What Participants Say After the Sessions
These are responses from people who have attended Modari workshops and programmes — in their own words, with the practical details that matter.
Back to HomeVoices from Our Cohorts
Farah Hanisah Zulkifli
Johor Bahru, Johor
"I came to the Smart Spending Workshop expecting a lecture on budgeting. It was nothing like that. The swap-and-save activity made me realise how many small daily habits were costing me more than I thought. The worksheet is still on my kitchen counter."
Smart Spending Workshop · April 2025
Kelvin Wong Jian Wei
Skudai, Johor
"The Resourceful Living Programme took a few weeks to really settle in for me — the second session was a bit slow, honestly. But by week four I was actually using the tally toolkit and tracking where my grocery spending was going. Four stars because the pace in week two could be tighter."
Resourceful Living Programme · March–April 2025
Norzita Rahimah
Pasir Gudang, Johor
"I completed the Frugal Living Foundations Course in early 2025. What made it different from other things I have tried was that every example was Malaysian. When they talked about wet-market alternatives, I recognised the places. The workbooks are genuinely well-made — I kept all ten."
Frugal Living Foundations · Jan–March 2025
Ahmad Luqman Ismail
Johor Bahru, Johor
"Attended the workshop with two colleagues. We used the group brainstorm to think through office snack costs and lunch habits together — which we wouldn't have thought to do on our own. Good half-day use. The facilitator kept things moving without rushing anyone."
Smart Spending Workshop · April 2025
Cheryl Lim Mei Ling
Kulai, Johor
"The Resourceful Living Programme peer circles were the part I was most sceptical about — I'm not someone who usually shares financial stuff with strangers. But the group was small enough that it felt okay. By week three I was actually looking forward to the check-ins."
Resourceful Living Programme · February–March 2025
Muhd Farhan Othman
Johor Bahru, Johor
"I liked that the Foundations Course had drop-in clinics. I had specific questions about tracking subscriptions and recurring costs — things that weren't fully covered in the group sessions. The clinic was the right place for those. Useful for anyone who wants to go deeper on particular areas."
Frugal Living Foundations · Feb–April 2025
How It Played Out for Three Participants
These are real journeys through our programmes — described with the permission of the participants, with identifying details kept general.
Challenge
Grocery Overspend Each Month
A young professional from Johor Bahru noticed her monthly grocery and household spending kept running over her intended figure — but she couldn't identify where the extra was going. She had tried tracking apps but didn't stick with them.
Session
Resourceful Living Programme
Over five weeks, she worked with the habits journal to map her actual weekly shop across three different outlets. The tally toolkit helped her see patterns she hadn't noticed. Her peer circle gave her a concrete goal to check in on each week.
Outcome
More Clarity, Lower Monthly Spend
By the end of the programme, she had reduced her monthly household outgoings by roughly RM 180–200 through a combination of timing, outlet choice, and a smaller number of impulse items. More importantly, she had a tracking habit she was still using two months later.
"I didn't think the journal would make a difference. It just helped me see the pattern clearly for the first time."
Challenge
No Starting Point on Resourceful Living
A recent graduate from Skudai had read a lot about frugal living online but found the advice either too generic or too extreme. He wanted a structured way to build practical habits relevant to his actual life in Johor.
Session
Smart Spending Workshop + Foundations Course
He started with the half-day workshop to get a feel for the approach. Three months later, he enrolled in the Foundations Course. The drop-in clinics were particularly useful for his questions about eating out versus meal preparation.
Outcome
A Clear Personal Framework
He completed the course with a reference pack and a personalised spending framework that he could explain to others clearly. The savings he observed were modest in the short term — his words — but the habits felt more stable than anything he had tried on his own.
"The workshop gave me enough to try before committing to the full course. That felt respectful of my time and money."
Reach the Modari Team
Phone
+60 7-227 6840Address
Level 7, Komtar JBCC,
Jalan Wong Ah Fook,
80000 Johor Bahru
Office Hours
Mon–Fri: 9am–6pm
Sat: 10am–2pm
Numbers That Tell the Story
500+
Participants
6
Years Active
4.7
Average Rating
94%
Positive Feedback
Member: Malaysian Adult Educators Network
Registered member since 2020, supporting facilitator development and community learning standards.
Johor Community Education Initiative — 2023
Selected as part of a regional programme supporting practical public financial literacy education across Johor.
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