hey hey hey i've finally staged a comeback to this almost 6-months-old-dead-blog.
hmm as usual, i'm still leading a bull's (or rather cow)life! only difference is i have a bunch of closer-to-my-age-group/clickable colleagues which adds on to quite abit of fun to my work! thank god for that! (Must go Tier Gong po pi po pi!)
oh ya for those of u who don't see me on msn durin office hours. I hate 2 declared that I DO NOT HAVE INTERNET ACCESS @ work!!! Nonetheless, u may still wish to email me at faith_see@iras.gov.sg if u r bored at work or if i'm not replyin to ur smses! yea, i'm always bored @ work.. (even tho i'm a MOO MOO.)
i think i've lost most of the bloggers' weburl! (burnt it somewhere.) hmm so if u leaving a comment, please leave ur site as well! Yea, u r reading MYBLOG, so i have to read yours back in return.
i hope i'll b updating this blog regularly, most prob through email updates, its a brillant tool blogger has invented for ppl like me! HAA! PS i'm missing x'mas!!!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Monday, July 04, 2005
Thursday, April 14, 2005
busy busy busy
gonna find a new job soon, this is killin me... with so much work, and so little resource.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Five steps to early retirement
Five steps to early retirement
By Leah Gliniewicz • Bankrate.com
Even if you fail to win the lottery, don't give up your dreams -- you can still plan for an early retirement. But wait too long, and you won't have a nest egg to sit on.
According to the 2003 Retirement Confidence Survey by the American Savings Education Council in Washington, D.C., only 21 percent of saving Americans are very confident of having enough money to live comfortably after they retire. And, the study found that three in 10 workers have not saved for retirement.
Debt can play havoc with retirement planning.
"Debt is a deterrent to growth, says Jeffrey Levine, a certified financial planner in Albany, N.Y. and a member of the Financial Planning Association." You want to get rid of debt, especially if you have high interest rates like credit cards."
So how do you begin?
Step 1: Develop a plan
Figure out how much your present lifestyle costs you. Then think about the type of life you want to lead after retirement. Realize that you could be retiring at the midpoint in your life, and you'll be on a fixed salary, Levine says. Don't forget to consider your long-term health care costs.
Step 2: Think in two's
Make financial plans for two stages of retirement: the periods before and after you are 59 ½ years old, says Les Abromovitz, author of You Can Retire. First, secure the after-59 ½ stage of retirement with investments such as 401(k)s, Individual Retirement Accounts, pensions, annuities, Social Security and savings.
"If you're serious about early retirement, you also want to look for ways to fund the pre-59 ½ stage of retirement," Abromovitz says.
Figure out what assets you have that produce income. And you might want to begin investing more aggressively, with investments that produce a greater rate of return.
If your home won't suit your retirement lifestyle, remember that the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 allows you in many cases to keep the capital gain when you sell the home, Abromovitz says. That money could help carry you through the first years of early retirement.
Step 3: Take advantage of tax-deferred opportunities
To secure the back-end of your retirement, maximize the money you put into your retirement fund, says Ileen Malitz, certified financial planner and author of The Modern Role of Bond Covenants. She stresses starting a 401(k) and a Roth IRA from day one of employment.
"If you're willing to enroll in a 401(k) you're taking a major step to retiring early," Abromovitz says. "401(k)s and IRAs are can't-lose situations as long as you continue investing in the long haul. You take advantage of tax shelters and compounding for decades by doing so. So it's hard to go wrong."
Putting money in an IRA does not mean paying penalties if you go fishing earlier than planned. For the purpose of early retirement, you can withdraw from your IRA if you take advantage of the annuity payout.
Step 4: Invest it
The third place to stick your left-over money is in non-tax sheltered mutual funds. Figure out where to invest it so it produces a decent return. Look in the mutual fund column of the newspaper for funds with no custodial fees and no commissions, known as loads.
"It's best to combine it into a money market that earns good interest and stock mutual funds. It will be taxable, but it still is probably the best place for it," Malitz says.
While mutual funds outside an IRA or 401(k) may not be tax sheltered, they can be tax efficient. In the case of mutual funds, this means the fund managers buy and sell the fund's assets with an eye to tax consequences.
No matter where you invest your money, your best bet is to do it on a regular basis. "For people who don't find it easy to save, the best thing to do is to get into an automatic investment program," Abromovitz says. A fixed amount such as $50 to $100 is deducted from your paycheck monthly and invested in mutual funds. The result is dollar-cost averaging, which means you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high.
Abromovitz says the last thing a would-be retiree should consider is investing on hot stock tips: "To me, you should have all of these solid investments first. If you hear about something, it should be money you're ready to lose. It should be a lower priority."
Step 5: Stick to your plan
Early retirement requires a long-term savings and investing plan, and it takes discipline. This means keeping debt down and perhaps not living as lavishly now, so you can reap the benefits later.
You make a choice between lifestyle and high wealth accumulation. If you want wealth accumulation, you have to live a modest lifestyle. It has to be a written, conscious choice.
Time is on your side. The earlier you start and the longer you leave your money untouched, the more compounding can work for you.
When you haven't saved, it's hard to go back and make up for it. Malitz says the easiest thing is to decide to save 10 percent of your income. You'll probably never miss it.
By Leah Gliniewicz • Bankrate.com
Even if you fail to win the lottery, don't give up your dreams -- you can still plan for an early retirement. But wait too long, and you won't have a nest egg to sit on.
According to the 2003 Retirement Confidence Survey by the American Savings Education Council in Washington, D.C., only 21 percent of saving Americans are very confident of having enough money to live comfortably after they retire. And, the study found that three in 10 workers have not saved for retirement.
Debt can play havoc with retirement planning.
"Debt is a deterrent to growth, says Jeffrey Levine, a certified financial planner in Albany, N.Y. and a member of the Financial Planning Association." You want to get rid of debt, especially if you have high interest rates like credit cards."
So how do you begin?
Step 1: Develop a plan
Figure out how much your present lifestyle costs you. Then think about the type of life you want to lead after retirement. Realize that you could be retiring at the midpoint in your life, and you'll be on a fixed salary, Levine says. Don't forget to consider your long-term health care costs.
Step 2: Think in two's
Make financial plans for two stages of retirement: the periods before and after you are 59 ½ years old, says Les Abromovitz, author of You Can Retire. First, secure the after-59 ½ stage of retirement with investments such as 401(k)s, Individual Retirement Accounts, pensions, annuities, Social Security and savings.
"If you're serious about early retirement, you also want to look for ways to fund the pre-59 ½ stage of retirement," Abromovitz says.
Figure out what assets you have that produce income. And you might want to begin investing more aggressively, with investments that produce a greater rate of return.
If your home won't suit your retirement lifestyle, remember that the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 allows you in many cases to keep the capital gain when you sell the home, Abromovitz says. That money could help carry you through the first years of early retirement.
Step 3: Take advantage of tax-deferred opportunities
To secure the back-end of your retirement, maximize the money you put into your retirement fund, says Ileen Malitz, certified financial planner and author of The Modern Role of Bond Covenants. She stresses starting a 401(k) and a Roth IRA from day one of employment.
"If you're willing to enroll in a 401(k) you're taking a major step to retiring early," Abromovitz says. "401(k)s and IRAs are can't-lose situations as long as you continue investing in the long haul. You take advantage of tax shelters and compounding for decades by doing so. So it's hard to go wrong."
Putting money in an IRA does not mean paying penalties if you go fishing earlier than planned. For the purpose of early retirement, you can withdraw from your IRA if you take advantage of the annuity payout.
Step 4: Invest it
The third place to stick your left-over money is in non-tax sheltered mutual funds. Figure out where to invest it so it produces a decent return. Look in the mutual fund column of the newspaper for funds with no custodial fees and no commissions, known as loads.
"It's best to combine it into a money market that earns good interest and stock mutual funds. It will be taxable, but it still is probably the best place for it," Malitz says.
While mutual funds outside an IRA or 401(k) may not be tax sheltered, they can be tax efficient. In the case of mutual funds, this means the fund managers buy and sell the fund's assets with an eye to tax consequences.
No matter where you invest your money, your best bet is to do it on a regular basis. "For people who don't find it easy to save, the best thing to do is to get into an automatic investment program," Abromovitz says. A fixed amount such as $50 to $100 is deducted from your paycheck monthly and invested in mutual funds. The result is dollar-cost averaging, which means you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high.
Abromovitz says the last thing a would-be retiree should consider is investing on hot stock tips: "To me, you should have all of these solid investments first. If you hear about something, it should be money you're ready to lose. It should be a lower priority."
Step 5: Stick to your plan
Early retirement requires a long-term savings and investing plan, and it takes discipline. This means keeping debt down and perhaps not living as lavishly now, so you can reap the benefits later.
You make a choice between lifestyle and high wealth accumulation. If you want wealth accumulation, you have to live a modest lifestyle. It has to be a written, conscious choice.
Time is on your side. The earlier you start and the longer you leave your money untouched, the more compounding can work for you.
When you haven't saved, it's hard to go back and make up for it. Malitz says the easiest thing is to decide to save 10 percent of your income. You'll probably never miss it.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
stupid system administrator
I feel like killing my system ad. He's bloody supposed to upgrade my pc. and he's there taking his own sweet time. i really hate him when it comes to work. slow lazy bug.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Don't Piss Off Mommy!
My eight-year-old son's hamster had eight little hamster babies two weeks ago. They were doing great, in another week we can separate them from the mommy hamster.
Today, I was checking on the brood and could only count seven babies. I took all the critters out and carefully sifted through the bedding (they bury themselves) - no eighth baby.
I sat son down to explain to him what had happened when he came home from school. He sat quietly and a tear welled up when I told him about the tragic demise of one of his babies. He accepted this, taking it rather well.
About an hour he walked up to me and asked if he would ever have to worry about a similar fate.
I confess that my brilliant, eight year old son is concerned that I may one day eat him.
He is so cute!
(I told him he would never, ever have to worry his pretty little head about that!)
Today, I was checking on the brood and could only count seven babies. I took all the critters out and carefully sifted through the bedding (they bury themselves) - no eighth baby.
I sat son down to explain to him what had happened when he came home from school. He sat quietly and a tear welled up when I told him about the tragic demise of one of his babies. He accepted this, taking it rather well.
About an hour he walked up to me and asked if he would ever have to worry about a similar fate.
I confess that my brilliant, eight year old son is concerned that I may one day eat him.
He is so cute!
(I told him he would never, ever have to worry his pretty little head about that!)
Sunday, March 06, 2005
just another damn fuckign week
just another damn fuckign week. now i'm left with the last sunday of the week. let's hope it would b better. and to the hell with japan
Friday, March 04, 2005
Who's That Fattie?
You know how when they speak about the obesity crisis on the news, they will sometimes show random fat people going about their lives? Of course, they never film their faces.
I confess that I saw myself on the news tonight - I was eating a burger. And even though they didn't show my face, it was pretty darn obvious it was me.
So nice to know that I am example of the obesity crisis in America.
I confess that I saw myself on the news tonight - I was eating a burger. And even though they didn't show my face, it was pretty darn obvious it was me.
So nice to know that I am example of the obesity crisis in America.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
ZOMBIE for Mon-Mid Fri, Human for Bottom mid Fri-Sun Night
ZOMBIE for mon-mid fri, human for mid fri-sun night
life is such a routine. wake up at 7, bath till 730, get outta house by 740, reach the interchage by 755, hop on the bus... sleep for an hour, buy my breakfast. Da-duh, jus nice, reach office at exactly 9 or earlier. Work ..... (occassionally surf...) till 1230 for an hour lunch.. work again....... knockoff time - 6pm! well.. nobody is leaving yet... a sense of guilt grows in me if i leave earlier than these bunch of pioneers. yea weak ain't it?
My only gratification @ work is the music resides in my harddisk (thank god for bit torrent), and my msn messager to connect to the outside world, in which i don't have to talk business with! but hell. boss has restricted our msn to only put our decent official names (on our appointment letter), followed by whatever rubbish u wish to put behind. well.... I couldn't even write a complaint there. (stupid me, I should have used another account for this.)
Lately i've been thinkin if this is the life i want. I've not been enjoying the stuffs that i'm doing lately (I'm still wondering why), imagine... this endless cycles would happens for like another 20 years if i'm lucky. Work for money to travel...and for a certain level of luxery...
I don't want to work to make money... i want to enjoy work, haha of cuz with abit of income to be realistic... but sometimes it's tough to balance both. When u enjoy your work, most probably you will not have the luck to get a fat pay cheque.
So what now ? work for money or work to enjoy? It's tough for me to choose...
life is such a routine. wake up at 7, bath till 730, get outta house by 740, reach the interchage by 755, hop on the bus... sleep for an hour, buy my breakfast. Da-duh, jus nice, reach office at exactly 9 or earlier. Work ..... (occassionally surf...) till 1230 for an hour lunch.. work again....... knockoff time - 6pm! well.. nobody is leaving yet... a sense of guilt grows in me if i leave earlier than these bunch of pioneers. yea weak ain't it?
My only gratification @ work is the music resides in my harddisk (thank god for bit torrent), and my msn messager to connect to the outside world, in which i don't have to talk business with! but hell. boss has restricted our msn to only put our decent official names (on our appointment letter), followed by whatever rubbish u wish to put behind. well.... I couldn't even write a complaint there. (stupid me, I should have used another account for this.)
Lately i've been thinkin if this is the life i want. I've not been enjoying the stuffs that i'm doing lately (I'm still wondering why), imagine... this endless cycles would happens for like another 20 years if i'm lucky. Work for money to travel...and for a certain level of luxery...
I don't want to work to make money... i want to enjoy work, haha of cuz with abit of income to be realistic... but sometimes it's tough to balance both. When u enjoy your work, most probably you will not have the luck to get a fat pay cheque.
So what now ? work for money or work to enjoy? It's tough for me to choose...
Monday, November 29, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Monday, November 22, 2004
Friday, July 30, 2004
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Moi Current Situation
Yeah i've just submitted my resignation letter, felt so relieved to get away from this place. I could say this is the worst working place that i've ever been to. Most prolly it's due the reason that i was brought in by the previous manager that they bear some grudges against me. Oh well, this is just not my place, and a lesson learnt.
My last day would be 20/21 Aug, and would b startin on my new job on the 25th Aug. A 6 months contract job, whether or not i'll b turned to perm shall rely on my performance. So i gotta work real hard in these 6 months, and hope everything goes well, with my weekends untouched!
- I don't have any dealings with any of those mean fussy people ever again :)
- Watever happened here, and whatever apps that i've developed aren't mine anymore. FREEDOM!!!
- No more changing of stupid grammatical/spelling mistakes on those stupid web portals!!
- hee yay!!! and finally.........
- No more responsibilities, no more gossips, no more backstabbings.
My New Job
I'll be joinin my new place as a solution developer, sounds nice huh? heh i'm lookin forward to it and at the same time, feeling petrified. What happens if i am unable to cope? Nonetheless, those coffee joints out there are ever-ready to welcome me back, aren't they? so i am not in the worst case :D haha!
Yeah i've just submitted my resignation letter, felt so relieved to get away from this place. I could say this is the worst working place that i've ever been to. Most prolly it's due the reason that i was brought in by the previous manager that they bear some grudges against me. Oh well, this is just not my place, and a lesson learnt.
My last day would be 20/21 Aug, and would b startin on my new job on the 25th Aug. A 6 months contract job, whether or not i'll b turned to perm shall rely on my performance. So i gotta work real hard in these 6 months, and hope everything goes well, with my weekends untouched!
Moi Feeling after tendering
Guan wo pi shi le!!!- I don't have any dealings with any of those mean fussy people ever again :)
- Watever happened here, and whatever apps that i've developed aren't mine anymore. FREEDOM!!!
- No more changing of stupid grammatical/spelling mistakes on those stupid web portals!!
- hee yay!!! and finally.........
- No more responsibilities, no more gossips, no more backstabbings.
My New Job
I'll be joinin my new place as a solution developer, sounds nice huh? heh i'm lookin forward to it and at the same time, feeling petrified. What happens if i am unable to cope? Nonetheless, those coffee joints out there are ever-ready to welcome me back, aren't they? so i am not in the worst case :D haha!
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
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