I still don't know why GST is good for me. Other than adding on the cost of the purchase, what good does it give me? Btw, GST is enforced by Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and consumerism.
I attended a seminar on GST conducted by a tax agent recently. As I am doing some trading business, I am made to be aware of the additional working capital to run my business. Apart from that, it is very important to keep track of the GST incurred in buying from suppliers and selling to customers. Otherwise, penalty, penalty, penalty!
Since my business incurs credit terms, my customers can sometimes pay me after 3 months or 4 months. For business sales volume of less than RM5 mil, I have to submit the GST (6%) of the sales amount in 3 months. That means to say that I have to come out with working capital to cover the GST even if customers do not pay me. The penalty of late submission is cumulative.
The zero rated supplies are live cattle, sheep, goats, ducts, fish, etc, eggs, potatoes, carrots and other vegetable, rice, wheat, flour, palm oil, etc, goods supplied to Langkawi, Labuan & Tioman, supply of treated water and 200 units of electricity for a month, education and childcare services, and exports are also zero rated.
Friday, 29 November 2013
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Exercise For 50+
Time to get the proper regular exercise for both of us. 52th birthday is a few days away, and my hubby is 53+. I am concerned about my knee joints pain when I walk downstairs and general weakening of muscles, while my hubby puts on many weights after his hernia repair in Feb.
Jogging hurts my feet. What is best for us then? We decided to join Fitness Core by engaging a Professional Trainer thinking that the trainer should be able to design a program for me and my hubby to strengthen our muscles to reduce joint pain and back pain. It costs us on average RM100 per session. Each session is less than an hour. We don't use the machine much. So far we have only used the elliptical step machine and run on the treadmill. Other than paying the "Professional Trainer", we need to pay for membership to use the facility in Fitness Core. RM250p/m or RM540quarterly. Adding up it is quite a sum of money! After much consideration, we decided to stop the membership because we don't need to use the facility.
It was a coincidence that on the last time after doing our exercise in Fitness Core, we met a few friends in Lintas coffee shop. These few friends just had their thrice weekly exercise which use kettlebells and other exercises that are suitable for 50+....people who can't jump or run like the young days.
Jogging hurts my feet. What is best for us then? We decided to join Fitness Core by engaging a Professional Trainer thinking that the trainer should be able to design a program for me and my hubby to strengthen our muscles to reduce joint pain and back pain. It costs us on average RM100 per session. Each session is less than an hour. We don't use the machine much. So far we have only used the elliptical step machine and run on the treadmill. Other than paying the "Professional Trainer", we need to pay for membership to use the facility in Fitness Core. RM250p/m or RM540quarterly. Adding up it is quite a sum of money! After much consideration, we decided to stop the membership because we don't need to use the facility.
It was a coincidence that on the last time after doing our exercise in Fitness Core, we met a few friends in Lintas coffee shop. These few friends just had their thrice weekly exercise which use kettlebells and other exercises that are suitable for 50+....people who can't jump or run like the young days.
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Connecting Xperia Sola to Home WIFI
I bought an Xperia Sola for RM699 sometimes ago. It was annoying that I could only connect to home WIFI once in a blue moon when I have no problem accessing public WIFI. I called up Telekom and Sony mobile warranty center but each asked me to rectify the problem with the other party. My son said Telekom modem is not of good quality and getting a new TP-link modem would solve the problem.
Being an IT departmental head (though very small scale) before, I didn't give up searching for solution. Finally I read something about changing router channel. Eventually I called up Telekom customer service again to ask them to guide me how to change the channel. After changing the setting from 'auto' to channel 10, my problem is finally resolved!!!
Guess my two sons will look at me differently again!
Being an IT departmental head (though very small scale) before, I didn't give up searching for solution. Finally I read something about changing router channel. Eventually I called up Telekom customer service again to ask them to guide me how to change the channel. After changing the setting from 'auto' to channel 10, my problem is finally resolved!!!
Guess my two sons will look at me differently again!
Sunday, 28 April 2013
Cheese Cake - unbaked method
Ingredients: (Make four cheese cake)
(1)
500g cream cheese
150g sugar
(2)
400g fresh milk
9 egg yolk
(3)
45g gelatin
100g water
(4)
lemon juice from 1 lemon
500g whipped cream
2 sponge cake (can replace with any kind of biscuit. Usually Graham cracker and Oreo. I used Munchy's Marie)
Method:
1. Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (you can use a hand mixer as well). Mix on low to break down the cream cheese for 30 seconds, and increase to medium speed for another 1 minute.
2. Mix gelatin with water in a bowl. Put the bowl in double pan. Stir to dissolve or until solution is clear, and allow to cool. Do not bring gelatin mixtures to a full boil or you risk losing its thickening properties.
3. Stir egg yolk with milk. Use double pan to warm the egg mixture until luke warm only. Be careful not to curdle the egg. Turn off the heat.
4. Stir in dissolved gelatin over eggs. Keep stirring until well-mixed.
5. Beat in beaten cream cheese until smooth.
6. Add lemon juice in batter.
7. Sift mixture.
8. Whip double cream until peak form.
8. Pour over sponge cake.
9. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best result.
(I am confused here. Did the teacher place the sponge cake on top of the batter so that when he turned upside down, the cake will become the base of the cheese cake? What I could remember was, he sank the pan in the hot water and quickly lifted it up because by doing so, the side would have melted enabling the cake to come out of the pan. Do not leave in hot water for too long. Else too much cream would melt. )
(1)
500g cream cheese
150g sugar
(2)
400g fresh milk
9 egg yolk
(3)
45g gelatin
100g water
(4)
lemon juice from 1 lemon
500g whipped cream
2 sponge cake (can replace with any kind of biscuit. Usually Graham cracker and Oreo. I used Munchy's Marie)
Method:
1. Place cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (you can use a hand mixer as well). Mix on low to break down the cream cheese for 30 seconds, and increase to medium speed for another 1 minute.
2. Mix gelatin with water in a bowl. Put the bowl in double pan. Stir to dissolve or until solution is clear, and allow to cool. Do not bring gelatin mixtures to a full boil or you risk losing its thickening properties.
3. Stir egg yolk with milk. Use double pan to warm the egg mixture until luke warm only. Be careful not to curdle the egg. Turn off the heat.
4. Stir in dissolved gelatin over eggs. Keep stirring until well-mixed.
6. Add lemon juice in batter.
7. Sift mixture.
8. Whip double cream until peak form.
9. Spoon whipped cream into cream cheese batter. Use hand whisk to incorporate the batter.
8. Pour over sponge cake.
9. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best result.
(I am confused here. Did the teacher place the sponge cake on top of the batter so that when he turned upside down, the cake will become the base of the cheese cake? What I could remember was, he sank the pan in the hot water and quickly lifted it up because by doing so, the side would have melted enabling the cake to come out of the pan. Do not leave in hot water for too long. Else too much cream would melt. )
When you are confident with the basic method, you can make some variation. Teacher chopped up some strawberry, along with strawberry puree, to mix with a portion of the batter. He laid 1 layer of basic batter, next layer he laid the portion with strawberry, and the top layer is the basic batter again.
Saturday, 27 April 2013
Butter Cake - Creaming Method
There are three methods used in making butter cakes and the goal of each
method is to incorporate the maximum amount of air into the batter
(produces the volume and texture of the cake), to restrict the
development of gluten in the flour (provides tenderness, texture and
volume), and to have a uniform batter.
Sponge Cake
The success of making sponge cake largely depends on the amount of air whisked into the mixture. There is no fixed time for beating the sponge cake mix and eggs.
It depends on the type of cake mixer used. If using small cake mixer,
it is better to use cold eggs and cold water from the fridge for easy
rising.
You can also make swiss roll using the same recipe.
Oven: Preheat oven for 15 minutes before baking. 170/175 bake for 30 min
Ingredients:
1 kg sponge mix
1 kg eggs (about 20)
250ml water
250ml oil
Method:
1. Beat eggs lightly.
2. Put sponge cake mix flour into the beaten eggs.
3. Use low speed to mix into smooth batter.
4. Increase to high speed and beat batter until white and creamy.
5. Add water and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
6. To Test, use mixture to drip into a "O" shape and it can keep the shape for 10 seconds.
7. Use a plastic spatula and mix in the melted butter in ONE DIRECTION until well-combined.
DONT
over-mix the mixture . If mixture starts to break up and turns watery,
it means air bubbles have broken up and the cake texture will be coarse
and hard.
8. Pour the mixture into a lined and greased baking tin, bake in a pre-heated oven at 180degC for 30 to35 minutes or until cooked and golden brown.
8. Remove and leave to cool.
Donut
Ingredients:
1 kg flour
11g yeast
340ml water
60ml full cream milk
2 eggs
180g margarine
160g sugar
10g salt
14g baking powder
nutmeg (optional)
Method:
1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and freshly ground nutmeg.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick and a pale yellow (about five minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions), with the milk and melted butter (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour. (The batter will be quite soft.)
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature about 30 minutes (or until batter is firm enough to roll).
5. Then place the dough on a floured surface, and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (.5 cm). Cut the dough into rounds, using a lightly floured doughnut cutter or cookie cutter (will need a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the center "hole").
6. Place the doughnuts on a lightly floured baking sheet, lined with parchment or wax paper. Gather up the scraps, roll, and cut out remaining doughnuts. If you like, you can keep the donut holes to fry separately. Let the doughnuts sit at room temperature while you heat the oil.
7. Fry each side until golden brown, about 60 seconds per side. The doughnut holes will only take about 30 seconds per side. Carefully remove the doughnuts from the hot fat with the end of a wooden spoon, tongs, slotted spoon, bamboo chopstick, or Chinese skimmer.
8. Place on a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels. Let the oil return to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) before adding more doughnuts. After the doughnuts have cooled about a minutes or two, you can roll them in granulated white sugar. Or let cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar or dip in the chocolate glaze.
1 kg flour
11g yeast
340ml water
60ml full cream milk
2 eggs
180g margarine
160g sugar
10g salt
14g baking powder
nutmeg (optional)
Method:
1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and freshly ground nutmeg.
2. In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until thick and a pale yellow (about five minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.
3. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions), with the milk and melted butter (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour. (The batter will be quite soft.)
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature about 30 minutes (or until batter is firm enough to roll).
5. Then place the dough on a floured surface, and with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (.5 cm). Cut the dough into rounds, using a lightly floured doughnut cutter or cookie cutter (will need a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the center "hole").
6. Place the doughnuts on a lightly floured baking sheet, lined with parchment or wax paper. Gather up the scraps, roll, and cut out remaining doughnuts. If you like, you can keep the donut holes to fry separately. Let the doughnuts sit at room temperature while you heat the oil.
7. Fry each side until golden brown, about 60 seconds per side. The doughnut holes will only take about 30 seconds per side. Carefully remove the doughnuts from the hot fat with the end of a wooden spoon, tongs, slotted spoon, bamboo chopstick, or Chinese skimmer.
8. Place on a baking sheet lined with clean paper towels. Let the oil return to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) before adding more doughnuts. After the doughnuts have cooled about a minutes or two, you can roll them in granulated white sugar. Or let cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar or dip in the chocolate glaze.
Flaky Pastry
Ingredients:
oil dough
400g plain flour
200g shortening
water dough
600g plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
120g margarine
240g cold water
Method:
Prepare both type of pastry first. After that, we use water dough to wrap oil dough.
oil dough
1. Cut shortening into flour using a knife, then use your fingertips to rub the shortening into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Gently knead into a dough.
water dough
oil dough
400g plain flour
200g shortening
water dough
600g plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
120g margarine
240g cold water
Method:
Prepare both type of pastry first. After that, we use water dough to wrap oil dough.
oil dough
1. Cut shortening into flour using a knife, then use your fingertips to rub the shortening into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Gently knead into a dough.
water dough
- Place the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the margarine into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the cold water and use a round-bladed knife to stir until a dough forms. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until just smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
- Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out the dough to a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll oil dough to make smaller rectangle.
- Place the oil dough in the centre of the water dough. Fold the end closest to you over the oil dough, then fold the opposite end over the top (the oil dough should now be enclosed in the dough).
- Turn dough 90° clockwise and gently press edges together. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to gently tap to flatten oil dough. Roll out dough to a rectangle and repeat folding process as before. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
- Remove dough from the fridge and repeat rolling and folding process 2 more times. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. Repeat rolling and folding process a further 2 times and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. (Dough should have been folded and rolled 6 times altogether.)
Baked Cheese Cake
I love cheese cake. But cheese cake is full of cream cheese. And
cream cheese contains at least 33% milk fat. 100g of cream cheese has
1,431 kJ (342 kcal).
I have eaten a lot of cakes, bread and buns in this 11 days of baking class. I'd better watch my diet.
A quick search brings me to http://www.8700.com.au/kj-explained/your-ideal-figure/ to check the KJ my body needs to maintain my weight.
It comes out to be 7800 KJ.
This measurement contain 13730KJ. It is 1.575kilo. We made 4 cake out of this. Each cake is 3432KJ. Cutting into 6 slices, each slice contains 572KJ. It is 14% of the KJ intake for the day.
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese (3577KJ)
125g butter (3890KJ)
100g castor sugar (1616KJ)
20g corn flour (1243KJ for both)
80g flour
10 egg yolk
10 egg white
150g castor sugar (2425KJ)
350ml milk (979KJ)
1 lemon
Temperature:
170/180C
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 100g sugar and butter until fluffy.
奶油奶酪一定要打至细腻无颗粒状；2、打好的奶酪放入冰箱冷藏；
2. Add eggs, 3 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Make sure sugar has dissolved.
4. Sift flour and cornflour together twice. Add into the mixture.
5. Warm milk. Make sure bottom does not scald.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture into milk. Stir quickly so that it doesn't scald at the bottom. Once mixture starts to thicken, remove from heat. Keep stirring until temperature has come down.
7. Stir in lemon juice into the mixture.
8. Beat egg white and castor sugar. Do not overbeat.
9. Add in egg white to mixture. Do not beat. Mix well.
将之前拌好的奶酪蛋黄糊倒入蛋白中 ，用橡皮刮刀翻起，切拌均匀（切忌画圈）。然后倒入模具中（模具四壁涂抹黄油），轻敲一下。烤盘中放水（水浴法），放入预热200度的烤箱烤15分钟，然后降到180度烤15分钟。再降到150度烤30分钟。室温或冷藏定型后取出。
3、水浴法烤制，期间要缓慢降温烤制，这样才能烤得表面金黄，四周底部不上色
10. Pour onto sponge cake.
11. Steam baked.
10. Steam baked cheese cake.
I have eaten a lot of cakes, bread and buns in this 11 days of baking class. I'd better watch my diet.
A quick search brings me to http://www.8700.com.au/kj-explained/your-ideal-figure/ to check the KJ my body needs to maintain my weight.
It comes out to be 7800 KJ.
This measurement contain 13730KJ. It is 1.575kilo. We made 4 cake out of this. Each cake is 3432KJ. Cutting into 6 slices, each slice contains 572KJ. It is 14% of the KJ intake for the day.
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese (3577KJ)
125g butter (3890KJ)
100g castor sugar (1616KJ)
20g corn flour (1243KJ for both)
80g flour
10 egg yolk
10 egg white
150g castor sugar (2425KJ)
350ml milk (979KJ)
1 lemon
Temperature:
170/180C
Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 100g sugar and butter until fluffy.
奶油奶酪一定要打至细腻无颗粒状；2、打好的奶酪放入冰箱冷藏；
2. Add eggs, 3 at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Make sure sugar has dissolved.
4. Sift flour and cornflour together twice. Add into the mixture.
5. Warm milk. Make sure bottom does not scald.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture into milk. Stir quickly so that it doesn't scald at the bottom. Once mixture starts to thicken, remove from heat. Keep stirring until temperature has come down.
7. Stir in lemon juice into the mixture.
8. Beat egg white and castor sugar. Do not overbeat.
9. Add in egg white to mixture. Do not beat. Mix well.
将之前拌好的奶酪蛋黄糊倒入蛋白中 ，用橡皮刮刀翻起，切拌均匀（切忌画圈）。然后倒入模具中（模具四壁涂抹黄油），轻敲一下。烤盘中放水（水浴法），放入预热200度的烤箱烤15分钟，然后降到180度烤15分钟。再降到150度烤30分钟。室温或冷藏定型后取出。
3、水浴法烤制，期间要缓慢降温烤制，这样才能烤得表面金黄，四周底部不上色
10. Pour onto sponge cake.
11. Steam baked.
10. Steam baked cheese cake.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Chicken Pie
Ingredient: 185c/185c
500g plain flour
300g cold butter
2 tbp sugar
pinch salt
2 egg yolk
4 tbsp cold water or milk powder
30min to rest
Method:
1. Beat everything together except flour
2. Add in flour
You can also use hand to make this..
500g plain flour
300g cold butter
2 tbp sugar
pinch salt
2 egg yolk
4 tbsp cold water or milk powder
30min to rest
Method:
1. Beat everything together except flour
2. Add in flour
You can also use hand to make this..
Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Ingredients:
(A)
8 egg yolk
100 ml water
100 oil
200 cake mix
Baking soda
(B)
100g plain flour (replace 4 teaspoon with cocoa powder)
pinch salt
(C)
8 egg white
100g sugar
cream of tartar
Method: 170C
1. Whisk (A). Leave some water to add in soda.
2. Add (B) and continue to whisk. Add in the remaining water with soda. Whisk until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar (if using) until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup (150 grams) of sugar and beat until almost stiff peaks form. With a large rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites (in three additions) into the batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter).
(A)
8 egg yolk
100 ml water
100 oil
200 cake mix
Baking soda
(B)
100g plain flour (replace 4 teaspoon with cocoa powder)
pinch salt
(C)
8 egg white
100g sugar
cream of tartar
Method: 170C
1. Whisk (A). Leave some water to add in soda.
2. Add (B) and continue to whisk. Add in the remaining water with soda. Whisk until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar (if using) until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the remaining 3/4 cup (150 grams) of sugar and beat until almost stiff peaks form. With a large rubber spatula or wire whisk, gently fold the egg whites (in three additions) into the batter just until blended (being careful not to deflate the batter).
Baked Cheese Cake
Ingredients:
250g cream cheese
125g butter
100g sugar
20g corn flour
80g flour
10 egg yolk
10 egg white
150g sugar
350g milk
1 lemon juice
Method: 170c/180c
1. In bowl of your electric mixer, place the cream cheese, sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Make sure sugar has all been dissolved.
2. Add the egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add in corn flour and flour (already sift twice) and beat well.
4. Warm milk in a pan. Keep stirring so that the milk does not scald at the bottom.
5. Pour cream cheese mixture into the milk. Stir fast so that it doesn't burn at the bottom. Once mixture starts to thicken, remove from fire, and keep stirring until temperature has come down.
6. Stir in lemon juice into the mixture.
7. Beat egg white and sugar until it peaks.
8. Add in egg white to mixture. Mix well with scraper. Do not beat.
9. Steam baked cheese cake for 1 hour.
the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.
250g cream cheese
125g butter
100g sugar
20g corn flour
80g flour
10 egg yolk
10 egg white
150g sugar
350g milk
1 lemon juice
Method: 170c/180c
1. In bowl of your electric mixer, place the cream cheese, sugar and butter. Beat on medium speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Make sure sugar has all been dissolved.
2. Add the egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add in corn flour and flour (already sift twice) and beat well.
4. Warm milk in a pan. Keep stirring so that the milk does not scald at the bottom.
5. Pour cream cheese mixture into the milk. Stir fast so that it doesn't burn at the bottom. Once mixture starts to thicken, remove from fire, and keep stirring until temperature has come down.
6. Stir in lemon juice into the mixture.
7. Beat egg white and sugar until it peaks.
8. Add in egg white to mixture. Mix well with scraper. Do not beat.
9. Steam baked cheese cake for 1 hour.
the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Ingredients:
300 g Cooking Chocolate
250ml full cream milk
5g gelatine
2 egg yolk
100 g sugar (if chocolate is sweet, no need to add sugar)
300 g whipping cream
vanilla
1 sponge cake
Method:
1. Melt cooking chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave just until melted, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat, and leave to cool.
2. Stir milk, gelatine and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep stirring to prevent the milk from scalding until the gelatine has dissolved and fully incorporatPlace cream in bowl of a stand mixer and whisk with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.ed. Remove from heat, and leave to cool.
3. Place whipping cream in bowl of a stand mixer and whisk with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
4. Pour about one-third of the milk mixture into the chocolate and whisk quickly to combine.
5. Pour in another third of the milk and whisk to combine.
6. Pour in the remaining milk and whisk to combine. The mixture should be very smooth and shiny.
7. Fold in the whipped cream into the mixture with a flexible spatula.
8. To assemble the cake, first use a bread knife to carefully slice the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of one of the cakes, cut side up, on a plate or cake stand. Spread over some of the mousse in a layer about 1 cm thick, then sandwich with the other half of the cake.
9. Spread over more of the mousse, Cover the top and sides of the assembled cake with the remaining mousse, smoothing it over with a palette knife.
10. Leave to chill. Mousse will keep for up to 2 days.
300 g Cooking Chocolate
250ml full cream milk
5g gelatine
2 egg yolk
100 g sugar (if chocolate is sweet, no need to add sugar)
300 g whipping cream
vanilla
1 sponge cake
Method:
1. Melt cooking chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave just until melted, stirring occasionally, then remove from the heat, and leave to cool.
2. Stir milk, gelatine and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Keep stirring to prevent the milk from scalding until the gelatine has dissolved and fully incorporatPlace cream in bowl of a stand mixer and whisk with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.ed. Remove from heat, and leave to cool.
3. Place whipping cream in bowl of a stand mixer and whisk with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form.
4. Pour about one-third of the milk mixture into the chocolate and whisk quickly to combine.
5. Pour in another third of the milk and whisk to combine.
6. Pour in the remaining milk and whisk to combine. The mixture should be very smooth and shiny.
7. Fold in the whipped cream into the mixture with a flexible spatula.
8. To assemble the cake, first use a bread knife to carefully slice the cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half of one of the cakes, cut side up, on a plate or cake stand. Spread over some of the mousse in a layer about 1 cm thick, then sandwich with the other half of the cake.
9. Spread over more of the mousse, Cover the top and sides of the assembled cake with the remaining mousse, smoothing it over with a palette knife.
10. Leave to chill. Mousse will keep for up to 2 days.
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Fruit bread
Ingredients:
1400g HP flour
20g yeast
2 tsp salt
200g sugar
2 eggs
70g milk
800g water
400g sultana
140g butter
Method:
1. Use speed 1 to mix flour, yeast, salt and little water.
2. Use speed 2 to add in more water.
3. Pic, add butter, speed 1 again
4. add in dried sultana in dough.
5. take out, shape and rest for 10 min.
6. pic
1400g HP flour
20g yeast
2 tsp salt
200g sugar
2 eggs
70g milk
800g water
400g sultana
140g butter
Method:
1. Use speed 1 to mix flour, yeast, salt and little water.
2. Use speed 2 to add in more water.
3. Pic, add butter, speed 1 again
4. add in dried sultana in dough.
5. take out, shape and rest for 10 min.
6. pic
Sweet Bun
Ingredients
2 kg HP flour
160g sugar
20g salt
4 eggs
30g yeast
500-600 water
160g margarine
Method:
1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, yeast using gear 1.
2. Add in lightly beaten eggs.
3. Add in water.
4. Add in bread sponge.
2 kg HP flour
160g sugar
20g salt
4 eggs
30g yeast
500-600 water
160g margarine
Method:
1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, yeast using gear 1.
2. Add in lightly beaten eggs.
3. Add in water.
4. Add in bread sponge.
Sandwich Bread
Ingredients:
2000g High Protein flour
120g sugar
30g salt
30g yeast
120g shortening fat
60% water
1. Mix sugar, salt and yeast into flour.
2. Use hook, gear 1 to mix. Add in water gradually.
3. Add in bread sponge. (half of yesterday)
4. Add some more water if too dry.
5. Use gear 2 for 8 to 10min.
6. Add in shortening.
7. When ready, cover with plastic for 20 min to rest.
8. Bake at 190c for an hour.
2000g High Protein flour
120g sugar
30g salt
30g yeast
120g shortening fat
60% water
1. Mix sugar, salt and yeast into flour.
2. Use hook, gear 1 to mix. Add in water gradually.
3. Add in bread sponge. (half of yesterday)
4. Add some more water if too dry.
5. Use gear 2 for 8 to 10min.
6. Add in shortening.
7. When ready, cover with plastic for 20 min to rest.
8. Bake at 190c for an hour.
Bread Sponge
Ingredients
2000g high protein flour
pinch of salt
1200 water (more if too hard)
20g yeast
Method:
1. Blend together all the ingredients for about 8 min.
2. Allow it to ferment for 3 hours at room temperature before use.
3. If you do not want to use the dough right away, leave it to ferment for 1 or 2 hours, then chill it overnight.
2000g high protein flour
pinch of salt
1200 water (more if too hard)
20g yeast
Method:
1. Blend together all the ingredients for about 8 min.
2. Allow it to ferment for 3 hours at room temperature before use.
3. If you do not want to use the dough right away, leave it to ferment for 1 or 2 hours, then chill it overnight.
French Almond Tart
Ingredient:
125g ground almond
125g plain flour
250g castor sugar
5 eggs
1 tbsp milk powder (or milk)
125g butter (room temperature)
125g margarine
Method:
1. Lightly beat eggs
2. Mix ground almond, flour and milk powder together.
3. Cream fats and sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture becomes light and fluffy using medium speed.
4. Add in beaten eggs in several portion. Do not add in too much eggs too quickly to prevent curdling. Curdling is the result of having more liquid than the fat-coated cells have a capacity to retain.
5. Before last batch of egg, put in some dry ingredient to prevent from curdling using speed 2. Or you can also alternate dry ingredients with eggs.
6. Spoon or pipe into tarts. Sprinkle almond flakes on top.
Note: you can boil one tbsp of apricot jam with one tbsp of water, and coat to baked tarts for shiny topping.
125g ground almond
125g plain flour
250g castor sugar
5 eggs
1 tbsp milk powder (or milk)
125g butter (room temperature)
125g margarine
Method:
1. Lightly beat eggs
2. Mix ground almond, flour and milk powder together.
3. Cream fats and sugar until sugar has dissolved and mixture becomes light and fluffy using medium speed.
4. Add in beaten eggs in several portion. Do not add in too much eggs too quickly to prevent curdling. Curdling is the result of having more liquid than the fat-coated cells have a capacity to retain.
5. Before last batch of egg, put in some dry ingredient to prevent from curdling using speed 2. Or you can also alternate dry ingredients with eggs.
6. Spoon or pipe into tarts. Sprinkle almond flakes on top.
Note: you can boil one tbsp of apricot jam with one tbsp of water, and coat to baked tarts for shiny topping.
Egg Tarts and French Almond Tarts
We make the simple crust, not the layer crust.
Ingredients:
Short Crust Pastry
400g flour
100g butter
100g margarine
100g sugar
50g egg (1egg)
pinch of salt
Egg Custard
eggs and water same quantity
5 eggs (50g each)
250g water
120g sugar
milk powder
Method:
Short crust pastry
1. Preheat oven to 180c - 185c.
2. Butter and margarine must be at room temperature because they need to be incorporated into the flour as quickly as possible. If it is too cold, you will have to rub it in for twice as long; the fat will become oily with the warmth of your hands and the pastry will be difficult to roll out.
3. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt, holding the sieve high above the bowl, so that as much air as possible is incorporated.
4. Cut the butter and margarine into small lumps and add to the flour. Using a knife, cut the butter and margarine into the flour. Go on doing this until it looks fairly evenly blended, then begin to rub the fat into the flour using only your fingertips and being as light and gentle as possible.
5. As you lightly rub the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back down into the bowl, which again means that air is being incorporated all the time, and air is what makes pastry light. Speed is also what's needed here. If the fat becomes oily because the rubbing-in takes longer and everything is too warm, what happens is it coats more flour grains than it should. This means the flour is unable to absorb enough water and the pastry will crumble and be difficult to roll out.
6. Add in eggs slowly.
7. Then, with a knife, start bringing the dough together, cutting and turning to make it start to cling together. Then discard the knife and bring it all together with your fingertips. All the bits of flour and fat should be incorporated and the pastry should leave the bowl completely clean.
Egg custard
1. Light beat eggs and water and sugar and milk powder together.
2. When sugar has dissolved, sift egg through strainer.
3. spoon the egg custard into the tarts.
Ingredients:
Short Crust Pastry
400g flour
100g butter
100g margarine
100g sugar
50g egg (1egg)
pinch of salt
Egg Custard
eggs and water same quantity
5 eggs (50g each)
250g water
120g sugar
milk powder
Method:
Short crust pastry
1. Preheat oven to 180c - 185c.
2. Butter and margarine must be at room temperature because they need to be incorporated into the flour as quickly as possible. If it is too cold, you will have to rub it in for twice as long; the fat will become oily with the warmth of your hands and the pastry will be difficult to roll out.
3. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt, holding the sieve high above the bowl, so that as much air as possible is incorporated.
4. Cut the butter and margarine into small lumps and add to the flour. Using a knife, cut the butter and margarine into the flour. Go on doing this until it looks fairly evenly blended, then begin to rub the fat into the flour using only your fingertips and being as light and gentle as possible.
5. As you lightly rub the fat into the flour, lift it up high and let it fall back down into the bowl, which again means that air is being incorporated all the time, and air is what makes pastry light. Speed is also what's needed here. If the fat becomes oily because the rubbing-in takes longer and everything is too warm, what happens is it coats more flour grains than it should. This means the flour is unable to absorb enough water and the pastry will crumble and be difficult to roll out.
6. Add in eggs slowly.
7. Then, with a knife, start bringing the dough together, cutting and turning to make it start to cling together. Then discard the knife and bring it all together with your fingertips. All the bits of flour and fat should be incorporated and the pastry should leave the bowl completely clean.
Egg custard
1. Light beat eggs and water and sugar and milk powder together.
2. When sugar has dissolved, sift egg through strainer.
Orange Chiffon Cake
The basic ingredient is chiffon cake, but with one orange peel and squeeze one orange. The orange juice will mix with water to form the water quantity. When the batter is ready, throw in some chocolate rice to add some colour. The finishing is garnished with butter cream we made.
Swiss Roll
The recipe for swiss roll is almost similar to chiffon cake, only without baking powder, so that the cake is softer to roll. The method is the same. Instead of using cake tin, use baking tray.
Saturday, 20 April 2013
Chiffon Cake
Mr.Chin doesn't provide us with written instruction. He only writes down the ingredients.
He said he wants us to pay attention so as to follow. However I wonder how the novice is going to follow. We have two boys who are asked by their mothers to come to learn. One only has education up to PMR, one doesn't understand English and one doesn't speak Chinese. Mr.Chin speaks Mandarin most of the time, with broken English mixing in between. I feel that Mr.Chin is supposed to provide us with complete recipe as we are paying so much for the baking class. RM1320 for 75 contact hours in 12 days. On average, one day is RM110. Mr.Chin is also very particular about throwing away plastic bags, paper, and he even bothers to scrap back small traces of buttercream sticking on the piping paper. I personally feel that it is a waste of time when he does that.
Anyway, this is the Chiffon Cake which I learned from him. I tried Chiffon Cake before but they didn't turn out right. Now, I know where my mistakes are. By the way, Mr.Chin didn't give us the instructions, and I don't know how to write full instructions, I sort of borrow instructions from here and there similar to what I learned.
Ingredients:
Flour batter
8 egg yolk
100 g water
100 g vegetable oil (Do not use Eagle oil as it has added flavour. Minyak Saji and olive oil is okay)
200 g cake mix ( can be replaced with 100g sugar and 100g flour and baking powder)
100 g plain flour
a pinch of salt
Meringue
8 egg white
100g sugar
cream of tartar
Flavour
vanilla, brandy, cinnamon
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C and position a wire rack at the lower rack. Prepare a clean chiffon cake tin, do not grease.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the corn oil and sugar to form an emulsion. Sift the flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture. Add in vanilla, cinnamon and brandy. Whisk well into a smooth batter, there should be no lumps. Set aside.
3. Get a separate mixing bowl. Make sure it is WITHOUT ANY OIL STAIN. Clean it properly, or else your egg whites will not rise. On high speed of a mixer, whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar. Start adding the sugar once the egg whites begin to foam, gradually in 3 additions. Beat till the meringue is smooth and glossy, with stiff peaks, but curls at the end. If the peak is too stiff, the cake will come out dry.
4. Immediately stir in approximately 1/3 of the meringue into the flour batter. With a flexible rubber or silicon spatula, fold in the meringue gently and mix well. Once a roughly homogenous mixture is achieved, add the rest of the meringue and repeat the gentle, light-handed folding process till the cake batter is well combined. Scoop from the bottom of the bowl to ensure no meringue or flour batter is left unmixed. Do not beat or overwork the batter as this will knock out the air you've put into the meringue.
5. Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin. Gently bang the tin on the table top to release air bubbles. This is to remove any large air bubbles possibly trapped while pouring in the cake batter.
6. Bake at 170°C for about 30 min. The cake tester should come out clean. Don't fret if the top of your cake cracks a little, this is normal.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately overturn it to cool completely, up to 2 hours. Even the best chiffon cake pan won't keep your cake fluffy if you handle it roughly after baking. While the cake is warm, its structure is still malleable, and it can fall. Always cool chiffon cakes upside down by supporting round set at the corners. Don't move the cake much before it cools completely.
8. Release the cake by running a sharp, thin knife along the sides of the cake tin and subsequently the bottom of the tube. The cake is meant to be served upside down as it is heavier on the top.
9. Cake keeps well chilled in an airtight container or cling wrapped up to five day.
Note: I use 90g of sugar for batter and 90g for egg white. The sweetness is fine.
He said he wants us to pay attention so as to follow. However I wonder how the novice is going to follow. We have two boys who are asked by their mothers to come to learn. One only has education up to PMR, one doesn't understand English and one doesn't speak Chinese. Mr.Chin speaks Mandarin most of the time, with broken English mixing in between. I feel that Mr.Chin is supposed to provide us with complete recipe as we are paying so much for the baking class. RM1320 for 75 contact hours in 12 days. On average, one day is RM110. Mr.Chin is also very particular about throwing away plastic bags, paper, and he even bothers to scrap back small traces of buttercream sticking on the piping paper. I personally feel that it is a waste of time when he does that.
Anyway, this is the Chiffon Cake which I learned from him. I tried Chiffon Cake before but they didn't turn out right. Now, I know where my mistakes are. By the way, Mr.Chin didn't give us the instructions, and I don't know how to write full instructions, I sort of borrow instructions from here and there similar to what I learned.
Ingredients:
Flour batter
8 egg yolk
100 g water
100 g vegetable oil (Do not use Eagle oil as it has added flavour. Minyak Saji and olive oil is okay)
200 g cake mix ( can be replaced with 100g sugar and 100g flour and baking powder)
100 g plain flour
a pinch of salt
Meringue
8 egg white
100g sugar
cream of tartar
Flavour
vanilla, brandy, cinnamon
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C and position a wire rack at the lower rack. Prepare a clean chiffon cake tin, do not grease.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the corn oil and sugar to form an emulsion. Sift the flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture. Add in vanilla, cinnamon and brandy. Whisk well into a smooth batter, there should be no lumps. Set aside.
3. Get a separate mixing bowl. Make sure it is WITHOUT ANY OIL STAIN. Clean it properly, or else your egg whites will not rise. On high speed of a mixer, whisk together the egg whites and cream of tartar. Start adding the sugar once the egg whites begin to foam, gradually in 3 additions. Beat till the meringue is smooth and glossy, with stiff peaks, but curls at the end. If the peak is too stiff, the cake will come out dry.
4. Immediately stir in approximately 1/3 of the meringue into the flour batter. With a flexible rubber or silicon spatula, fold in the meringue gently and mix well. Once a roughly homogenous mixture is achieved, add the rest of the meringue and repeat the gentle, light-handed folding process till the cake batter is well combined. Scoop from the bottom of the bowl to ensure no meringue or flour batter is left unmixed. Do not beat or overwork the batter as this will knock out the air you've put into the meringue.
5. Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin. Gently bang the tin on the table top to release air bubbles. This is to remove any large air bubbles possibly trapped while pouring in the cake batter.
6. Bake at 170°C for about 30 min. The cake tester should come out clean. Don't fret if the top of your cake cracks a little, this is normal.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately overturn it to cool completely, up to 2 hours. Even the best chiffon cake pan won't keep your cake fluffy if you handle it roughly after baking. While the cake is warm, its structure is still malleable, and it can fall. Always cool chiffon cakes upside down by supporting round set at the corners. Don't move the cake much before it cools completely.
8. Release the cake by running a sharp, thin knife along the sides of the cake tin and subsequently the bottom of the tube. The cake is meant to be served upside down as it is heavier on the top.
9. Cake keeps well chilled in an airtight container or cling wrapped up to five day.
Note: I use 90g of sugar for batter and 90g for egg white. The sweetness is fine.
Thursday, 18 April 2013
1st Day at Baking Class
My first day of baking class was much anticipated! I wish to improve my baking skill! At least to know how to bake the basic cakes and buns correctly.
There are altogether 12 of us in the class. 10 of them are about my children's age! Learning with those who are 30 years younger than me :-) ! Luckily there is another auntie in the class! That make me feel less awkward!
Our teacher is Mr.Chin, 30 years of work experience in the bakery industry. He carries with him with lots of expertise. He is willing (and eager) to teach as we go along. Though he doesn't seem to be well prepared with the class, and doesn't seem to plan properly of what he is going to cover, he comes with a mind to pass his knowledge to equip us!
The pastry room has a big oven, a big mixer and a marble countertop table. But it is not equipped with baking tray, baking tin, bowls, spatula, and so on and so forth. Mr.Chin has to borrow from his friends all these things. They were quite dirtily stained. We spent an hour cleaning all these stuff. Then, we started our first lesson --- how to make buttercream.
Mr.Chin said in the previous 16 years, he partnered with 2 other friends in Sabah Bakery. He was in charged of wedding cake decoration. I think that was why he feels that knowing how to do piping is very important in cake making. Decoration brings up the appearance of the cake, and it practically brings up the value of the cake! He said we have to do piping in every lesson as and when we have time.
Opp...Mr.Chin said he forgot to buy icing sugar for the buttercream. Since he is an experienced senior, he substituted icing sugar with sugar syrup.
Ingredients for Butter Cream
1 kg sugar
1 kg water
500 g unsalted butter (he used Anchor)
1 kg cream well (creamlite)
Method:
1. Dissolve sugar in water using medium fire. Once dissolved, leave the water syrup to room temperature.
2. Pour the water syrup in the mixer. Add in butter. Beat.
3. Add in creamlite. Beat well on medium speed until light and fluffy. Remember to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
There are altogether 12 of us in the class. 10 of them are about my children's age! Learning with those who are 30 years younger than me :-) ! Luckily there is another auntie in the class! That make me feel less awkward!
Our teacher is Mr.Chin, 30 years of work experience in the bakery industry. He carries with him with lots of expertise. He is willing (and eager) to teach as we go along. Though he doesn't seem to be well prepared with the class, and doesn't seem to plan properly of what he is going to cover, he comes with a mind to pass his knowledge to equip us!
The pastry room has a big oven, a big mixer and a marble countertop table. But it is not equipped with baking tray, baking tin, bowls, spatula, and so on and so forth. Mr.Chin has to borrow from his friends all these things. They were quite dirtily stained. We spent an hour cleaning all these stuff. Then, we started our first lesson --- how to make buttercream.
Mr.Chin said in the previous 16 years, he partnered with 2 other friends in Sabah Bakery. He was in charged of wedding cake decoration. I think that was why he feels that knowing how to do piping is very important in cake making. Decoration brings up the appearance of the cake, and it practically brings up the value of the cake! He said we have to do piping in every lesson as and when we have time.
Opp...Mr.Chin said he forgot to buy icing sugar for the buttercream. Since he is an experienced senior, he substituted icing sugar with sugar syrup.
Ingredients for Butter Cream
1 kg sugar
1 kg water
500 g unsalted butter (he used Anchor)
1 kg cream well (creamlite)
Method:
1. Dissolve sugar in water using medium fire. Once dissolved, leave the water syrup to room temperature.
2. Pour the water syrup in the mixer. Add in butter. Beat.
3. Add in creamlite. Beat well on medium speed until light and fluffy. Remember to scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
Friday, 12 April 2013
Baking Class
I bought 2 white T-shirts at Metro Jaya to wear to the baking class starting next Wednesday. The dress code in the 3 weeks class is white T-shirts with collar, long trousers or jeans and toes wrapped shoes. I shopped at Suria Sabah this afternoon to look for a pair of comfortable flat shoes but I don't find any suitable pair with toes wrapped. Perhaps I should repair my old pair of shoes. The strings at the side came off a little bit. I think a needle and strings will fix up the loosen part.
I am looking forward to the baking class. I have tried many times to better myself in cake and bread making but sometimes they don't turn out right. I realize now that some recipes in the web and even published recipe books have mistakes in them. It's a waste of time and money and efforts and really put me off at times. I remembered many years ago when I was still a teenager, I gave my dog my "failed" recipe outcome. The dog loved my cake !!!
I strongly believe these three weeks class will get me a good start to make cake, bread and pastries. These two years have been quite relaxing. I am not much in pressure to bring in income now. Suppose it is a good time to enjoy what I love doing now.
I am looking forward to the baking class. I have tried many times to better myself in cake and bread making but sometimes they don't turn out right. I realize now that some recipes in the web and even published recipe books have mistakes in them. It's a waste of time and money and efforts and really put me off at times. I remembered many years ago when I was still a teenager, I gave my dog my "failed" recipe outcome. The dog loved my cake !!!
I strongly believe these three weeks class will get me a good start to make cake, bread and pastries. These two years have been quite relaxing. I am not much in pressure to bring in income now. Suppose it is a good time to enjoy what I love doing now.
Friday, 22 March 2013
NEET 啃老族
I was shocked to hear this term "啃老族". A search in the net revealed that in English, it is called NEET - Not Employed, Education or Training, or "returning the nest".
But in Chinese, it literally means "eating the elders'". This is frightening. What happen to our young generation?
The characteristics are as such:
But in Chinese, it literally means "eating the elders'". This is frightening. What happen to our young generation?
The characteristics are as such:
- 眼高手低型
- 對於自己的現實工作有著超出能力的待遇要求，導致好的工作找不到，差的工作又不願意做。
- 喪失自信型
- 因工作經驗失敗，對往後就業心存挫折，信心遭受打擊，不敢再面對就業。
- 自我封閉型
- 從小與社會接觸環境自然隔閡造成。
- 家庭溺愛型
- 從小受到家人的期待，升學只為了滿足家人的期待，擁有學歷卻不就業，有自己的想法，追求自由。
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Braised Chicken Feet with Mushroom
In my freezer, there were 8 pairs of chicken feet which I kept after cooking 8 chickens. It's time to cook braised chicken feet with mushroom. The last time I cooked this dish was two years ago. I liked it so much that I ate plenty, and eventually, came down with food allergic. I suspect it must be the not-so-good quality of chinese mushroom.
I googled the web and this site gave me the recipe that I want. http://raymondskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/braised-chicken-feet-with-mushroom.html.
The difficult part was deep-fry the chicken feet. I didn't expect so much oil splashing on my hand, on my finger, and one drop hit on my eye lid. It's like starting a war in my small kitchen. Next time I must remember not to wait for the oil to heat up before I drop the chicken feet into the oil. Next time I must remember to chop the chicken feet into half, put the chicken feet into the cold oil, cover it with wok lid before I turn on the fire to heat up the oil. This will save me from getting injured from the splashing oil, and save me from mopping the floor and wiping the oil everywhere in the kitchen.
Anyway, the finished product was superb..... Though the colour of the chicken feet that I cooked was not so brown, but it still taste as good as those served in famous chinese restaurant. This time round, I didn't get allergic.
I googled the web and this site gave me the recipe that I want. http://raymondskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/braised-chicken-feet-with-mushroom.html.
The difficult part was deep-fry the chicken feet. I didn't expect so much oil splashing on my hand, on my finger, and one drop hit on my eye lid. It's like starting a war in my small kitchen. Next time I must remember not to wait for the oil to heat up before I drop the chicken feet into the oil. Next time I must remember to chop the chicken feet into half, put the chicken feet into the cold oil, cover it with wok lid before I turn on the fire to heat up the oil. This will save me from getting injured from the splashing oil, and save me from mopping the floor and wiping the oil everywhere in the kitchen.
Anyway, the finished product was superb..... Though the colour of the chicken feet that I cooked was not so brown, but it still taste as good as those served in famous chinese restaurant. This time round, I didn't get allergic.
Friday, 15 March 2013
Half yearly Hypertension Review at Hospital Queen Elizabeth
Had a regular review at Hospital Queen Elizabeth at 11.30am last Wednesday. It took me half an hour to find a parking. And it took me another 3 hours to wait for my turn to see the doctor. Worst still, the doctor took less than 5 min to attend to me. He was wearing a mouth mask, and looked down to write notes as he talked to me. He didn't answer to the problems I raised, finally I gave up and asked him just to let me continue the prescription the Endocrine Specialist last gave me.
My hp reading was 116/64, which I considered very low as compared to my usual reading (130/80), especially when the reading was taken right after I walked 10min from the car park to the hospital. I got tired easily nowadays, light-headed when I stood for about 30min. I am just wondering how does one know whether she is taking the correct medication. I initially took Valsartan 160mg only, the specialist added Amlodipine 5mg when the reading didn't seem to improve. Now I am wondering whether I should only take Amlodipine.
I feel that most doctors are not competent to their jobs at QE. They either do not bother or do not know how to give explanation to patients.
Perhaps I should doctor myself.
My hp reading was 116/64, which I considered very low as compared to my usual reading (130/80), especially when the reading was taken right after I walked 10min from the car park to the hospital. I got tired easily nowadays, light-headed when I stood for about 30min. I am just wondering how does one know whether she is taking the correct medication. I initially took Valsartan 160mg only, the specialist added Amlodipine 5mg when the reading didn't seem to improve. Now I am wondering whether I should only take Amlodipine.
I feel that most doctors are not competent to their jobs at QE. They either do not bother or do not know how to give explanation to patients.
Perhaps I should doctor myself.
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Selling Insurance and Unit Trust
For almost one year, I have been drifted away further and further from my work activities. I get to dislike approaching people for investing in unit trust and insurance protection. As I stay longer in this line of business, I am more and more convinced that unit trust and insurance marketing departments are only interested getting sales, instead of making money and providing proper insurance for clients.
I took the effort to complete my study on Financial Planning, and obtained the certification as Registered Financial Planner. I joined the Financial Planning Company because I felt that being a tied agent to insurance company, no other insurance policy is good other than what you are selling. I don't agree with asking people to surrender their policies to buy from me. However, this is what agents are doing, especially those who are "successful" in their insurance career. This goes against my principle. Sadly to find out that Financial Planning Company are also more concerned with sales than giving proper advise to clients. Guess this line of business is not for me.
I took the effort to complete my study on Financial Planning, and obtained the certification as Registered Financial Planner. I joined the Financial Planning Company because I felt that being a tied agent to insurance company, no other insurance policy is good other than what you are selling. I don't agree with asking people to surrender their policies to buy from me. However, this is what agents are doing, especially those who are "successful" in their insurance career. This goes against my principle. Sadly to find out that Financial Planning Company are also more concerned with sales than giving proper advise to clients. Guess this line of business is not for me.
Cooking For Children
I am spending a lot of time on preparing 3 meals for my husband and children. Time with my children is getting less. My elder son was glad that he did not have to decide what to eat everyday when he was home for uni term break. When my younger son goes for further study in two years time, I would not be able to take care of them like before.
The saying about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Ha ha! I guess it is right to say that the way to make children returning home on their own will is through their stomach. They are happy enjoying the food I cook for them, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
My younger son requested me to prepare lunch for him to bring to school because the school canteens serve lousy food. I postponed my promise until beginning of this year. He has been very happy having home cooked lunch at school. A few of his friends requested him to bring extra because they want to buy from him. I certainly did not agree as I do not wish to make myself busy cooking for other children. Let their mothers take care of their own children. :)
The saying about the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Ha ha! I guess it is right to say that the way to make children returning home on their own will is through their stomach. They are happy enjoying the food I cook for them, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
My younger son requested me to prepare lunch for him to bring to school because the school canteens serve lousy food. I postponed my promise until beginning of this year. He has been very happy having home cooked lunch at school. A few of his friends requested him to bring extra because they want to buy from him. I certainly did not agree as I do not wish to make myself busy cooking for other children. Let their mothers take care of their own children. :)
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Robusta Coffee
Drinking a good cup of coffee energizes my day! I bought 500g of Indonesian Robusta coffee roasted bean at the market yesterday. The stall owner assured me that the beans were fresh. I smelt both Arabica and Robusta he sold. This time Robusta smelt better even though Arabica is RM2 more expensive than Robusta. I paid RM15 and divided the roasted bean into 2 sealed plastic bags.
I do not have a coffee grinder. So, I used my blender to blend about 150g. The coffee aroma immediately filled up my small kitchen. In fact the coffee aroma lingered in my kitchen for almost a day.
I do not have a coffee maker as well. I just poured hot water over the robusta coffee powder and stirred with a spoon. Then I filtered with a small filter I use for my cooking. The robusta coffee was very, very good. I have no words to describe the coffee, but it tastes better than the cappuccino at Gusto, Water Front, thatI had on Sunday night which I paid RM7 for a cup. It also beats coffee serve at Olde Station, Old town, Starbucks, Dome, E-West and local coffee shop. Seems that my husband has no better place to bring me for a cup of coffee other than home. :)
I would say one cup of this coffee costs me less than 50 cents. Perhaps I can consider opening up a coffee shop.
I do not have a coffee grinder. So, I used my blender to blend about 150g. The coffee aroma immediately filled up my small kitchen. In fact the coffee aroma lingered in my kitchen for almost a day.
I do not have a coffee maker as well. I just poured hot water over the robusta coffee powder and stirred with a spoon. Then I filtered with a small filter I use for my cooking. The robusta coffee was very, very good. I have no words to describe the coffee, but it tastes better than the cappuccino at Gusto, Water Front, thatI had on Sunday night which I paid RM7 for a cup. It also beats coffee serve at Olde Station, Old town, Starbucks, Dome, E-West and local coffee shop. Seems that my husband has no better place to bring me for a cup of coffee other than home. :)
I would say one cup of this coffee costs me less than 50 cents. Perhaps I can consider opening up a coffee shop.
Monday, 14 January 2013
Internet - an open book
Browsing the internet can bring you to everywhere, and content of everything. In order to "see no evil", one has to practically avoid browsing the net, but, unless you live in North Korea, otherwise, internet has intertwined in our life.
This feeling came about last night. After blogging using blogger.com, I clicked on the "next blogger" button to see what other people blog about. After a few click, some Japanese actresses came out, exposing nude with seducing pose. For a while, I took a deep breath, looked at the photos, and clicked on the hyperlink to see more of their photos.
With sense of insecurity, I thought, what if, my sons accidentally click on this type of blogs? I suppose they must have. Internet is an open book. You simply flip, the page just lays open in front of you. Being an asian mother brought up in a conservative way, I really need a lot of wisdom to interact with my sons. May the Lord guide their way, is my prayer for them.
This feeling came about last night. After blogging using blogger.com, I clicked on the "next blogger" button to see what other people blog about. After a few click, some Japanese actresses came out, exposing nude with seducing pose. For a while, I took a deep breath, looked at the photos, and clicked on the hyperlink to see more of their photos.
With sense of insecurity, I thought, what if, my sons accidentally click on this type of blogs? I suppose they must have. Internet is an open book. You simply flip, the page just lays open in front of you. Being an asian mother brought up in a conservative way, I really need a lot of wisdom to interact with my sons. May the Lord guide their way, is my prayer for them.
Hypertension Medication
My General Practitioner, Dr.Ng, at Clinic Luyang prescribed me with Novartis Diovan (Valsartan) 80 mg when my blood pressure reading remained at 140mmHg/90 in mid 2011. She increased the dosage to 160mg because my blood pressure didn't seem to drop. She was such a conscience doctor that she took the trouble to analyse my blood test reports. She noticed that my potassium level had been consistently low. After that she referred me to Endocrine Specialist.
I went through the ammonium chloride test which they called renal tubular acidosis. That was in Sept 2011. My blood PH was at 7.296. Anyway, I don't know what it means but the doctor said there was nothing to concern. However, they wanted to find out why my blood pressure reading didn't come down despite increasing the valsartan to 160mg. I was put to do ECG, treadmill, heart scan, and thank God that my heart proves healthy. The Specialist did not see it necessary to do angiogram because it carries risk.
Finally, besides Valsartan 160mg, he gave me Ranbaxy Vamlo 5mg (Amlodipine Besilate) . That was in end April 2012. Ranbaxy Vamlo seems to work wonder in me. Not only it brings back my blood pressure reading to normal, it cures me of migraine and my subsequent potassium level return to normal!
I used to have bad migraine at least once a month. My first migraine attacked was when I was 28 years old. It got worse when I was 30+. If I slept late, watched too much Tv, staring too long at computer (I worked as Software Engineer), too stress, staying too long under the sun, all these would trigger migraine for 1 to 3 days. I don't know why Amlodipine Besilate can cure me of 3 illnesses. Are they related? After going through this series of tests, I came to realize that doctors may not know our health better than we do. They may not as good as we thought they are. I wish there is a clue to my question so that I know how actually my health is.
I went through the ammonium chloride test which they called renal tubular acidosis. That was in Sept 2011. My blood PH was at 7.296. Anyway, I don't know what it means but the doctor said there was nothing to concern. However, they wanted to find out why my blood pressure reading didn't come down despite increasing the valsartan to 160mg. I was put to do ECG, treadmill, heart scan, and thank God that my heart proves healthy. The Specialist did not see it necessary to do angiogram because it carries risk.
Finally, besides Valsartan 160mg, he gave me Ranbaxy Vamlo 5mg (Amlodipine Besilate) . That was in end April 2012. Ranbaxy Vamlo seems to work wonder in me. Not only it brings back my blood pressure reading to normal, it cures me of migraine and my subsequent potassium level return to normal!
I used to have bad migraine at least once a month. My first migraine attacked was when I was 28 years old. It got worse when I was 30+. If I slept late, watched too much Tv, staring too long at computer (I worked as Software Engineer), too stress, staying too long under the sun, all these would trigger migraine for 1 to 3 days. I don't know why Amlodipine Besilate can cure me of 3 illnesses. Are they related? After going through this series of tests, I came to realize that doctors may not know our health better than we do. They may not as good as we thought they are. I wish there is a clue to my question so that I know how actually my health is.
What is life insurance all about
Once I read a story which explained
very well of how insurance works.
Long ago, there was a village with 100 households. They were all padi farmers. Not far from the village lived a gang of robbers that came down from the mountain on the last day of each year. The robbers would target at the village and shot an arrow. Whichever house nearest to the fallen arrow would be required to give the robbers 100 sacks of rice. 100 sacks was in fact all the padi harvested in a year, leaving the family nothing to live by for the following year!
One day, a wise man from the nearby village heard about the ill-fated village and decided to pay the village a visit. He shared with them an idea of how every one can help each other to reduce the loss to the minimal. The brilliant idea was for each household to contribute a sack of rice at the end of the year. 100 household would mean 100 sacks of rice. At year end, no one should be in fear anymore of losing his fortune for a year!
This concept is similar to life insurance. Every policyholder does contribution from his premium to form an insurance pool. Should any of the policyholder pass on, the money from the pool is used for compensation.
Technical definition would be:
Insurance provides financial protection against a loss arising out of happening of an uncertain event. A person can avail this protection by paying premium to an insurance company.
A pool is created through contributions made by persons seeking to protect themselves from common risk. Premium is collected by insurance companies which also act as trustee to the pool. Any loss to the insured in case of happening of an uncertain event is paid out of this pool.
Insurance works on the basic principle of risk-sharing. A great advantage of insurance is that it spreads the risk of a few people over a large group of people exposed to risk of similar type.
Long ago, there was a village with 100 households. They were all padi farmers. Not far from the village lived a gang of robbers that came down from the mountain on the last day of each year. The robbers would target at the village and shot an arrow. Whichever house nearest to the fallen arrow would be required to give the robbers 100 sacks of rice. 100 sacks was in fact all the padi harvested in a year, leaving the family nothing to live by for the following year!
One day, a wise man from the nearby village heard about the ill-fated village and decided to pay the village a visit. He shared with them an idea of how every one can help each other to reduce the loss to the minimal. The brilliant idea was for each household to contribute a sack of rice at the end of the year. 100 household would mean 100 sacks of rice. At year end, no one should be in fear anymore of losing his fortune for a year!
This concept is similar to life insurance. Every policyholder does contribution from his premium to form an insurance pool. Should any of the policyholder pass on, the money from the pool is used for compensation.
Technical definition would be:
Insurance provides financial protection against a loss arising out of happening of an uncertain event. A person can avail this protection by paying premium to an insurance company.
A pool is created through contributions made by persons seeking to protect themselves from common risk. Premium is collected by insurance companies which also act as trustee to the pool. Any loss to the insured in case of happening of an uncertain event is paid out of this pool.
Insurance works on the basic principle of risk-sharing. A great advantage of insurance is that it spreads the risk of a few people over a large group of people exposed to risk of similar type.
Medical Insurance-Points to note
Most people will assume that their
hospitalization expenses are taken care of after signing the dots on
their proposal form. Policy documents are put away without first
reading the terms and conditions in it. When comes the time to make
claim, some are disappointed, leading to finger pointing at insurance
agents......
The following reminder is an extract from www.insuranceinfo.com.my which I find important for consumers shopping for a medical hospitalization insurance policy.
1)Buy according to needs and budget
Lower premiums will have lower claim limits, and the amount covered is commensurate with the premiums you pay. Understand what your needs are and how much you can afford to put aside regularly. It also pays to shop around and look at policies from various companies, as these will differ in coverage, benefits and costs.
2)Full disclosure of information
Do not hide anything about your medical history. Some will even ask about immediate family members,. You should never lie, as it can and will result iin claims not being paid.
3)Fully understand your policy
Ask your agent for more information about the policy you want to buy, and do not be shy about it. Understand what the terms and conditions are, as well as the scope of cover provided. You should at least be aware:
i.What is covered (limits of benefits provided)
ii.What is not covered (for example: investigative admission, prosthetic limbs)
iii.Period of cover (if policy renewal is guaranteed after a claim)
iv.Waiting period (the amount of time before you can make the first claim)
v.Annual and lifetime limits
vi.Co-insurance (cost-sharing between insured and insurer)
vii.The amount of premiums to pay (static or increases with age)
4)Be aware of exclusions
There will be a list of conditions and illnesses where claims cannot be made.
5)15 days free-look period
Once you receive the policy documentation, read through it thoroughly and see if you are agreeable to it. If you are not, you can return the policy within 15 days and receive a full refund of premiums (certain costs may be deducted)
6)Claims procedure
Always check with the insurance agent or company before undergoing treatment. They can advise which are their panel clinics, and what you are entitled to. In the case of emergencies nd treatment is sought at a non-panel facility, the insured usually has to pay for it firs, and will be re-imbursed later.
7)Buy additional riders
If required, you can buy extra coverage on your policy (for example, overseas treatment of waiver of the annual limit).
The following reminder is an extract from www.insuranceinfo.com.my which I find important for consumers shopping for a medical hospitalization insurance policy.
1)Buy according to needs and budget
Lower premiums will have lower claim limits, and the amount covered is commensurate with the premiums you pay. Understand what your needs are and how much you can afford to put aside regularly. It also pays to shop around and look at policies from various companies, as these will differ in coverage, benefits and costs.
2)Full disclosure of information
Do not hide anything about your medical history. Some will even ask about immediate family members,. You should never lie, as it can and will result iin claims not being paid.
3)Fully understand your policy
Ask your agent for more information about the policy you want to buy, and do not be shy about it. Understand what the terms and conditions are, as well as the scope of cover provided. You should at least be aware:
i.What is covered (limits of benefits provided)
ii.What is not covered (for example: investigative admission, prosthetic limbs)
iii.Period of cover (if policy renewal is guaranteed after a claim)
iv.Waiting period (the amount of time before you can make the first claim)
v.Annual and lifetime limits
vi.Co-insurance (cost-sharing between insured and insurer)
vii.The amount of premiums to pay (static or increases with age)
4)Be aware of exclusions
There will be a list of conditions and illnesses where claims cannot be made.
5)15 days free-look period
Once you receive the policy documentation, read through it thoroughly and see if you are agreeable to it. If you are not, you can return the policy within 15 days and receive a full refund of premiums (certain costs may be deducted)
6)Claims procedure
Always check with the insurance agent or company before undergoing treatment. They can advise which are their panel clinics, and what you are entitled to. In the case of emergencies nd treatment is sought at a non-panel facility, the insured usually has to pay for it firs, and will be re-imbursed later.
7)Buy additional riders
If required, you can buy extra coverage on your policy (for example, overseas treatment of waiver of the annual limit).
8)Review policy annually
The cost of medical care increases every year. It is prudent to regularly check if the existing coverage meets current costs.
The cost of medical care increases every year. It is prudent to regularly check if the existing coverage meets current costs.
Medical Card – to upgrade or not to upgrade
My husband bought a medical card from a
renowned insurance company 7 years ago. The cover was RM100 for Daily
Room And Board, RM50K for annual hospitalization and surgical
procedure, RM150K lifetime limit, expired at age 70. No claim has
been made so far.
Now that he is 7 years older, at the age of 50, we feel that 70 years old is not very far away. Reviewing the medical policy, we ask ourselves whether it is necessary and worthwhile to upgrade the medical card to a higher plan, or buy a second medical card to maintain the terms and conditions in the first medical card. The T&C was better and insurance charges was cheaper.
On inquiry, upgrading to age 80 will cost an additional monthly premium of RM191.30. To purchase a second medical card will cost another monthly premium of RM250 on top of what he is already paying RM150p.m.
After evaluation of the objective of upgrading, which is to ensure some kind of hospitalisation protection after age 70 to 80, we decide to invest RM250 monthly in an investment tool that can give us an average return of 8% per annum. This will give us an estimated dedicated hospitalization fund of RM137K at age 70.
Now that he is 7 years older, at the age of 50, we feel that 70 years old is not very far away. Reviewing the medical policy, we ask ourselves whether it is necessary and worthwhile to upgrade the medical card to a higher plan, or buy a second medical card to maintain the terms and conditions in the first medical card. The T&C was better and insurance charges was cheaper.
On inquiry, upgrading to age 80 will cost an additional monthly premium of RM191.30. To purchase a second medical card will cost another monthly premium of RM250 on top of what he is already paying RM150p.m.
After evaluation of the objective of upgrading, which is to ensure some kind of hospitalisation protection after age 70 to 80, we decide to invest RM250 monthly in an investment tool that can give us an average return of 8% per annum. This will give us an estimated dedicated hospitalization fund of RM137K at age 70.
Housing Loan
When we got married in 1990, my husband
and I pooled our income together to buy a house. It is a corner,
double storey terrace house. At that time the house was RM150K. 20
years later, which is now, we were told the house can fetch RM500k
because of its locality.
Half a million as compared to RM150K seems to be a good price. However, punching number in my financial calculator, the annual growth was 6.2%. If I factor in the interest which we paid to the bank, the annual growth is merely around 3%, not very impressive as compared to fixed D!
20 years ago, the loan interest was calculated using a formula BLR + ? %. The BLR kept increasing until our housing loan interest became double figure! That means the monthly prepayment was not even sufficient to cover the interest! It was some kind of Ah Long dilemma. We were somehow sort of lucky during that period because my company introduced housing loan subsidy. The interest was brought down to flat rate of 4%, and we managed to settle the payment in year 2000.
Checking with the PBB and BSN today, the housing loan interest is calculated based on BLR-2.2% for the duration of the tenure. BSN will pay for the legal fee, transfer fee etc which they call 0% moving fee, but if you decide to settle in full before the tenure term ends, penalty is 3% of the loan amount. Whereas PBB only implement 3 year lock-in period but you have to be responsible for the moving fee yourself.
Nevertheless, I should think that it is quite a good time to take up a housing loan now as compared to 20 years ago.
Year BLR Remarks
2009 6.50 5.95 (February)
5.55 (March)
2008 6.75
2007 6.75
2006 6.00
2005 6.00
2004 6.00
2003 6.50
2002 6.50
2001 6.75
2000 6.75
1999 8.00
1998 10.50 12.27%
1997 9.25
1996 8.50
1995 6.60
1994 8.25
1993 9.50
1992 9.00
1991 7.50
1990 7.00
Half a million as compared to RM150K seems to be a good price. However, punching number in my financial calculator, the annual growth was 6.2%. If I factor in the interest which we paid to the bank, the annual growth is merely around 3%, not very impressive as compared to fixed D!
20 years ago, the loan interest was calculated using a formula BLR + ? %. The BLR kept increasing until our housing loan interest became double figure! That means the monthly prepayment was not even sufficient to cover the interest! It was some kind of Ah Long dilemma. We were somehow sort of lucky during that period because my company introduced housing loan subsidy. The interest was brought down to flat rate of 4%, and we managed to settle the payment in year 2000.
Checking with the PBB and BSN today, the housing loan interest is calculated based on BLR-2.2% for the duration of the tenure. BSN will pay for the legal fee, transfer fee etc which they call 0% moving fee, but if you decide to settle in full before the tenure term ends, penalty is 3% of the loan amount. Whereas PBB only implement 3 year lock-in period but you have to be responsible for the moving fee yourself.
Nevertheless, I should think that it is quite a good time to take up a housing loan now as compared to 20 years ago.
Year BLR Remarks
2009 6.50 5.95 (February)
5.55 (March)
2008 6.75
2007 6.75
2006 6.00
2005 6.00
2004 6.00
2003 6.50
2002 6.50
2001 6.75
2000 6.75
1999 8.00
1998 10.50 12.27%
1997 9.25
1996 8.50
1995 6.60
1994 8.25
1993 9.50
1992 9.00
1991 7.50
1990 7.00
Rules to follow in Family Financial Planning
Budget:
Have a budget. Plan
your budget with care and make sure you adhere to your financial
goals.
Savings:
Pay yourself first! Every month, set aside at least 10% of your income as savings. Place these savings in a separate bank account and choose not to have the ATM card facility.
Make savings a way of life: Begin saving TODAY. Know the concept of compound interest.
Make savings a way of life: Provide an emergency fund, ideally at 6 times of monthly expenses.
Make savings a way of life: Allocate your savings for retirement fund, but most importantly - Live Within Your Means.
Loans & Credits:
Loans & Credits: Know the purpose of your loan and repayment capabilities; and, be aware of the terms and conditions of the loans.
Loans & Credits: Know the effective interest rate on your loans; and, keep payments within 40% of gross monthly salary.
Loans & Credits: Always be a good paymaster so you have a positive credit report; and, NEVER borrow from unlicensed money lenders.
Signs that you need financial advice:
You only pay the minimum amount every month for your credit card.
You take frequent cash advances.
You have little or no savings.
You depend on overtime or bonuses to pay your living expenses.
You consistently pay your bills late.
You borrow money from family or friends to pay your debts.
Financial Basics:
Make and stick to a budget.
Save at least 10% of your monthly salary.
Track your expenses and cash flow.
Live within your means.
Spend wisely, learn to differentiate between needs and wants.
Delay gratification.
Have an emergency buffer fund of 6 months of your total expenses.
Managing debt better:
Borrow or take loans only for productive purposes.
Ensure that you can pay the installments comfortably.
As a guide, your monthly loan repayments should not exceed 40% of your gross monthly income.
Adhere to the repayment schedule to avoid unnecessary charges.
Use surplus fund or extra income to reduce your total debts.
Building Wealth:
In order to build wealth, start saving early.
You need to ensure you have a positive net worth (asset - liabilities).
Diversify your investments in order to spread your risks.
The higher the return you get from an, investment, the greater the risk.
Be wary of get-rich-quick schemes.
Tips on using credit cards:
Limit the number of credit cards you have to just two.
Do not use a credit card if you cannot make the monthly payments.
Avoid using credit card to get cash advances.
Always check your credit card monthly statement to ensure there are no irregularities.
Savings:
Pay yourself first! Every month, set aside at least 10% of your income as savings. Place these savings in a separate bank account and choose not to have the ATM card facility.
Make savings a way of life: Begin saving TODAY. Know the concept of compound interest.
Make savings a way of life: Provide an emergency fund, ideally at 6 times of monthly expenses.
Make savings a way of life: Allocate your savings for retirement fund, but most importantly - Live Within Your Means.
Loans & Credits:
Loans & Credits: Know the purpose of your loan and repayment capabilities; and, be aware of the terms and conditions of the loans.
Loans & Credits: Know the effective interest rate on your loans; and, keep payments within 40% of gross monthly salary.
Loans & Credits: Always be a good paymaster so you have a positive credit report; and, NEVER borrow from unlicensed money lenders.
Signs that you need financial advice:
You only pay the minimum amount every month for your credit card.
You take frequent cash advances.
You have little or no savings.
You depend on overtime or bonuses to pay your living expenses.
You consistently pay your bills late.
You borrow money from family or friends to pay your debts.
Financial Basics:
Make and stick to a budget.
Save at least 10% of your monthly salary.
Track your expenses and cash flow.
Live within your means.
Spend wisely, learn to differentiate between needs and wants.
Delay gratification.
Have an emergency buffer fund of 6 months of your total expenses.
Managing debt better:
Borrow or take loans only for productive purposes.
Ensure that you can pay the installments comfortably.
As a guide, your monthly loan repayments should not exceed 40% of your gross monthly income.
Adhere to the repayment schedule to avoid unnecessary charges.
Use surplus fund or extra income to reduce your total debts.
Building Wealth:
In order to build wealth, start saving early.
You need to ensure you have a positive net worth (asset - liabilities).
Diversify your investments in order to spread your risks.
The higher the return you get from an, investment, the greater the risk.
Be wary of get-rich-quick schemes.
Tips on using credit cards:
Limit the number of credit cards you have to just two.
Do not use a credit card if you cannot make the monthly payments.
Avoid using credit card to get cash advances.
Always check your credit card monthly statement to ensure there are no irregularities.
Planning Concept
I learned my first planning lesson in
Form 3 of home science classes. Mrs.Karim was our cookery class
teacher while Mrs.Kok taught us sewing. I picked up valuable ideas
and skills from them. In the home science exam, we were supposed to
cook for a meal.
The meal consisted of 3 dishes and a soup for a meal. Below were the things we needed to write down.
1. Decide what to cook and which to cook first(set the goal and set priority),
2. Write down recipes and check if you have the ingredients (gather relevant data and information),
3. work out a time schedule for each step to follow. Estimate time taken for each step. (Analyze info and develop the process for implementation.)
4. Cook according to what were written down. (execute the plan)
5. Constantly check to ensure stewed meat does not dry up, etc., until completion. (Monitor and review)
In upper form, in order to carry out any experiment, the same procedure will follow. Similarly, in financial planning, the logical way to follow is
1. Determine what i want to achieve financially and prioritize them
2. Arrange, file up, and put on paper what are the resources and liabilities i have, e.g. how much money i have in the bank, invested in shares or unit trust, loans etc.
3. Analyze the assets and liabilities and the income sources
4. Detail and write down the financial problems I have and the solutions that I can have
5. Implement steps to solve my problems and to achieve my financial goals
6. Check and adjust the implementation to ensure problems are solved and goals can be achieve.
It is easy to say than to implement. Get a financial planner to advise you.
The meal consisted of 3 dishes and a soup for a meal. Below were the things we needed to write down.
1. Decide what to cook and which to cook first(set the goal and set priority),
2. Write down recipes and check if you have the ingredients (gather relevant data and information),
3. work out a time schedule for each step to follow. Estimate time taken for each step. (Analyze info and develop the process for implementation.)
4. Cook according to what were written down. (execute the plan)
5. Constantly check to ensure stewed meat does not dry up, etc., until completion. (Monitor and review)
In upper form, in order to carry out any experiment, the same procedure will follow. Similarly, in financial planning, the logical way to follow is
1. Determine what i want to achieve financially and prioritize them
2. Arrange, file up, and put on paper what are the resources and liabilities i have, e.g. how much money i have in the bank, invested in shares or unit trust, loans etc.
3. Analyze the assets and liabilities and the income sources
4. Detail and write down the financial problems I have and the solutions that I can have
5. Implement steps to solve my problems and to achieve my financial goals
6. Check and adjust the implementation to ensure problems are solved and goals can be achieve.
It is easy to say than to implement. Get a financial planner to advise you.
See who can't "tahan"
Hubby and son had used up the
toothpaste. The tube was already flattened. I use Sensodyne. I was
curious why no one had taken the move to get a new one from the
drawer just a few steps away. When I asked, hubby said, 'see who
can't tahan.' After having said that, son went into the bathroom and
came out with the empty tube to show me. 'Why no one takes a new
one?', I said, 'your father said who can't tahan. If you can't, get a
new one then.'. He smiled and replaced with a new one.
We both laughed. Sometimes men are so lazy. I can't tahan the dirt on the floor. That's why I am always the one who mop the floor, clean the kitchen, so on and so forth.
Living In Kota Kinabalu
It is a blessing to live in Kota
Kinabalu. My life is casual and relaxing.
My house is located at a convenient spot.
My house is located at a convenient spot.
I can buy groceries and daily needs just about
any direction near my house.
My office is 10 min within walking
distance.
My children's school is 6km away from my house, and most of
the time I can avoid traffic jam at different hours using different
routes.
I love jogging at Taman Tun Fuad Stephen early in the morning
especially after rainy nights. The fresh air and the sound of stream
flowing down from the slope is simply refreshing. Sometimes I choose
to jog round the man-made lake at Likas Sport Complex. When time is a
bit rush, I jog at Taman Tropicana.
SNN Symptom
Get tired so often. I think due to age.
Hubby said,'You have developed SNN symptom.'
I asked, 'What is SNN?'
He said,'Sao Nai Nai, sleep whenever you want.'
I replied, 'I don't go shopping, I don't go to hair saloon and I don't play mah jiong'
He teased me,'Because you don't have money to do all these'
I said,'Then, work harder, make more money so that I can live like a real SNN.'
Sign.........
Overcharged by Permai Polyclinics
This happened on 15 May
2011.
Auntie in Tenom gave me some chicken
feet already deep fried. What I needed to do to make it a
delicious stewed chicken feet and mushroom was very simple. Just
soaked some chinese mushroom and stewed with the chicken feet with
garlic, soy sauce and other spices. It was superb! However, my two
sons didn't seem to be very interested. On Thursday, hubby went
outstation. The leftover became my lunch and dinner.
On the same night around 3am, I woke up with itchy left foot and left hand. Like before, my first suspicion was mosquitoes. I turned on the light and ready with Shieldtox mosquito spray to fight with the intruder. After searching for a while with no mosquito on sight, I looked at my foot and my hand and found no sign of mosquito bites. I went back to bed until the next morning.
On Friday night after dinner, the itchiness came back. Now with more rashes all over my body. My brother said it must be due to food allergy. Guess I ate too much chinese mushroom.
Since it was already 10pm, all the pharmacy shops were closed. I had no choice but looked for a 24-hour clinic. I finally found one in Lintas Plaza. It was Permai Polyclinics. The doctor in charged insisted an injection was necessary to stop the itchiness even though I told him I preferred to take medication. 3 years ago I had more severe allergy due to insect bites. The skin specialist didn't give me injection but medication and cream to apply at that time.
On the same night around 3am, I woke up with itchy left foot and left hand. Like before, my first suspicion was mosquitoes. I turned on the light and ready with Shieldtox mosquito spray to fight with the intruder. After searching for a while with no mosquito on sight, I looked at my foot and my hand and found no sign of mosquito bites. I went back to bed until the next morning.
On Friday night after dinner, the itchiness came back. Now with more rashes all over my body. My brother said it must be due to food allergy. Guess I ate too much chinese mushroom.
Since it was already 10pm, all the pharmacy shops were closed. I had no choice but looked for a 24-hour clinic. I finally found one in Lintas Plaza. It was Permai Polyclinics. The doctor in charged insisted an injection was necessary to stop the itchiness even though I told him I preferred to take medication. 3 years ago I had more severe allergy due to insect bites. The skin specialist didn't give me injection but medication and cream to apply at that time.
Sitting in front of the doctor, I didn't seem to have a choice but to follow his instruction. Even though the the jab eased the itchiness very quickly, the bill gave me heart pain!
The total bill was RM112!!! Consultation RM30, Injection RM40 (with 2 medicines), Dyna Calamine Lotion RM12, 10 tablets of Predinisolone 5 mg RM20 and 10 tablets of ucb zyrtec Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mg RM20.
Can you believe how the clinic charged me for the medication? I just wonder whether there is a system for us as consumer to report over charge by the doctor. Living in Malaysia, we don't seem to have a way to fight for our right. Inflation is hitting me really hard. I am not happy because certain people are abusing their charges. Who are suffering? People like me who don't earn high enough to shoulder the inflation
A Cup Of Hot Chocolate
I read this in a Chinese magazine,
which speaks to me what is really important in life. How we now live,
is really the choice made by us.
A group of graduates, well
established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided
to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their
visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their
work and lives. Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went
into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and
an assortment of cups – porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain
looking, some expensive, some exquisite – telling them to help
themselves to the hot chocolate.
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said: “Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The cup that you’re drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups… And then you began eyeing each other’s cups.
Now consider
this: Life is the hot
chocolate; your
job, money and position in society are the cups.
They are just tools to hold and
contain life. The cup you have
does not define, nor change the quality of life you have. Sometimes,
by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate
God has provided us. God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the
cups. The happiest people don’t have the best of everything. They
just make the best of everything that they have. Live simply. Love
generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And enjoy your hot chocolate.
Protecting my mango from bats
This photo dated 20th June 2010
In the previous mango season last year,
bats came to enjoy my ripe mangoes at night leaving behind the mango
skin with the flesh gone. This year I wrap the fruits about to ripe
with plastic bags. This way keep the mangoes away from the bats. The
birds like to poke on the fruits as well. I just couldn't wrap every
fruit so let the birds enjoy the fruits together with me.
My Mango Tree
This photo was taken on 20 June 2010.
It was mango season. I have an apple
mango tree just in front of my house. It shapes like apple, and we name this species "Apple Mango". The flesh is smooth and sweet
and juicy.
Yummy! When comes mango season, I eat at least 2 to 3 fruits everyday. This is also
the season I find myself a few kilos heavier.
Mangoes are usually given to my family
members and guests. Everyone loves my mangoes.......
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