Sunday 31 July 2022
[Post 144] Why I Left My $116K Law Job To Work A $15/Hour Firefighting Job | On The Side
Tuesday 26 July 2022
[Post 137] Young Investors | Channel NewsAsia Connect
Monday 25 July 2022
[Post 136] A Singapore family's tips for fighting inflation | CNA
Sunday 24 July 2022
[Post 135] The economic of IKEA:How they keep you in it's store? | WSJ
Summary
Counterintuitive though it may seem, part of furniture giant IKEA’s success stems from its policy requiring its customers to build its products. In this video, WSJ explains the behavioral psychology behind the “IKEA effect.”
Personal Takeaway
1.Flat furniture packing to reduce shipping and transportation costs
2.Design of the store layout to allow customers to spend the day testing out the product.
3.Affordable and low-cost furniture
4.When a customer builds something themselves, they become more attached to it.
Saturday 23 July 2022
[Post 134] How does raising interest rates control inflation? | The Economist
Summary
When central banks raise interest rates, the impact is felt far and wide. Mortgages become more expensive, house prices might fall and unemployment can rise. So why do central banks do it? This film tells you why.
Personal Takeaway
1.A higher interest rate encourages people to save money and spend less. Lower interest rate = more spending; do not want to leave money in the bank
2.A central bank is a bank for banks; a commercial bank can deposit its reserves at an central bank
3.High inflation rate= higher interest rate
4.Difficult to predict when inflation will fall when interest rates are raised.
Wednesday 20 July 2022
[Post 131] How To Save On Your Parents Medical Bills | CNA Insider
Summary:Is home nursing more expensive than hospital care? How much should you budget for medical expenses? A study by Marsh predicts that each senior’s healthcare in Singapore may cost as much as S$53,000 a year by 2030. Quadruple that amount to S$212,000 if you are taking care of your parents and in-laws.
Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease and hypertension are expensive in the long run as our parents live longer. There will be regular check-ups, medication and doctor or specialist visits to pay for. This is where the Community Health Assist Scheme can come in handy to reduce costs.
According to the Ministry of Health in Singapore, 1 in 2 healthy Singaporeans aged 65 could become severely disabled in their lifetime and may need long-term care. That means planning ahead for help like a caregiver, nursing home or elderly daycare.
Personal Takeaway
1.Check the clinic near to you that allow CHAS
2.Setting up a bedroom with hospital equipment and hire caregiver
3.Purchase the necessary insurance
[Post 130] 5 Financial Movies To Watch
What better way to learn about finance than to watch a movie? I came across the big short on YouTube a while ago and have been on a financial movie binge since then. Here are some of the financial movies that I have seen and enjoyed so far.
1.The Big Short(2015)
The movie is based on the book written by Micheal Lewis ,The Big Short:Inside the Doomsday Machine.Basically ,the movie is about how several finance experts and opportunist predict the collapse of the US housing market in 2008 during the mid-2000s and how they discover the flaws and corruption in the system through their research.My first impression was that it would be a documentary-style story (those kind really bores me to death). However, after 5 minutes of watching, it was not. And did I mention the stellar cast, which includes Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Steve Carell, and Ryan Gosling, among others? Furthermore, it simplifies financial concepts such as CDOs and why bonds rated AAA+ are dog s**t. According to one YouTube commenter, "I thought the big short was a comedy seeing it's tag, but it turned out to be a horror movie."
Sunday 17 July 2022
[Post 129]10 Skillsfuture Course To Take For $500 and Below (Food)
As continue from the previous post,here are some useful course to take for Skillfuture for $500 and Below.
(Disclaimer:I am not affliated to any of the training provider etc).
1.Traditional Chinese Cooking($110.00)
Course Providers:Diabetes Singapore
For more information,click here
Course Providers:Diabetes Singapore
For more information,click here
3.NSA - Hawkers Set- Traditional Malay Cooking
Course Providers:Diabetes Singapore
For more information,click here
4.NSA- Traditional Indian Cooking –North
Course Providers:Diabetes Singapore
For more information,click here
5.NSA - Japanese Cooking Workshop - Teriyaki
For more information,click here
6.NSA - Japanese Cooking Workshop - Sushi
For more information,click here
8.NSA - 3-Day Italian Cooking Workshop
For more information,click here
For more information,click here
10.Home-Cooked Meals
Course Objective:These classes' main objectives are to empower people with diabetes with information on how food choices promote, prevent, and treat type 2 diabetes and practical cooking skills for healthy and delicious meal preparation.
Course Content:In this course, Chef Allan Teoh will be sharing tips on how common dishes in various cuisines can be made diabetic-friendly:
-Rasam & Mutton Keema (Indian Cuisine)
-Ayam Masak Merah & Gendang Kasturi (Malay Cuisine)
- Sweet & Sour Prawns & Steamed Flower Crabs In Bean Paste (Chinese Cuisine)
- Chap Chye & Chicken Curry (Peranakan Cuisine)
-Roasted Lamb Chops & Baked Rice With Fish Slices (Western Cuisine)
For more information,click here
Friday 15 July 2022
[Post 128] Living On $25K A Year In Greater Baltimore | Millennial Money
Summary:Jerone Gillespie, 23, earns $25,000 a year between driving for Uber and Lyft and working in a tax preparation office. When the pandemic hit, Gillespie stopped driving for Uber and Lyft to keep himself safe, and he relied solely on his tax job for income. He earns $14.50 an hour as the manager of the tax office.
Personal Takeaway:He earns about $25,000 USD (approximately SGD $35,146/year or SGD $2928.33/month) per year as a manager in a tax office ($14.50 USD/he) and does Uber and Lyft on the side. He used to sleep in his car and on his brother's couch, and he used to save money by eating only once or twice a day. He also took out a loan for about $20,000, with an annual interest rate of about 3.75 percent.His typical spending round up to about $1,282 USD (approximately SGD $1788.33),which inferred that his saving is around SGD $1140 and that it was used in stock and ETF.Seem pretty impressive to have such a high saving rate and is definitely a source of insipration for everyone else with median income
Tuesday 12 July 2022
[Post 127] Living On $32K A Year In Spokane, Washington | Millennial Money
Summary:Graham Zickefoose, 26, lives in Spokane, Washington and earns $32,000 a year as a graduate student at Eastern Washington University. Graham is pursuing a master's degree in urban and regional planning and is expected to graduate in the spring of 2023. He has a part time job as a city planning assistant at the city hall offices in Spokane. This is an installment of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money.
Personal Thoughts:Despite the fact that he was on scholarship, I think he did well in surviving on $32,000 (approximately SGD45,000) in scholarship stipend and work payment, among other things. Above is a screenshot of his budget, which is pretty low except for the food expenses, which are probably from paying for and going out on his date with his girlfriend, as mentioned in the video. He also does not have a credit card, only a debit card or a checking account, and he keeps track of his spending. Tithe refers to his monthly contributions to the church, which amount to about 10% of his total income.
Tuesday 5 July 2022
[Post 126] 5 Skillsfuture Course To Take For $500 and Below (Fixing Stuff)
(Disclaimer:I am not affliated to any of the training provider etc).
1.NSA - Handyman: Furniture & Fabric Fixes($190.00)
Course Objective:
1) To Provide basic understanding of furniture repair 2) To Demonstrate with participants hands-on Stain and Lacquering 3) To demonstrate with participants hands-on installation of locks 4) To demonstrate with participants hands-on install and adjust hinges 5) To demonstrate with participants hands-on repair of furniture surfaces 6) To demonstrate with participants hands-on hand sewing fabric and accessories
Course Content:
For more information,click here
2.NSA - Handyman: Home Electrical Repairs($190.00)
1)To Provide basic understanding of LED lighting
2)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on Conversion To LED lights
3)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on lighting control
4)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on Wall Electrical Socket
5)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on Electrical Cabling
6)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on Ceiling Fans Servicing
7)To Demonstrate with participants hands-on AV System wiring & Digital TV Conversion from non-Digital systems
For more information,click here
3.NSA - Handyman: Plumbing, Drywall & Adhesives($190.00)
For more information,click here
For more information,click here
Do note that this may be a little expensive.For more information,click here
Research for other Skillsfuture course are still under going,do expect another post soon!
Saturday 2 July 2022
[Post 125] 1 Day trip to Johor Bahru (Eat and Movie)
Two weeks ago, I took a day excursion with my family to JB to catch Top Gun: Maverick at the Mid Valley Southkey Mall. We were met by a lengthy line at the Malaysia custom side, stretching all the way to the back, and it took approximately an hour and a half of line time before we were able to get our passports stamped, in contrast to my previous trip, where there was not much of a line. By that point, it was already after two in the afternoon, and we were starving.
We chose to grab there as our destination that day was the Mid Valley Southkey mall. Unfortunately, no driver was available that wanted to pick us up. Instead, we used the cab counter at the CIQ, which is below the CIQ and next to the Malaysian bus interchange, to get there.
(Author's note: Just specify your destination at the cab counter to get a quote on the cost. You may be assure that the quoted fee is fair, and a cab driver waiting by the counter will direct you to your vehicle. We were given a quote for RM16 to the nearby Mid Valley Southkey Mall about 10 mins aways.It is a little expensive but we are taking from CIQ after all.)
We decided to go to B1's restaurant because we were hungry. But first, we had to buy our movie tickets. The GSH Cinama in the Mid Valley is located on the 4th floor and appears to be very impressive at first glance.Do note that tickets could only be purchased through the machine, so there will be some waiting time. The ticket 🎫 costs about RM23.50 (almost SGD8) per person.
Author's note: A weekend movie ticket in Malaysia (almost $8) is less expensive than one in Singapore ($14.50). If you are visiting JB, especially City Square, for a day trip, consider seeing a movie as it is a great way to spend your time there. If you're feeling rich, grab a popcorn combo for around RM13rm, or (whispering...) sneak in your preferred food/drink(Just kidding!).🙅
After purchasing our tickets, we proceeded to B1's restaurant section. Because there was a long line at Din Tai Fung, our family decided to eat at Kenny Roger instead. We decided to eat the Kennys' family meal because it was already 2.30pm and close to dinner time.
The Kenny family's meal (menu) consists of the following items(Menu):
1. 1 Whole rotisserie-roasted chicken
2. Three side dishes (Macaroni and cheese,Aromatic Rice and Garsley Potatoes)
3. Four soft drinks ( 2 sprite and 2 fanta strawberry)
4. 4 Kenny's Chicken & Mushroom Soup
Verdict:After adding extra charges, the total damage was around RM110+, which is equivalent to RM36.66 (or nearly $10 per person). However, it appears to be a typical Singapore Aston/Chic a Boo price. The side dishes were delicious, particularly the Aromatic Rice. My mother enjoys the macaroni and cheese a lot. The chicken was also decent, but when compared to our previous experiences with Kenny Roger in Msia at Genting Highlands, there was definitely a drop in quality. Will probably only return if other restaurants have long lines like that day.
We went to A&W after lunch because we still had time before the movie.
I ordered the hot dog meal and the waffle ice cream meal after 3pm++, both of which are about 8-9rm if my memory serves me correctly(menu).
Verdict: One of the fast food restaurants to try in Malaysia, as the Singapore branch is always crowded and has a long queue. The food was adequate and would make a good afternoon snack. Although the waffle is fairly ordinary and lacks the appeal of some cafe waffles. Root beer was great with ice-cream though,pretty easy to make one at home.Among the items I ordered, the corny hot dog was the best.
After we finished eating, it was finally time for a movie, so we returned to the GSH cinema on level 4. It was the first time that I watched a movie at GSH Cinema, and I must say that the seats were quite comfortable for a 2D movie ticket. The theatre was also pretty packed, as we only managed to purchase a seat in the second row beforehand.
Verdict: I hadn't seen Top Gun 1 before, but it was still pretty enjoyable for me; I would have probably appreciated the film more if I had seen Top Gun 1.
Then it was time for dinner at Arashi Shabu Shabu restaurant. I didn't photograph dinner for some reason (Forgotten actually,haha). We pretty much end the day after dinner and return to CIQ, this time with Grab for about RM14. On the way back to Singapore, traffic was also relatively smooth.