With prices creeping up on everything from food to transport, keeping expenses low has become a real struggle for many.
But how little can a person actually spend and still get by? Could someone survive in Malaysia for a whole week with just RM50?
A South Korean YouTuber decided to take on this challenge to find out. Armed with a tight budget and a lot of willpower, he spent seven days trying to make RM50 stretch as far as possible.
What followed was a week of extreme budgeting, hunger pangs, and unexpected kindness from the people around him.
Day 1: Bread, instant noodles, and free office coffee
Knowing he had to be smart with his spending, his first stop was a supermarket. With only RM50 to last seven days, he picked up a jumbo loaf of bread and a cup of instant noodles—cheap and filling.
His plan? Eat the bread for three days and only have instant noodles when absolutely necessary. To save even more, he brought the bread to work and paired it with free office coffee.
Day one seemed promising. He even managed to squeeze in a RM2 plate of nasi mamak, feeling like he had his budget under control.
Days 2 & 3: Bread for breakfast, lunch & dinner
By the second day, the hunger started creeping in. The bread supply was running low, and he could already see that making RM50 last for an entire week wouldn’t be as easy as it seemed.
By the third day, he had completely run out of bread. The only thing left? Instant noodles. He tried to ration them, eating only when absolutely necessary, but the hunger was relentless.
Day 4: Time to splurge on eggs & more instant noodles
By the fourth day, he knew he had to change his approach. Living on just bread and instant noodles wasn’t cutting it—his body needed proper food.
So, he made his biggest purchase yet: a tray of eggs and a carton of instant noodles. That meant he had only RM15.60 left for the rest of the week.
The sacrifice? He still wasn’t eating balanced meals, but at least he had some protein.
Day 5: A kind colleague steps in—first proper meal in days
By now, he was exhausted. Surviving on just instant noodles was starting to take a toll, but there wasn’t much he could do.
That’s when something unexpected happened—one of his colleagues noticed his struggle and treated him to a proper meal. It wasn’t in his budget, but the kind gesture reminded him that no one truly survives alone.
Day 6: Hunting for free food at the supermarket
With only RM6.40 left in his wallet, he had to get creative. He made one last trip to the supermarket, not to shop, but to look for free food samples and drinks from promotional booths.
At this point, he wasn’t even thinking about balanced meals—he just needed to make it through the day.
Day 7: Out of money, out of energy
By the final day, the reality of the challenge had fully hit him. He had completely run out of money, and whatever was left had to go toward transportation.
More than just a test of financial discipline, the challenge had become a test of endurance.
Reflecting on the experience, he admitted that he technically exceeded his RM50 budget since he accepted free meals from a friend. But in the end, he walked away with three major takeaways:
- Having no money makes you feel constantly hungry.
- The people around you can make all the difference.
- Malaysians are incredibly generous—many people stepped in to help, whether by offering a meal or simply showing concern.
He also noticed a significant weight loss, likely due to the lack of nutrients in his diet. Eating well on a limited budget was nearly impossible, as healthier food options were too expensive.
While the challenge proved that surviving on RM50 was technically possible, it came at a serious cost—both physically and mentally. It was a tough reality check, highlighting just how difficult it is to get by when money is tight
