About – Balkoni Hijau Blog

Balkoni Hijau blog is a personal finance blog balancing between frugal and enjoyable living.

The topics that this blog covers:

Personal finance
DIY projects to save money
Is it Worth it product reviews
Cheap meal-prep recipes
Millennial hustles to exit the 9 to 5
Cheap or free things to do near you

Here are some of my most viewed articles:

Why the ‘Balkoni Hijau’ Name?

In 2014, I started an Airbnb Vacation Rental business in Kuala Lumpur and named the business; ‘Balkoni Hijau’.

‘Balkoni Hijau‘ is the Malay word for Green Balcony. That was my brand and unique selling point (USP) to stand out in a crowded Vacation Rental market.

How did I get into the whole Airbnb business in the first place?

In 2014, I was laid off from my comfy engineering job in Singapore and had to return to KL. I needed a way to pay my mortgages & that is how I founded the Airbnb business, and grew it from 1 to 10 apartment units.

This website was originally a blog of what to do in Kuala Lumpur to promote direct bookings of my apartments.

Balkoni Hijau KL Vacation Rental 2014 – 2019 Memory Lane:

These are selfie pictures of my guests from all over the world from 2014 till 2019:

Here are some awards that I’ve achieved as a top performing host & property in Bukit Bintang:

Unfortunately, in 2020, with the dwindling worldwide economy, intense competition, razor-thin margins, and the Corona Virus being the final nail in the coffin, I decided to pull the plug on the Airbnb venture after 5 years in the business.

In 2020, as like everyone else’s life scrambled by the Covid-19 pandemic, I repurposed this website into a personal finance blog.

Work With Me

I am now a full time writer & marketer in Kuala Lumpur.

For any inquiries about collaborating or hiring my writing services, please click on the button below to visit my ‘Work With Me’ page:

Work With Me