House Break In

Shit~~ It's really a shit on my pc desk! How dare that stupid bird sneaked into my room and left a trace mark on my table! I curse that stupid bird flying without wing, shit-ing without "kar cheng".. errm.. do they have " kar cheng"...?

While blogging my anger on that stupid bird, I heard a soft water splashing noise from somewhere in the house! Is the culprit still at the scene? Is that stupid bird hunting my little aquarium fish in the living room? I finally found it! That stupid bird get all wet and stuck in my toilet bowl! oh no~ how this stupid thing get stuck there?

The first question appear in my mind: "Is this stupid bird got bird flu?"... No way! I got to think of a best solution... Close the toilet bowl cover, flush it away might be a best solution without expose the risk of bird flu. Of course, this will kill that stupid bird eventually. No, 下不了手ah~! I'm also don't want to get haunted by that bird spirit everytime when I am doing my "big business"... =(

How about call SCDF for help? errmm... I don't want get appeared on tv news because of this stupid bird either!

What to do... I've to DIY again! I put on my mask suppose for H1N1 protection, yes I'm "kiasi", used the dustpan and fishnet to rescue that stupid bird out. While opening the door and prepare going down to ground floor to dump that bird, I saw its wet body was shaking... what should i do? It just a stupid bird who spoilt my lovely weekend!

Out of my mercy on that stupid bird, I end up left that bird on my laundry area to dry up it body with the hair drier with a long long distance.... oppss...
(*** wifey: hair drier is completely sterilize even without close contact with that bird)

You this tupid bird better fly away soonest and DONT EVER COME BACK AGAIN!!! NEVER~

Fail Investment

I sold 2 of my my CPF-OA unit trust fund today to accomodate my hdb downpayment. It look pretty decent for $10,000 initial invesmtnet plus a 5% gain of close to $500. When take a closer look, I'm actually suffer a losses...

I bought the fund 3 years ago, which mean my gain is about 1.67% p.a (i.e 5%/3), this is even lower than the CPF-OA 2.5% interest. If I remained the principle amount with CPF, I would have gained a compounded interest of $769 today.

$769 - $500 = $269 is my actual loss in this particular investment.

I won't blame the bad timing due to the market correction over last few days, without the sudden price drop, I would have recovered my principle plus the interest if I remain the $$$ with CPF.

No regret in selling this investment because it's unavoidable. For investment, the key point still the holding power.

Reits again?

Price for reits seems are getting to their fair value, some of the reits market price already went above its nav, yield are mostly in a range of 5% to 7%, price/book ratio >1 and with high gearing. It seems not too attractive to me anymore when other high yield stocks are offering the similar yield with a healthy balance sheet.

90% distribution of the income for the reit is not a must nowadays. To archieve a better gearing, healthier balance sheet and fulfil the loan convenant, more than 20% of income will be retained to fulfil the truts' need. This means the reduction of DPU and lower yield.

Would the current downtrend be the correction period which just temporarily? Hunting a value stock with a long term prospect still the right strategy.

Investment Link Assurance Charges

Further to the topic on the Investment Link Insurance, let's take a closer look on the assurance charges

Wifey paid $100/month for the sum assured $82k with coverage of Death, Total & Permanent Disability, Terminal Illness and Crisis Cover Provider III ("Protection"). Of course, this $100 will go into purchase of unit trust while assurance and administration charges will be deducted by the insurance company by way of selling your unit in your policy based on market price. Different kind of charges will be imposed on the policy holder indrectly.

Based on the insurance policy booklet provided, for a Female, non-smoker, sum assured $82k, at the age of 56, the montly assurance charges would have exceed $100, which means that from age of 56 onward, your $100 are not sufficient to contra off your assurance charges, you are on the mercy of good unit trust performance and hope the balance units are sufficient to fill up the shortfall.

If another round of financial crisis hits during that period, price of your unit trust fall sharply, and unit deductions are much faster than the initial planned. When tthe time your existing units are fully deducted and your monthly $100 contributions is sufficient for the assurance charges, policy termination, premium increment, sum assurance reduction is the left few solutions for you.

Do you really want to fall into this dilemma?

药丸72粒...

感觉在忙完结婚的事之后身子越来越差，所以决定和一向身体较弱的老婆一起去看那个会骂人的中医!之前看了两回吃了两个星期的药粉、药丸，略有起色！昨天再去看第三回，医生竟然配给我一天三次，每次三种药丸共24粒，哇咾！一天要吃上72粒药丸... "怨枉"咯!... 吞都吞到"笑" ！ :(

Dividend Time

Reits and Trusts have been a major part of my investment portfolio since the financial crackdown down last year. I deeply believe relatively stable yield and grow are still my cup of tea for a mid / long term strategy. October is the month companies releasing their 3Q results, noticed most of the Trusts are reducing their distribution per unit (DPU) despite the improvement in net profit. Cambridge proposed a reinvestment scheme to opt for receiving shares instead of cash as distribution; Pacific Shipping Trust reduced its distributable income to 70% instead of 90%. These steps are necessary to assure the constant growth and improve the balance sheet (gearing) for a trusts, 100% income pay out are not substainable in a long term. Investors should get out from the mentality of high pay out sweet time. The long term growth still the key point to maintain substainable distribution.

Really a Lucky Draw?

While we were doing our window shopping, we got a flyer from a restaurant promoter. My first impression on the flyer is the high cost of the good quality paper while wifey was looking at the lucky draw t&c fine print.




So called lucky winner must collect the price within 10 days from the date of lucky draw (collection on weekend only). Weekend means Saturday and Sunday only, does the "lucky winner" have 10 days grace period to collect the price?

While giving a lucky draw, give it in a generously smarter way.

Speed Up...

Exam is getting closer... Unexpected circumstances have interupted my plan...

Completing the readings seems getting tough for me...

Am i really putting enough time on it?

Promotion Tricks

Can we assume promotion items on the top shelf are the cheapest you can get in the same shop? This is not really the case.

Take the toothpaste i got from NxxC yesterday as example,

(A) 1 piece single monthly special price pack x 250ml @ $3.15 (at the unnoticeable bottom shelf)
(B) 3 pieces value pack x 175ml @ $6.75 (at obvious promotion shelf)

What is your pick?

Here is the per unit (ml) price
(A) $3.15 / (250 x 1) = $0.0126/ml
(B) $6.75 / (175 x 3) = $0.0129/ml

The unit price of the "value pack"(B) is actually higher. We might end up buying more quantity at higher price and also use up the space of the storeroom.

Since both are the same original flavour and the expiry date for (A) is 2012 (not sure about (B)), I don't see the reason to buy (B) which indicating "value pack" on the packaging.

Why GST for Gold?

The weakness on US dollar has once again created another surge on gold price. The possible further weakness on the greenback and the rumours about countries are in discussion about using other currencies and gold rather than US dollars as trade settlements have further pushed up the gold price.

This prompt me a question, why are we charged with the goods & services tax (gst) while purchasing gold since it's considered a kind of 'currency' in trade. The gold is a currency in trade since thousands year ago and countries are considering gold as a payment mode nowadays, I wondering why we're still charged with the gst while there just a exchange of 'currency' instead of purchasing a goods.

Of course, the price of a gold jewellery includes the price of gold and the cost of workmanship, I have no problem to pay the gst for the workmanship, maybe not gold.

Hopefully when gold gradually become another popular mode of international trade settlements, people will realise the right price they should pay for.