10th Wedding Anniversary

My friend, Dolores, told me that she has finally decided on her "honeymoon" on the occasion of her tenth wedding anniversary and it is going to be a romantic vacation riviera maya, Mexico!

Dolores at first was adamant that they would be going to Korea but her husband wanted Gold Coast, Australia but after spending a month at loggerheads just trying to decide on their holiday, they finally decided that to solve this problem, they would not choose Korea or Australia but look for a "neutral" vacation spot. That's how they came to decide on Mexico.

I am so happy for them that they have this issue resolved. Finally! If they had asked me to help them to decide, I too would suggest a totally different spot for them. Perhaps I would even have suggested Riviera Maya seeing how romantic it is!

Andrew Koenig of Growing Pains Found Dead

I was quite shocked to read that an actor from the old sitcom "Growing Pains" has been found dead. I remember watching the sitcom and every other sitcom available at about 7.30pm every weekday when I was in school. "Growing Pains" was one of them. I checked his filmography and was quite surprised that he guest starred in quite a few sitcoms of my day like 21 Jump Street and My Two Dads.

I couldn't recognise the actor's name, Andrew Koenig, though and Googling for his old photo, I couldn't recognise his face either. I couldn't even recognise his character name, Boner! Gosh, it has been that long till I couldn't remember anything, huh? It's OK that I didn't remember the story line but I do remember names like Kirk Cameron, a heart-throb them even though he was not as good looking as other adolescent stars that time, Tracy Gold, Jeremy Miller and of course, who could forget that Leonardo DiCaprio getting one of his first breaks on Growing Pains?

From news report that I read online, Andrew Koenig, whose father was Walter Koenig of Star Trek fame, committed suicide. Apparently, he was depressed. What a pity. May he rest in peace.

EntroPay Virtual Cards

As someone who makes money online, it is always at the back of my mind not to place all my eggs in one basket. Right now, I only have one mode of payment and acceptance and although it is the most popular company offering such a service at this point in time, what happened in India over the past month and the fact that it is still not resolved after so many long weeks, leaving Indian users in a lurch, has made me look for an alternative mode all the keener.

I have been looking at virtual credit cards recently. Actually a friend recommended me one card earlier but after looking at the fees charged, I decided not to proceed. As you know, I am too prudent for my own good and always try to look for the most economical option without compromising on quality or service.

Virtual credit cards are actually very convenient and hassle-free. They are issued almost immediately without much questions asked. For EntroPay virtual credit cards, they are accepted wherever VISA is accepted, which means virtually anywhere. Of course, you would have to fund your card first but that could also easily be done through any major credit or debit card.

Going through the website of EntroPay, which also offers plastic MasterCard for hassle-free ATM withdrawals and retail purchases, I think that this could be the life-saving solution for Indian victims since it allows account holders to move funds between an EntroPay account and a bank account.

Personally, I too feel that I should open an EntroPay account as a back up plan. I think anyone who is in my position should consider their prepaid cards. Opening an account is free anyway and it doesn't hurt to have a second option to receive funds globally online that we could easily access to even if we do not have a bank account.

Is The Heatwave Over?

The weather has been exceptionally hot over the past 2 - 3 weeks. There was no wind at all and even with my ceiling fan at number 3 speed, I didn't feel any cooler. I know that I was not the only one who felt so. Many of my friends from different parts of Malaysia also told me the same things. Their poor pets are restless too. Without pets, it's one less worry for me though.

However, here in Ipoh, we have been experiencing heavy rain for the past two days already. I remember the rain was pouring outside KLCC the day I was in KL. Luckily I didn't get caught in it! It looks like the worst of the heatwave is over already even before March is here, which was what the meteorological department predicted.

Now, at least I do not have to switch on the fan throughout the night. That's a lot of electricity being used. Luckily I am not as crazy as some people who even went and bought new units of air-conditioner. I certainly do not have that kind of money to burn. LOL

Singapore Casinos

My friends who live in Singapore told me that it is not easy to gain access to the first ever casino on the island of Sentosa off the south coast of Singapore. There is a lot of red tape and one would need to deposit a chunk of money in order to gain a pass. With its strict laws and nanny-state policies, I am not surprised.

While I am planning to visit Singapore when Universal Studios theme park begins operations early next month, I am not keen to gamble in the new casino in Singapore or the one that is opening later this year. I prefer to play online casino games without any distractions! I only play small anyway, since I don't have gambling luck.

Also, as someone who is perpetually online, I can access online casinos on my mobile phone. Actually, mobile gaming is the way to go now. It's so convenient and if you have a large screen smart phone like me, like an iPhone or similar, all the better!

Matta Fair Kuala Lumpur: March 2010

I am planning to visit KL again next month, this time, it will be for a few days, possibly a week, so I am checking for events in the city that I could attend. There's Matta Fair that will be held from 12th to 14th March, 2010 in PWTC which I am looking forward to but dang, my eyes popped up seeing that we have to pay RM3 entrance fee! It’s free in Ipoh as far as I could tell. Or do we also have to pay? I don't really know since I have never visited any Matta Fair before.

I wish I have a larger budget to travel so visiting Matta Fair and paying RM3 for it would be worthwhile but if I only plan to travel locally, then it would not even worth my time going in and jostling with the crowd!

Anyway, there is still time to decide. I don’t even know yet when I will be in KL next month. Perhaps it wouldn’t even coincide with Matta Fair!

Time To Be Fit Again

After all the Chinese New Year cookies and dinners with friends and family, I am not surprised if we all put on at least 5kg in weight! Yes, I know it's terrible but who could deny the joy of good food and good company?

The funny thing is that it's like a vicious circle in the sense that we overindulge ourselves every beginning of the year and spend the rest of the year trying to take off what we put on in the fifteen days of Chinese New Year! And we are never really successful!

I guess it is because as we grow older our metabolism rate drops. Perhaps it is time to depend on weight loss pills for a faster track to a slimmer body. I hate my spare tire and it irks me that taking care of Snoopy and losing so much weight then, I still couldn't get rid of it! LOL

Chasing For Payments Again

It's still only the first quarter of the year and I am already chasing for payments from two parties. One has owed me for a YEAR and another owes me for a month already. The party which owes me a year has two pending payments totaling more than RM300 while the second party owes me close to RM600. That's a grand total of more than RM800.

Chasing for payment is not something that I like doing. In fact, I hate it because it stresses me so but I am going to persevere. It's money that I deserve and whether I need the money or not does not come into question.

I really don't like to write anything bad about these two companies since we are all out to cari makan only but if I am left with no choice and payment is not forthcoming, I guess I will take that route like any blogger will do. After all, I feel it is my duty to warn others of the scam tactics of these companies.

Anyway, I will still give them some time. I don't have hope of seeing the money but I will do my part.

Life Insurance Quotes

My sister told me that she and her husband have finally bought life insurance and said that I should get it too as soon as possible. I know I have waited too long and it will not be to my benefit if I continue to procrastinate. I guess I just hate to have yet another financial commitment!

I told my sister that I can't find time yet to sit down with an insurance agent but my sister urged me to get my life insurance online quote. She said that it was what she did too and it was very convenient and fast. She said that she bought her life insurance within a few days!

Sigh, I do know that it’s hassle-free. The bottom line is still my reluctance to increase my monthly financial commitment but I do know that there’s no avoiding it!

Possible Electricity Tariff Hike

It's fantastic that the electricity board is even thinking of raising tariff at this time of the year when the whole country is experiencing an awful heatwave. The heatwave lasted more than two weeks if I am not mistaken because I didn’t even had the chance to turn off my computer for that length of time! Luckily we had rain yesterday and today. Finally!

I know that because of the heat, we have used more electricity than we normally had but does that mean that they need to take advantage of the situation by hiking rates at this point?

Or perhaps, doe the government want to take this opportunity to "buy' the Rakyat's heart by thwarting down TNB's proposal so that we will all be thankful that we do not have to pay more for our electricity? We shall know the outcome by tomorrow.

Everybody Back To School & Work

All my relatives have returned to their own homes after the long Spring Festival holidays. My little nephew and niece who are growing up very quickly, have returned to school too. We've had an awesome time, to say the least!

An aunt of mine told me that she has a new job now as a "runner" for an insurance agent, which means that she will receive a part of the commission for any clients that she successfully introduced to her agent.

Since I do not yet have an insurance that offers an insurance card, I told her to prepare insurance quotes for me. I do have every intention to buy medical insurance but have procrastinated for so long. I guess with a relative pushing me, I will finally get this settled!

Exploring Free iPhone Apps

Since the day my iPhone has been home from the shop that I sent in to upgrade my firmware, I have been busy exploring the free apps that are available aplenty in iTunes. I have to admit that it was a big leap going from 1.1.1 firmware to the latest so you can imagine the vast changes and new features that I get to play with.

Like I said, there are plenty of free apps around but not all are useful, not all works. Perhaps, after playing around with enough apps, I will make a list of free must-have iPhone apps. Yes, free only as I am too cheap to pay even for the cheapest apps at US$0.99 each.

Anyway, as you probably can tell, I have spent the past few days playing games on my iPhone. Hehehe... and I thought that I am going to stop being a slave to games and dramas. Well, I'm trying, I'm trying my best.

Holiday Home

My friend, Paul, who works in the United States, came back to celebrate Chinese New Year with his family. He told me that he bought a new house nearby his father's house for convenience which he plans to retire in but meanwhile will treat it as his holiday home.

Paul said that he has already bought furniture for the house but they are all in his house in America. He said that it will cost him some money just to ship them over but he is not afraid of the cost. What he is afraid of is mishandling of his furniture! He spent a lot of money procuring them and they are antique!

I don't have experience with antique furniture but I told him that if he thinks that's valuable, he should engage the Boston Moving Company that he had used before and spoken highly of.

Paul told me previously that he was very satisfied with the professionalism of the moving company when previously he set up a branch company and had to move part of his office equipment and furniture to the new office.

Paul is a very fussy person. Perhaps architects are like that. If he is satisfied with the services of a company, it means that the company surely has a certain level of standard that met his requirements.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Perak State Chinese New Year Open House Tonight

If you like in Perak, you may be interested to know that today the Perak State Government will be holding a state open house to celebrate Chinese New Year. It will be held in this small town called Chenderiang and will start from 7pm until midnight.

I don't know events have been planned for the night but I read that there will be a performance by a Shaolin martial arts troupe, probably the same troupe which performed in Kinta City over the past couple of weeks, and the big shots will probably be handling out angpows. Doesn't matter they are not Chinese and this isn't their culture, I guess.

As an impartial blogger, I am interested to get some photos of this event. No, I am not going for the food or the angpow or even the performance(s); just of the event, you know, but I guess I wouldn't be going. I don't have a car and gosh, I don't even know where. Why can't these people organise a state even in the capital of the state?

Back To The City

Most of my friends have traveled back to the city where they will start working again on Monday. Lucky them received a week off work to celebrate Spring Festival with their family back in their respective hometowns.

A friend, who manages a company that has sales employees, told me that they are lucky to have just adopted a mileage reimbursement program so that mobile employees would not be able to take advantage of company vehicles to make this annual pilgrimage back home like they used to.

With this new mileage reimbursement program, employees provide their own vehicles but will receive a fair auto allowance at the end of the month according to the mileage of the vehicle as used for work purposes.

This friend wasn't able to tell how much his company saves from this new program but I guess, with the considerable number of mobile employees, it will be quite a lot of money saved! Actually, this is quite a popular solution for companies with mobile employees. I wonder why my friend has taken this long to adopt it. He said that he was afraid that his employees would not be agreeable to it, especially with the use of their private vehicles, but it seems they just needed time to get used to the idea.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Extra Angpows

Coming from a small family which seems to be getting smaller and smaller and in addition, a lot of the adults no longer practise the tradition of handling out angpows, I don't except to collect a lot during Chinese New Year, unlike my friends who would receive over a thousand bucks every year. I get about RM30 - RM50 only, in comparison.

It's actually not so much about the amount of money received; it's actually the blessings from our elders. Anyway, this year, I received two extra red packets; one from an aunt who gave out two this year because she had a windfall and was extremely happy and wanted to share her happiness with the family and one was from a neighbour.

The red packet from my neighbour surprised me. We have been neighbours for so many decades but there is not one year that she gave us three any red packets. Although they are millionaires, they are very careful with money, so I was surprised, and in fact, it made me wonder if there's any motive behind her generosity! LOL

Well, it’s just a week into Chinese New Year and this is all the angpows I am going to receive. It’s not like me to go around visiting friends and family to collect red packets.

New Home In The City

I met my cousin brother over the long Spring Festival weekend holiday. Even though we were quite close when we were children, because of studies and subsequently work, we did not keep in touch for quite a few years.

My cousin told me that he bought a new apartment near his office and invited me to stay with him when I visit the city. I did have plans to visit but it would have to wait until his house is in order. He's doing renovation work on it right now and will be moving his personal effects from his parents' home to his own once it is ready.

According to him, he is quite worried that he would not be able to find a reliable moving company. There aren't that many that could do the job that Boston Moving Company could, you see, but I told him there's still plenty of time before his home is ready so meanwhile, he could ask around. Perhaps his friends or colleagues may be able to recommend a good company.

It's unfortunate that I wouldn't be able to help him here. Although I have moved quite a bit before, I have not moved out of state before. Long distance relocation would require a more professional company, I believe.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Upgrading My iPhone Firmware

A couple of days ago, I went to an electronics supply shop to upgrade the firmware of my iPhone. I could probably do it myself if I wanted to but I don't see why I should waste my time doing it since it's only RM100 to do so. Yes, that's Ipoh rate and it's a lot more expensive than KL since there are not as many people offering such a service in Ipoh.

A friend in KL has even offered to do it for me at RM50 only, that's half the price but I'd have to go to him near where he lives and it's quite troublesome for me since I am immobile in KL.

Anyway, my iPhone firmware was just 1.1.1, that's the first generation firmware. I know I should have upgraded it long ago but as you know, I was tied up at home and couldn't go around running errands.

Right now, I am still exploring free iPhone apps and have discovered some awesome ones already!

Professional Custom Label Printing

My friend told me that even though we are on a long holiday now, she has brought home some work to do. She said that her company is going to launch a new product soon and she has to get the design of the packaging ready. That's a lot of work for my friend and her team. I feel like there's a lot of pressure on them since the success or failure of the product depends so much on them since first impressions are extremely important.

My friend has been busy coming up with designs for the Custom Labels. Of course, that is just one aspect of it. She would still need to find a printer for it and needless to say, everything must fit in to the tight budget that she has been given to work with.

Looking for a Custom Label printer could be a tricky affair. There is no room for error since the custom labels printed must show a certain class that would match the product, and more importantly, its price tag.

Not too long ago, I was told of the custom label printing services of Data Graphics Inc. which offers quality printing of Custom Labels, among others, for a very reasonable rate. From what I understand, Data Graphics Inc. is able to match the requirements of their clients even when these clients have only a tight budget to work with, just like my friend.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

DiGi Prepaid With 010 Prefix

I finally bought a DiGi prepaid SIM paid last evening with a prefix of 010. I actually wanted to buy it earlier but all the mobile phone shops were closed for the Chinese New Year. I bought it in the first instance I could.

Since this is a new registration, I am automatically subscribed to the "Hit RM1" package whereby hitting RM1 on any day would qualify me for cheaper rates for voice call and text messages. How awesome is that? I don't know yet.

Anyway, I noted that there is 3G signal in my residential area in Ipoh. I had to call up DiGi customer service at 016-2211800 to ask them to activate my 3G service as well as send a settings request to DiGi by SMS at 2000 with the message SETUP. I received a return text that said that they couldn't recognise my phone and I had to send in another message with the model of my phone, "SETUP E61i" and then i received the configuration settings almost instantly.

Adding DiGi numbers to my list of Friends and Family, I only have to pay 1 sen per SMS now. Of course, this isn't the cheapest rate in the market and unfortunately, I don't have many people in my contact list who are using DiGi too.

Well, this line is just my spare line. I still have to figure out what to do with my Celcom voice and data subscriptions. SIGH!

Instant Math Tutoring Online

My cousin's two children came over to visit during the Spring Festival weekend, bringing along their Math homework. They thought that I would be able to help them out since I am so much older, and supposedly wiser. I was surprised at the level of Math that they were studying. So many years have passed since leaving school, I am seriously out of touch already.

I told them that I have forgotten my Math but in actual fact, I failed. I'd like to think that it was not because I was stupid. It was just that I did not receive additional coaching like most of my friends did.

Actually, school children nowadays are so lucky with the internet at their fingertips. They could search for answers on the web, get their friends on instant messengers to help or if they are having problems with Calculus, they could get hold of a Calculus tutor online.

Actually, the world wide web is so huge it is not easy to find what we want, unless we know specifically which website to go to. For people seeking Calculus help, TutorVista is an excellent place to go to. Students just need to upload their question online and there would be a tutor online who would be able to help solve the question with detailed explanation too. If only it was so easy to solve Calculus during my time!

TutorVista, although a paying service, offers free math tutoring online to allow students to try out their service. I just asked a random Math question just now and received an answer to my question almost instantly. I told my tutor that this is one cool service since students using this service for the first time could easily receive free math homework help. I wish that I was able to receive free math tutoring online too when I was a K-12 student!

If you are struggling with your K-12 or college level Math, you should seriously consider seeking the services of TutorVista. I think that the tutors would be able to make you love Math once you understand the workings of it!

The World's Most Romantic Word

Valentine's Day may be over but do you know which is the most romantic word in the world? In a pre-Valentine's Day survey conducted by London-based Today Translations, 320 language experts were asked to vote for the word that they thought was the most romantic.

Here is the final list of the top four most romantic word in the world:
1. amour (French for "love")
2. amore (Italian for "love")
3. belissima (Italian/Spanish for "very beautiful")
4. tesoro (Italian/Spanish for "treasure")

In the same survey, these linguistic experts voted Italian as the world's most romantic language, ahead of French. Spanish and English came in joint third place.

Funnily enough, these linguists were also asked to vote for the least romantic way to say "I love you" and Japanese came in tops. Japanese for "I love you" is said "watakushi-wa anata-wo ai shimasu", which to me, doesn't sound bad at all unless you say it syllable by syllable which means that you don't even know Japanese in the first place. LOL

Second worst sounding "I love you" was Welsh "rydw i'n dy garu di" while third place was won by Klingon "qaparha" as spoken in the Star Trek universe.

What an interesting survey, indeed!

T-Shirt Design & Printing Business

My old schoolmate, Livian, returned to her parents' home this Chinese New Year and we had the opportunity to catch up on old times. I understand that she was into t-shirt design and printing as soon as we left high school. In fact, her designs were so creative that she was even feature din a youth magazine. She as a very entrepreneurial mind and I felt that she would become "big" one day.

That was a long time ago, though. Livian told me that she was busy working that she didn't have time to run her side business, unfortunately. Now, with the economic downturn, Livian opted for the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) that her company offered and decided that it is better to use the benefits on her t-shirt design and printing business. Yes, she is planning to revive the business!

That's good news, of course. Like I said, she is very creative, which is surprising since she was not trained at all. Anyway, she is planning to go big this time since she is going to work full time on the business. She said that she will be looking for a Naming Company to come up with catchy names that would fit her niche. She said since she is full time in this, she has no room for mistakes and must start off the business on the right footing.

I think that it is awesome that people could still realize their dreams even though they may have encountered a downturn in life, like losing a job. When a door closes, a window opens.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Really Dumb Maxis Value Extras: Extra SMS

If you have read my previous post, you would know that I am seriously considering switching my mobile plan. Celcom C250 is getting a tad expensive that I would like, you see. Anyway, I called up Maxis customer service last evening with my father's mobile phone which is a Maxis line so calling them at 123 is free, to ask about their RM0 access Value First postpaid plan.

While I understood the plan quite well, I thought it would be still cheap if I were to subscribe to the Value Extras for Extra SMS where I would have to pay a additional of RM8 per month for 500 text messages. I do text that many every month.

However, to my dismay, this package of 500 text messages is only for Maxis to Maxis number. Man, how can? Why don't they allow us to text all local operators using this package? Real dumb, right?

Looking For A Really Cheap Car

I have been scouting for a cheap car for the past two years now and it is so difficult to make me commit to a car. I don't like cars that are too old but I am not prepared to pay a lot for a good used car. Actually, despite the economic downturn, car prices haven't gone down by too much.

Ironically, the cars that are within my budget are large capacity cars like BMW and Mercedes Benz. Older models of these cars take too much time, money and energy to maintain, that's why the selling price is low.

I thought of getting a middle class car like a Proton or Perodua car but of course, the quality of these cannot compare to a continental or even Japanese make. The thing is, I don't really need a car since I don't work, and I can use the family car if I have to but still, I find it extremely liberating if I have my own car.

Anyway, the search continues!

Moving From Postpaid To Prepaid

After researching on the new postpaid and prepaid plans that are available from the three major telecommunications companies lately, I have been thinking if I should move from Celcom postpaid to either Celcom prepaid or Maxis or DiGi RM0 access prepaid plan, since this is not available from Celcom yet.

Of course, ideally, I would like to keep my 019 prefix but I am not keen on using Mobile Number Portability (MNP) since from what I found out, it doesn't make a difference in charges for people to call or text me.

But then migrating to a new voice plan is one thing. I still don't know what to do with my data plan yet. I am with Celcom right now and it provides the widest coverage in Ipoh where I am currently in.

Anyway, if you have a better idea on how to cut cost for both my voice and data plans, please leave me in comment. Thanks!

Swingers Clubs Events & Parties

For many of us who are personally not swingers but have friends who are, and after hearing their stories of what usually happens at swingers clubs, events or parties, I am sure it piques our interest as well.

I have swinger friends, singles as well as couples, and they tell me that they are just out for a good time. Being a swinger is one thing though, being a successful swinger is another. A website like Lifestyle Lounge is a website that is focused on the needs of a swinger and allows them the opportunity to connect with people either within the same city, within the same state or across the country, if that's the requirement.

If you are one of the many los angeles swingers for example, Lifestyle Lounge allows you to meet with san francisco swingers easily. If you are heading the way of San Diego for business or leisure, you can also connect with san diego swingers.

Of course, the network of Lifestyle Lounge is a lot more far reaching that just connecting you to all the sacramento swingers and other LA cities mentioned above but also other American cities from all states from Washington to New York.

DiGi Super Long Life™

As a Celcom subscriber, I had no idea what sort of packages DiGi has until I called in to DiGi customer service to make enquiries for my cousin who is now based overseas. He had a DiGi prepaid line and I wondered if it is more viable for him to keep it or to use a prepaid line while he is overseas.

I found out that there is something called Super Long Life™ where DiGi prepaid users will have to pay a one-time fee of RM30 to subscribe to the plan that will keep the line active for one year. I thought that this is a pretty good plan but then Celcom prepaid also has something similar and in fact, there is one plan that allows Celcom prepaid users to keep their line active for TWO years.

When you think of it, RM30 isn’t such a huge sum and it’s only slightly more than RM0.08 per day to keep the line active for one year but then for prepaid, RM30 is a lot of money already. I wonder if I should subscribe to Super Long Life™ if I was to get a DiGi prepaid line or maybe I should wait and see if DiGi has good coverage in my area.

HHmm there are so many choices it is definitely not easy to choose the plan that suits us the most.

Enjoying Swinging Together

Mark, an old friend, wrote me a long email just a week ago to wish me Happy Chinese New Year. He also told me that he is now spending a lot more time in Florida, where he keeps a holiday home, as his wife has finally accepted that he is a swinger and in fact, now enjoys swinging as much as he does!

According to mark, now that his wife finds swinging just as enjoyable, he has a lot more freedom in meeting other like-minded people. Previously, he was just meeting miami swingers where his holiday home is but now with his wife's approval and the help of swinging website like Lifestyle Lounge, he is able to meet more swingers from other cities in Florida.

Mark told me that so far, he has made connections with orlando swingers and later, when he is planning to visit Tampa, he may connect with tampa swingers too. It is very convenient with Lifestyle Lounge, a website that is like an online dating site but focused on couple and single swingers.

I visited the website out of curiosity and found that there is a very good guide on helping swingers be successful in this lifestyle. I also like it that the website connects all swingers together in the state. For example, Mark could establish with ft lauderdale swingers conveniently through the website if he is heading that way anytime soon.

Blackberry Bold, Perhaps?

I told a friend that I would like to change to a new phone since my Nokia E61i is a tad too old already and doesn't support 3.5G which I am subscribed to. I told him that I have been looking at various Nokia models and so far, none has caught my eye yet.

My friend suggested that I consider getting a Blackberry instead. He is a new Blackberry Bold user and he said that he is addicted to it already. His previous phone was a Samsung touch screen and using the Blackberry now, it's a huge difference!

I am not exactly closed to the idea of replacing my phone with a Blackberry but the difference between my friend and I is that his Blackberry was a birthday gift from his girlfriend while I will have to fork out for my own. I know there are many Blackberry deals offered by all three major telecommunications companies but I don't see any worth subscribing to.

Anyway, I am not in urgent need to change my mobile device since I just purchased yet another ciplak Nokia battery for it. I hope the battery will last this time!

Getting Started In Swinging Again

My friend, Paul, told me that even though now that he is based out of New York City, he still misses his days in Texas. I asked why and he confessed that it was there that he started getting in to swinging. Ah, now it makes sense. I remember him telling me that he received his tertiary education in Texas and that he also had the best times of his life there!

I guess Paul can always return to Texas anytime he wants, since his business takes him to many states across America. Texas could easily be one of them. I asked Paul if he knows of the website of Lifestyle Lounge where he could easily reintroduce himself to the swinging scene. He could easily meet dallas swingers if he wants, or perhaps houston swingers, depending on where he will be visiting.

I have checked out the website of Lifestyle Lounge myself and found that in the section focused on the state of Texas, they have got all the cities in the state covered so if Paul so wishes, he could actually meet san antonio swingers to ft worth swingers. I am just afraid he wouldn't have the time, since he always told me that he is too busy for anything else!

DiGi Prepaid

Although I have a Celcom postpaid voice and date line already, I am thinking of getting a DiGi prepaid pack too. It would be good to have a SIM card in my iPhone, a spare phone that has been idle for a long time already.

I don't know how good DiGi's 3G coverage in my area is but if I don't at least buy the prepaid pack, I would never be able to test it out, right? Luckily prepaid packs are so cheap now if I don't like DiGi's service I could always chuck it, as long as I haven't reloaded my credit yet.

But whether DiGi's service is good or not, from what I understand, they run awesome promotions that why they are holding the largest market share for prepaid mobile users. This alone tells much of DiGi.

Last evening, I went looking for a nice 010 DiGi number but since it is Chinese New Year, most shops are closed. I guess I will have to wait till business resumes.

Managing Household Finances

My mother told me that she wants to retire from managing the household. Well, so far, she has been managing it very well so I rather she continues doing so while her children just hands over the money to her every month end.

But I guess my mother wants a break too and would prefer to spend her energy on something more fruitful or productive. She doesn't have grandchildren to tie her down yet so she would like to go on holiday trips with her group of friends who are all senior citizens.

Since I will be the one taking over, I think that i will improve on my mother's method in managing the household finances. I will use a home budget software which I think will help me be more efficient, hence saving precious time. You know how busy i could get sometimes.

Anyway, I will keep delaying my mother until I am ready. I just have too much on my hands right now I don't think I can handle the household as well as she could.

Kung Hei Fatt Choy .... Happy Chinese New Year!

As with the tradition of this blog, I am taking it as an avenue to greet everyone who is celebrating Chinese New year, Kung Hei Fatt Choy. I'm Cantonese, that's why! This will be the year of the metal tiger, an extremely ferocious animal!

Well, whatever animal sign it is, life goes on for most of us. If you were born in the Year of the Tiger, you should be extremely careful this year according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Anyway, life and luck move in cycles so while sometimes you may feel that there are just too many disappointments to bear, remember, what goes down must come up.

A new year is upon us once again and quite sadly, I haven't got anything planned out at all. I just know that I would like to see places, travel more, experience more. However, I don't want to spend too much. So how? Am I crazy or what?

Too Young For Wrinkles

I am quite dismayed to discover that there are two fine lines running across my forehead. I guess just like the ten strands of gray hair that popped up whilst I was getting stressed over Snoopy's gravely ill condition, these lines came along as well. Can you imagine that I did not even look at a mirror during those long months? I didn't even comb my hair at all. I couldn't even be bothered with how I look.

Now, with Snoopy gone, I am trying to pick up the pieces once again. What a blow to discover that I have grown so much older! I need anti wrinkle cream and I need it fast so that the fine lines don't run any deeper. I understand that they will do that if they are not taken care of while they are still just fine lines.

AIH! It's funny that after all these years of not caring much for myself I am beginning to get rather vain. What a change!

Heavy Reunion Dinner

It’s kind of pathetic that our reunion dinner, which is held on the eve of Chinese New Year, has dropped down to only four people. Sigh... this is what happens when the family is small, and when most of our relatives prefer to celebrate the big day somewhere else. This has been the "tradition" since the passing of our family matriarch some three years ago. Has it been just three years?

Although there were only four people at the dinner table, we had a scrumptious meal too. I don't know how much weight we put on but I wouldn't be shocked if all of us need a dose of fat burner after this! I definitely felt my waistline expanding, if that is at all possible!

Anyway, it looks like during Chinese New Year, the things that we ever do are eating, drinking, gambling and generally, being merry! As for me, I just love the long holiday. LOL

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's going to be Valentine’s Day in about 20 minutes' time. As a single person, it is going to be like just another day for me. Yeah, I know that people say Valentine's Day could also be celebrated with our parents, friends, siblings or whoever but that's just a commercial tactic, you know. It's not the same celebrating with a loved one.

But then, in the same vein, Valentine's Day doesn't need to be celebrated on the 14th of February every year only, right? I would prefer my significant other to be devoted to me the whole year round rather than just lavish me with gifts and a dinner on Valentine’s Day, if you know what I am saying.

Anyway, perhaps I am too jaded with life and skeptical about love. In any case, if you are celebrating Valentine's Day, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you Happy Valentine's Day. Hope you enjoy the sweetest of the year with your loved one to the fullest.

No Bulging Tummy

My friend, Samm, told me that the reason many people have a bulging tummy is because of all the dirty stuff that clogs our intestines. I don't know how true this is since I thought that the culprit is in our diet. Of course, it doesn't help that most of us could not seem to find time to exercise.

Perhaps there is some truth in what she says since she has a body to die for. Moreover, her husband also spots a flat tummy, even though most men his age would be looking like they are a few months pregnant. LOL

Samm has a very effective colon and body cleanse routine that she says she puts her husband through as well. I guess this contributes to their slim bodies. They don't even need to go on a diet!

Since I am trying to rid myself of my tummy, perhaps I should give her secret routine a try too!

Feeling & Looking Old

I was looking at photo albums of my old school mates on Facebook and am quite aghast to notice that most of them look exactly like they did when we were in secondary school. Why is it that I look so much older when we are the same age? I don't only look older. Frankly, I feel old too.

My parents think that the reason is because I take life too seriously. Well, too much has happened lately to not take life seriously. I have seen many ugly facades of life and you know, I am quite afraid of what the future holds. I think my outlook in life has changed drastically.

I recently read that hgh releasers could help me feel younger and more energetic. This happy pill is probably what I need! Don't get my wrong. HGH releasers are not HGH injections. They are just stimulants to the pituitary glands to produce HGH naturally.

Right now, I am staying away from it but it will surely be handy when one day I get tired of my tired looks!

Mask Changing Performance

Due to some work related problems, I had to give this evening's mask changing performance at Kinta City a miss. I had planned to shoot the performance on video but once again, I have not been able to. As you can tell, I have missed this performance a couple of times previously.

As far as I could tell, there will be only one more mask changing performance in Kinta City in conjunction with Chinese New Year and it will be on the 18th of February at 5pm. That is a pretty awkward time for me because I usually am in bed for a nap but for this performance, I will try my best to make my way there.

After that last performance, I really am not able to tell when the next one will be performed. It will then be pretty difficult to catch. I don't like carrying my camera around without anything in particular to shoot either. Anyway, I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can finally get the performance on video!

DriveCare® Warranty Program For Used Cars

My sister just purchased a spanking new car last week and she said that while she loves her new ride, it kind of hurts her budget. Well, it's too bad that I found out about a warranty program for used cars called DriveCare® that is being offered by Drivetime which provides warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles.

The reason my sister sold off her used car was because it was giving her trouble. Yes, she bought it used too so she couldn't expect much from it. She was afraid that it would break down and she would not be able to go to work.

But used cars don't necessarily mean the end of life for the vehicles. If not mistaken, this is exactly why Drivetime has this new warranty program for used car owners. Do note that warranty is only offered for cars that were purchased on or after December 1st 2009.

If I had known about this program earlier, my sister would just as well buy a used car and not get herself financially committed for five long years. Anyway, I hope that other people who are planning to change their cars would find this information useful. They no longer have to worry about imaginary problems that used cars may cause.

Video Shooting

I have been busy going around shopping malls in the city with my camera which has video shooting capabilities to try to capture some performances on video. These performances are not here all the time but only during special events. This series of performances is in conjunction of Chinese New Year.

It's funny that no matter how much i would like to get these videos, somehow, something or other will come up and I would not be able to go. Or there were a couple of times when I was there but the performances were canceled without prior notice. SIGH... being a video blogger isn't easy, you know? A lot of patience is needed.

Anyway, I am planning to replace my camera with another one that is also a loan from a friend. I will be able to shoot even sharper videos later to share on YouTube. I am trying to build my profile there, you see.

Dating Tips For Swingers

My friend, Lawrence, commented that I am narrow-minded when I was shocked by his revelation that he is happily leading a swinger's lifestyle. I thought I would be able to accept my friends how ever they are and I still could. It just never dawned on me. I guess that living in the West for the past few years has changed his outlook in life.

I remember coming across a swingers dating site which I thought Lawrence would be interested in. Since he would be flying to the States on business in the next couple of months, it would surely be a good opportunity for him to meet people who share his adventures.

Lawrence said that he is pretty amazed that from just this website alone, he would be able to meet new york swingers on one week if he wants to and boston swingers on the following week of his trip. I am sure he is fantasizing already!

Now he may be thinking og New York City and Boston but at the end of the trip, perhaps he would have fitted in philadelphia swingers or maybe even washington dc swingers. It is just so convenient with an online dating site that caters to couples and swinging singles like this.

Perak MB's Chinese New Year Open House

Can you believe that I have never in my life attended an open house before? I just have crowded places and why in the world would spend half my life queuing up just to shake someone's hand? Are they any better than the rest of us?

Anyway, if you are interested to attend Perak MB's Chinese New Year open house, if not to shake hands, perhaps just for free food or to watch performances by a Shaolin martial arts troupe and lion dances, which i could jolly well watch in Kinta City, then head over to the Menteri Besar's official residence on 14th February from 1pm to 3pm.

Mind you, this is a Chinese New Year open house hosted by the Menteri Besar. The official Perak State Chinese New Year open house will be on 21st February, 2010 in Chenderiang. Who in the world would purposely travel down for it, you tell me?

Residential Heating & Air Conditioning

My sister tells me that she always feels too cold and needs to have the heater on all the time. Her friends think she's weird to always be in long sleeve tops; they don't know that even when she was in Malaysia, a tropical country, she was also dressed like that!

My sister may be an extreme case but every home needs proper heating, air-conditioning and ventilation for the comfort of its occupants. Even if the heating or air-conditioning system has been installed for a long time, the home owner has to ensure that the system is in tiptop condition and ready to be used at any time.

If you are a new homeowner in Phoenix looking to install a new heating or air conditioning system and require the services of a air conditioning repair phoenix company, perhaps you should consider AC by Jay’s Comfort Team, a trusted name in residential heating and air-conditioning in and around Phoenix, Arizona.

Air Conditioning by Jay's Comfort Team isn't just a specialist arizona heating and air conditioning installation company. It also repairs an existing system. This is only one of the differences of Air Conditioning by Jay's Comfort Team compared to other air conditioning companies.

Do you know that many people do not realize that the heating or air conditioning system is in need of repair? Well, if you noticed that the thermostat arizona is getting a tad too noisy, if it's not heating up the room even with newly installed or cooling the room as it should or running up your electricity bill, perhaps it is time to give AC by Jay a call and see what your options are.

Drastically Reducing Time On Dramas, Movies & Games

Snoopy has left us for slightly more than a month already. Since his passing, I have stopped watching dramas and movies already. Previously I watched so many because I needed to stay up, now, I stay up because I wanted to and I could spend the hours on other more productive matters. Dramas and movies could take up a lot of time and it could be very addictive too and one could be sucked in without realizing.

I have also managed to cut down on the time I spend playing games on Facebook. I only log in to two games daily; Restaurant City and Mafia Wars. As for the other games, I only log in occasionally and definitely try to stay away from more time consuming games like FarmVille and the likes. I tell you, virtual farming could take up as much time as real farming!

Even after one month has passed, I am still picking up the pieces and trying to put things back in order. Progress is seriously slow but it will not be too difficult as long as I stay focused. Keeping my fingers crossed here!

Getting Social Again

If you have been following my blog, you would know that I have been out of circulation for the better half of last year. Well, it's time to go out again and reconnect with my friends. I have a few social events lined up already but was dismayed to discover that I don't have appropriated dresses to wear anymore. Having lost considerable weight is one thing; I found out that my dresses are already out dated!

I was told of ElegantMart just this morning and had the opportunity to browse through the huge selection of dresses on the website. This red hot dress caught my eye with it's simple yet elegant cutting, though I doubt that I have the body to carry it well!

Like I said, there are many dresses available on the webstore. If you are on a tight budget, you could check out the many drastically reduced items in the Clearance Section where you would be able to find quality dresses and shoes but you have to shop quickly because items are gone pretty fast due to their attractive prices. Can you imagine, up to 70% off retail! Even for new arrivals, dresses are priced way below traditional retail.

You know, at first I was worried that I couldn't find appropriate evening dresses locally, but now that I could buy them so conveniently online, I am finding it difficult to decide which dress to get!

What Is In Store In 2010

It's Chinese New Year eve tomorrow and as with previous years, my family will have a low-key affair. This year will be exceptionally quiet, though, because most of our family members of the extended family will not be coming home. Well, this isn't something new. It's been so since my paternal grandmother left us. So it's just down to the four of us for the reunion dinner.

Although Chinese New Year hasn't been celebrated greatly since we my school days, there is one thing that i will surely do around this time and that is to read up what is in store for the various Chinese animal zodiac.

This coming year in the Chinese lunar calendar will be the Year of the Tiger and I have been reading up on predictions on how the year will hold for my family members. This does not mean that I believe what is written by astrologers and such but I do like to see how accurate they are. Of course, I wouldn't even remember anymore a month down the road but I treat something like this as cheap entertainment.

Hidden Pinhole Camera Found In A Woman's Toilet In Ipoh

I read with disgust that a hidden pinhole camera was found in a woman's toilet at a gas station in Ipoh. My goodness, isn't that scary? I mean, even if I live in Ipoh, I too could have fallen victim to this secret filming while doing my private business.

It is reported that this is an act of a syndicate which had planned to burn these clips onto discs and selling them. Goodness, how long can people stoop just for a little money? Well, I know that this could be big business and spell huge profits for them and I also know that money is important but there are many ways to make money, right? One doesn't need to victimize another person.

Reading something like this makes me so angry, you know? I hope that everyone who is involved in this will be caught and punished. Just giving them a “fine” is insufficient. They would surely make another attempt. I’m swearing off public toilets and changing rooms!

Joint Property Ownership

My four cousins are really lucky. Their grandmother, who was also my grandmother, left them the family home so four of them became legal owners of the house upon her passing. They also became owners of a retail lot in a major shopping complex. My cousins should be really comfortable, as you can see. They don't have to install a home loan because it's fully paid up and they even get to reap rental from the retail lot.

When one of my cousins passed away due to an illness, the properties were shared among the three remaining cousins but somehow, two of them opted to leave their names out of all legal documents. We felt that it was a very risky move since only one person is the legal owner and he is not a mature person. We had to keep our thoughts to ourselves since we had no right to meddle in their family affair.

True enough, he took out mortgage loans on the family house and retail lot saying that he needed the money to roll. He said he plans to travel to the city to look for a job but as far as we could see, he has never had the intention to work. He never could hold on to a job for longer than three months thus far!

His parents, who are my uncle and aunt, were very worried with the heavy monthly financial burden that he has incurred. They are elderly and do not earn much, though they still hold part time jobs. If this cousin is serious in life then his parents wouldn’t need to worry but now, I fear that the repayment of the mortgage loans would fall onto the shoulders of this elderly couple.

You know, I really would like to help them out but I too am financially committed up to my neck. The best that I could do right now is just to give them some allowance as and when I could afford to.

Kris Allen In Kuala Lumpur

Kris Allen, the American Idol 8 title holder (if you remember, Kris beat flamboyant Adam Lambert to it), will be in Kuala Lumpur at the MidValley Megamall on 8th February, 2010, as part of a three city South East Asian tour to promote his recently released self-titled debut album.

The first stop of this tour will be Manila and then Kuala Lumpur. After that, he will be off to Singapore. From what I understand, Kris Allen fans will be able to meet him for an autograph signing session in MidValley Megamall (Ground Floor, Centre Court) at 6pm on the 8th.

At 8pm, there will be a special showcase and meet-and greet at The Gardens Ballroom, The Gardens Hotel but this is only open to invited guests only though passes could be won from promotional contests.

Online Billing Software

A friend, Terrence, is looking into setting up an eCommerce store to sell his digital photos. He told me that the problem he is facing now that has delayed the launching of his website is that he could not find a suitable billing software that would help him receive payment instantly.

According to Terrence, he has been comparing a lot of invoicing software and found that while some may be offering excellent service, the subscription fee is just not viable for his business since he wants to price his products competitively.

I wonder Terrence has heard of Billing Books before. From what I have read, this is an online invoicing company that would meet Terrence's needs perfectly without the burden of an expensive monthly payment or an annual contract. He could even cancel the account anytime if he finds that this isn’t the billing software that he needs.

What I actually like about Billing Books is that it is very easy to set up since no installation is required. One could actually start using it within minutes!

Chinese New Year Shopping

With just less than ten days to Chinese New Year, Chinese families are beginning to shop for Chinese New Year goodies and basically prepare for the big occasion. I am done with Spring Cleaning already but I haven't done everything that should be done. A new month has already started and there was only so much time that I could spare on the household despite not doing anything at all for the past few years as I was busy taking care of my dogs who fell ill one after the other.

Anyway, I have been out shopping almost every evening and strangely, even though I have not been out shopping for almost eight months previously, it doesn't seem like there are too many things to buy. I don't know, actually, I think that the goods that are for sale in shopping malls are exactly the same stuff that were available even before I was shut at home with Snoopy.

It doesn’t matter to me if I do not have new clothes or new shoes for Chinese New Year. We have had a quiet Chinese New Year since the year my sister left for the United States, followed by the subsequent passing of my paternal grandmother. Things just aren’t the same anymore.

Buy Gold Bullion

When a friend told me that he bought 200 units of Citigroup at $3.99 late last year, I was aghast. I may not be familiar with NASDAQ but there has just been too much negative news regarding the company that its price is very shaky. That's what I thought and it looks like I am right as the price now is only $3.28.

I sent a message to this friend a couple of days ago and told him that perhaps now is a good time to buy gold bullion since its price has undergone some adjustments over the past few weeks. At this time of writing, the price of gold is still holding above $1000 per ounce, though.

From what I read investment analysts of precious metals believe that gold prices still have more room to run. After all, gold has a more stable store of value compared to the greenback.

Paris

A friend offered me free accommodation and food in Paris before he leaves the city of love for Ulsan, Korea for two years. I am so, so, so damn tempted. As you know, I have spent the better part of my life taking care of my sick dogs and my father never let go anywhere previously but I have put my foot down that once Snoopy doesn't need me anymore, I will do whatever I want and I will travel.

The sad part is that no matter how I would like to visit Paris, and for three weeks as a guest, I couldn't bear with parting with my money. Travel fare alone would cost approximately RM3400 but there will be winter clothes and other travel necessities to buy. On top of it, there will be a two-way loss because I wouldn't be able to work, which means that I wouldn't be able to earn. That would certainly damage my budget.

The funny thing with me is that I budget my money month by month and not year by year so it's not easy for me to spend a lump sum of money without feeling the pinch. Anyway, after thinking long and hard, I have decided that I have not reached the stage of traveling for too long unless I have a few thousand Ringgit residual income.

The consolation is that Paris will always be there and Air Asia, I was told, will be servicing KL-Paris route soon. Let's hope that by then, I would have no qualms splashing a few thousand on traveling!

Moving To The Capital City

William, my neighbor, has told us that he is planning to sell his house and asked if we would be interested. He said that he and his wife will be moving to the capital city for good sometime this year since their three children are already there with their respective families. In order to be able to see their children and grandchildren more, they have decided to give up the family home. Finally.

William said that they are already looking for a Moving Company that is reliable and trustworthy and yet charges reasonably. He even asked us if we know of any. Well, we've lived as their neighbor for the past thirty years and have not moved anywhere before so we don't have any experience at all too!

William said that they have not moved before but their children have many horror stories to share of their experiences with movers so they have to be extra careful when engaging a moving company. That’s understandable.

From what I could see, William and his wife are hoarders; they collect so many things and refuse to discard anything. I joked that they would require a few trucks just to shift their personal belongings from one city to another!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Shopping In KLCC

I am planning to go down to KLCC for one day later this week just to familiarize myself with the LRT. If this goes as plan, I will be going with my brother who will show me how to take the LRT. I know, this is really cacat... but my father wouldn't let me go down to KL by myself unless I learn how to take the LRT first.

Yes, my father is extremely protective and he says that even though I have friends in KL who would look out for me and who would not mind driving me from door to door, not many people would be able to do that. They may just drop me at a LRT or monorail station and I am supposed to make my way around since public transport is said to be so convenient.

Anyway, the Putrajaya trip didn’t go as planned because of some stupid people so I hope that this one will go according to plan.

Collecting Debt By Agents

My aunt told me that there is a guy who has been knocking at her door to collect a debt that her son owes. If you remember, this cousin of mine had to flea the country in haste because he could no longer meet the extremely high interest that has been charged on a small loan that he took out from loan sharks.

I couldn't help her much because I only know the surface of the story. Besides, I have a stand of not helping others to clear their gambling debts. However, I told my aunt not to be bothered by these people since she did not take out any loan. Her son did.

My aunt doesn't understand why this guy comes instead of someone from the "finance" company. I told her that from what I understand, Debt Collection has been outsourced to another company. They don’t do it themselves since their business is finance. By outsourcing, they don’t have to waste time and resources on something that they are unfamiliar with.

Debt collectors are professional in their work and they are effective too, though not intimidating. And the good thing about them is that they accept collection of debt in any industry.

*** This post has been sponsored.

48.5kg

I weighed myself last evening and I am only 48.5kg. This isn't too heavy or too light for females but for someone of my body frame, I should be about 50kg or slightly heavier. Before Snoopy was ill, I was approximately 53kg. I felt kind of fat and bloated then but friends were commenting that I was skinny. Well, now I am skinnier.

I guess losing about 4.5kg over the course of the 7.5 months that I took care of Snoopy as he laid bedridden in my room isn't too drastic a loss. I remember losing 3kg when Dino was bedridden for two months. I had no idea why he was bedridden but that was a terrible time for us. After that, he walked like normal like nothing happened. It was extremely strange but luckily, he did not develop any pressure sores and his muscles did not waste away like Snoopy's did.

You know, it's strange that even though I lost so much weight, I still have my spare tyre. Isn't that just hateful? LOL

Yet Another Relocation

A former colleague told me that she is moving yet again because her husband has just received notice that he will be seconded to a branch office in another country. Basically, he will be an expatriate. While the rest of us are envious of the many countries that she and her family get to visit because of the husband's work, she said that just thinking of yet another relocation scares her.

I know that she has been through many awful experiences with moving companies which did not deliver as they have promised except for the Boston Movers that until today, she keeps saying how good they are and continue looking for movers that are on par with the services offered by this Boston moving company.

A good moving company that is professional and efficient will surely take away the worries homeowners have since they do not have to keeping thinking of what would happen to their belongings and personal effects after traveling from Point A to Point B. Imagine the horror of finding things broken in their crates because they were not handled with care.

Well, this is a relocation that this family couldn’t escape. I hope that they will be able to look for a trustworthy and reliable moving company!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Single Life

Due to my upbringing and lifestyle, I always thought that I would be a single person. You can call me a spinster or whatever, I really don’t care and I have no problems living life as a single person. In fact, I like it because it means that I no longer have to answer to anybody except myself. I have led such a controlled life that I don’t want to bend my back backwards for somebody else any longer.

And I also thought that once Snoopy is no longer around, I would regain my peace of mind but it looks like this isn’t going to be the case because I haven’t even been able to sleep at all for the past week!

I really don’t know how to push off the advances of someone because I don’t want to sound mean, which I could do if I totally don’t like someone at all and wants him out of my life. The thing is, I do like him as a friend and I am not seeking anything more than that.

I am so stressed out because my father totally objects to this relationship and even if the family approves, I have my own personal obstacles to overcome….

Increase In Car Allowance

My sister told me that she plans to purchase a new car. Her car now is already beyond economical repair and since she has to drive quite a distance to work, she is afraid that it may break down in the middle of the road. On top of this, she just received a memo last evening that the company is relocating their warehouse because they can no longer meet the high rental.

A warehouse with a lower rental means that my sister and her colleagues will have to drive even further to work. Obviously, this worries my sister because of the condition of her car. Although she has contemplated buying a car since six months ago, this turn of event has pushed her to act on it.

According to my sister, her employer has promised to increase their Car Allowance which is good news to them. At least my sister will have a larger budget to maneuver every month and it would make it easier for her to meet the monthly installments on the new auto loan. Did you know that car allowance is tax free?

Anyway, my sister said that this reassurance has calmed the situation among her colleagues. My sister doesn’t mind so much since she loves driving but she certainly needs a more reliable car!

*** This post has been sponsored.