kena add-on for everything, bag lah, food lah, even leg space. And if you go expensive country, one nasi lemak also RM40. Then how?”
Wise Tip: Don’t just look at flights and hotels. Factors in the total cost of your trip, including local spending. Pick destinations where your Ringgit stretches further. It could save you way more than any promo deal ever could.
Don’t Get Caught in the Currency Trap
Hidden fees and poor exchange rates can quietly eat into your travel budget. Most Malaysian still rely on money changers or swipe their local bank cards abroad, not realizing they’re paying extra via bad exchange rates and foreign transaction fees (some up to 3%!)
Uncle Tim says, “Ah girl, ah boy, your Ringgit can go further if you don’t simply give it away to bad rates. One swipe, then got 3% charge. Pay in Ringgit instead of local currency? Lagi teruk!”
Wise Tip: Use the Wise card to spend overseas at the real exchange rate (same one shown on Google). And always pay in the local currency, not in Ringgit. That sneaky trick called “dynamic currency conversion”? It’s just a fancy way to makan your duit.
Bonus Uncle Tim Travel Hacks
1. Go Where Ringgit Jadi Boss
“You want to travel but don’t want to cry when checking your bank app? Go where your Ringgit jadi boss. Countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Hungary, even Nepal you can makan banyak, shopping puas, hotel pun murah!”
2. Don’t Fall for ‘No Fees’ Lies
“They say no fee, but then they makan your duit through bad exchange rates! Always Google the real rate first. If the exchange counter’s rate is jauh sangat, better jalan. The closer to Google rate, the better.”
3. Avoid Airport Currency Counters
“Aiyo, airport money changers are daylight robbery! Better use your Wise card or withdraw from an ATM using Wise. Cheaper, faster, and no heartache later.”
Travel Smart, Not Just Cheap
It’s tempting to chase every promo deal you see, but don’t let that distract you from what really matters, which is how far your ringgit will go once you touch down. That’s why Wise recently launched Malaysia’s Wisest Travel Agency pop-up at Pavilion Bukit Jalil to help travellers rethink their spending habits overseas.
So be like Uncle Tim, plan wisely, spend smartly, and enjoy your holiday without budget stress.
Go ahead, book that trip… just do it the wise way.
