Achieving short term goal

Achieving her short term savings goal

This school holiday, instead of saving the money in the bank, we allowed Noelle to buy something which she really want! And it is roller skates! Initially, she aimed for the inline skate which cost RM79. She managed to save in ringgit notes a total of RM81 (she has many more coins which she didn’t calculate). But at the end, she chose the roller skate which cost RM69 (and it can be turned into inline skate if she mastered this).

With this, we hope she learns

– delay gratification (instead of getting anything she wants at any point of time)

– setting short term goals

– appreciate what she gets from her own savings

Photo: https://photos.app.goo.gl/BeeZ2ffD2gtEyMLq6

Sweet Cherry Warehouse Sale 15-18 July 2017

This is our first time surveying and going to Sweet Cherry Warehouse sale; as we are looking for a lightweight stroller that can fit at least one of the two kids! The warehouse is located at their factory or headquarter somewhere in Seri Kembangan (just followed waze to get there).

This is a rather small warehouse sale compared to My Dear warehouse sale. There were limited baby clothes and more on bulky purchases like baby cots, bath tub and strollers. Most customers were there looking for strollers, which indeed going much more cheaper compared to their normal retail price (also online sites – we did a survey on Lazada to make price comparison).

We finally got this stroller! Besides the lower price, with Public Bank credit card we get an additional 5% off.

They also provide the service of fixing up the strollers for the purchases. 

And finally one mission completed ✅ 

It actually fits up to 15kg (though Noelle now weighs 15.7kg). 

Bidding goodbye to my cartoon car!

It is just a kancil…..🙄🙄

But this is my first car that I have been driving since 18 years old (anyway I am just 21 😝). To many cars are liabilities (which is true), to me it has been an ‘asset’.
The car that….

…I drove to college and attend university 

…brought me to exam halls

…took my mum around to see clients 

…chauffeur me to visit my ex-boyfriend (now hubby 😂)

…sent me to my formal jobs

…went along with me when I moved away from my parents’ house

…went around with me to do interviews for a magazine 

…brought me and Noelle to many short memorable grocery trips and playdates 

….and many more!

All in all, these will be memories, as we have sent it off TODAY – 10 June 2017! 
** Some have often asked why I couldn’t go around with the two girls in the car. It is because I am kind of particular that they go onto baby car seats (which the back of the car couldn’t support); hence Nikki has less opportunities with us in the car! 
The car was purchased at RM35,000 in cash (which I couldn’t thank more to my mum’s decision to put all my angpau monies into unit trust during the Asian financial crisis in 1997/1998 and had the investment monies doubled by 2000) and today it was sold out at RM3,500! (In between many repair costs, of course, but there are ‘maintenance’ for all cars)! So if you see this car on road, it is no longer me the owner! 
I have been a ‘loyal’ driver to kancil (which my hubby will tease ‘no money to change car, not loyal)! 😝😝😝 Soon I will be upgraded to my hubby’s old car (haha…I don’t drive the new car until I am comfortable with a bigger car)! 
Goodbye BFW9722! 

#throwback Thursday night!

Our ‘last’ ride together in mama’s car
We have been going out together since Noelle was 13mo+ in this car. So, it is much more emotional 😭 with her – from a tiny toddler who wants mama to hold her hand while driving to now (4y5m+) a kid who talk none stop when I am driving! 
So today when I get my weekday time off, I decided to give her a last ride in this car with me to the supermarket (usually I would rather go alone😝)!
It would be just memories soon….😭😭😭
Anyway tonight she behaved quite well in the supermarket, helping mama to weigh stuff and carry some things!

永不应该不劳而获Money Should Never Be Given, But Earned

Great video to watch: here

Thankfully I have been trained from young to earn before I get something – which I would certainly pass down to my kids!

I don’t know about others but I would definitely feel ‘shameful’ if one day I need to ask for financial help. Therefore, planning ahead is important. 
Working toward the goals of financial freedom and budgetting should not be neglected! Even though I don’t earn an income now, ‘budgetting for the family’ has become a responsibility (yeah, I am a crazy si lai that go for bargain buys – another way of savings – but I am happy with this lifestyle). 
Money certainly doesn’t come easy – even Noelle knows that papa wouldn’t have much time for her if she keeps requesting to go for holidays. On weekends when hubby has to be away, she sometimes tells her papa: ‘papa you have enough money. No need go work.’

Book review: Who Says by Mark Chua

Nah, I am not going back to employment (yet?). But I am checking this book out – to find out more, i.e understand WHY my hubby ‘choose’ this author Mark Chua to be his mentor (for more than a year now)! 😂🙄
Reading this book brings me down the memory lane – my working years and my bosses who have groomed me up those years. It helps me reflect my personal employment journey until the point when I decided to call it a quit. I find him having ‘similar’ financial habits and working ethics. But why then my hubby ‘adores’ this Mark?
What makes him different compared (to myself) is Mark makes his millions via property portfolio (while I personally just stopped at one property ‘at the moment’). I realise that to be able to achieve greater financial freedom is the need to acquire calculative risks. In career perspective, Mark is more willing to inspire others (which I would unlikely do).
The key takeaway of the book is be passionate (enough) in your job and committed to take right kind of actions to move forward! Mark speaks about the need to inculcate financial discipline in order to achieve financial freedom. He also offers tips on generating positive income flows from property investments.
It took me 40 minutes of my ‘me time’ yesterday to complete it (it may take longer for some who don’t have my reading speed due to lack of time). A good buy for the employed, non-employed and fresh graduates.
Another notable point is Mark adores his wife (and kids) who shares his financial journey through bad and good times. In this perspective, I will ‘pass’ Mark as my hubby’s mentor! 😝
*This is not a paid review!

Comparing Tune Insure AirAsia Protection against AIG Travel Insurance

As we will be going for our first international holiday soon, hubby is exploring the travel insurance for us. For ease of comparison, I have tabulated a chart out. For the extra RM20, we are most likely going for AIG Travel Insurance for a slightly higher coverage for certain items such as accidental death & bodily disablement; and items that do not exist under Tune Insure AirAsia Protection such as Home Away Protection. One significant protection that Tune Insure provides (while AIG Travel doesn’t) is “On Time Guarantee” – delay more than 2 hours from schedule departure by AirAsia/ AirAsia X. Moreover, AIG is more well known in the market – for its fair insurance coverage, i.e. genuine claims are given back. Both can be purchased online.

Free RM100 + RM1,500 for your child under the Tabung Warisan Anak Selangor (TAWAS) programme

I was informed by my aunty through my mum that the government of Selangor (currently PKR) is “giving out” money to their citizens who gave birth to a Selangor child after little 17chipmunks was born. This programme is since 30 August 2008.

 

What does your Selangor child get if they are eligible for it?

On every successful registration: your child will get RM100

At age 18: RM1,500

 

However there are conditions for eligibility of your child:

1. Citizens of Malaysia
2. Born in Selangor from 1 January 2008
3. Either:
   1. Mother or father born in Selangor; or mother or father born in KL before 1 February 1974; or
   2. Mother and father not born in Selangor but has lived in Selangor for at least 5 years (which need some certifications on stay)
   3. Mother and father not born in Selangor but stay in Selangor (this refers to mother and father who stay at the borders of Selangor and other state such as Selangor-Pahang)

 

Therefore, after hubby registered little 17chipmunks birth certification and Mykad at the National Registration Department of Malaysia in Shah Alam, hubby just needed to fill up another form at another level in Plaza Masalam.

 

After me going through the leaflet, I think we would have less chance that little 17chipmunks will be eligible for this programme because:

1. Both of us are born out of Selangor.
2. Although born in KL (as stated in condition 3a.), we are born after 1974
3. I did stayed in Selangor for the whole of my life, but there’s need for further proof (which could be rather troublesome) – to me, if they are sincere in giving, they could just check the past and present residential address of the mother and/or father

 

Also, the amount is RM100 upon registration – but RM1,500 is only eligible after 18 years old – meaning that we have to maintain the same Selangor government to obtain this benefit – wouldn’t this sound to be buying votes? Nevertheless, the officer explained to hubby that the child will receive RM100 each year, instead of RM1,500 at age 18 – not sure how true is this though since there’s no black and white.

 

Anyway, just tried our luck, after all it is for little 17chipmunks.

 

Second Treatpoints redemption in 10 months with Maybankard Manchester United Visa Card

I have definitely earned back the service tax paid for my Maybankard Manchester United Visa Card (and the older card even though I cancelled it), which I applied in December last year. It is not because I am spending excessively, but to buy essential (grocery and baby stuff) using my card that help me benefit from the points accumulation – by “speculating” on Manchester United winning the English Premier League matches during the weekend.This is my second redemption after I did my first redemption in June.

 

Also, I would like to commend the service centre at One Utama’s Maybankard card centre for having their service on during the weekend. It definitely make the redemption easy for me – who wants to redeem Jaya Jusco voucher that can be used to buy whatever essential I need from the retailer – while at the same time earn additional member points. Redemption is on the spot with few officers manning the counters during the weekend. Well, this is definitely easy for shoppers (except for those staying out of Klang Valley).

Maybank Treatpoints fast tracked

One set back about Maybankard Manchester United Visa Card is that it is not totally transparent about the point system. Therefore, it is difficult to track if the points are being fast tracked.

Given that we bought the Halford S8 and Baby Carrier on Sunday (when the match between Southampton and Manchester United will be on), we decided to pay via my credit card – since the win will give my card 5 times Treatpoints. For a spending of RM799.20, it will come to about 3,966 Treatpoints for the purchase.

I decided to track on the points from Maybank2u. On Sept 2, my outstanding balance was RM190.60 with a total Treatpoints of 10,578. After the purchase was made (and two days later), I checked my Maybank2u and found that my Treatpoints has accumulated to 14,574 – which is an increase of 3,996. Well, this proves that there is indeed fast tracked of points when Manchester United wins the English Premier League Game.

Sept 2

Sept 4

Well, thank you to the hattrick scorer – Robin Van Persie!

It is definitely a good time to plan big purchase items.

 

Follow up read: Second Treatpoints redemption in 10 months with Maybankard Manchester United Visa Card

Making bill payments via CIMB Clicks

I recently have a new account with CIMB Bank; my first time having a savings account with the bank. This is due to my company payroll purpose. As a result, I have access to CIMB Clicks. Coincidently, our JMB recently allows its residence to pay bills via CIMB Clicks. Why not then pay via CIMB Clicks?

 

Compared to bill payments via Maybank, Public Bank and OCBC Bank, I found that with CIMB Clicks – the convenience is we can actually make a list of payees first before submitting all the payments at one shoot. Therefore, we are only required to request one TAC password. We also could have a view of the list of bills that we are paying too. I like this initiative. Nevertheless, the setback could be if the bill payments are made to different payees, it would be difficult to print out separate transaction bills.