If your Priority is a Reward Credit Card

Interesting email received yesterday. I quote:

"MEN are all the same - no matter what species!"

"AND WOMEN’S REACTION IS THE SAME; NO MATTER WHAT SPECIES THE MAN IS… YOU CAN SEE HER EXCITEMENT. HEE! HEE! HEE! HEE!"

Does it mean that everything is created equal? Of course not! A colleague was talking about how unattractive the card redemption gifts are from her credit card issuer. I tend to agree that some card issuers provide better options. The moral of the story is before you apply for a credit card, it would be to your advantage to do a good filter so that you end up with the best Mastercard or Visa reward card if your priority is rewards redemption.

Photo checks to market your business

Not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that our local checks (cheques) are so boring. What do you think?

Over in the United States, checks need not be issued by banks unlike our banking system requirement here. Folks in the U.S. can order their personal checks and have different designs and prints on the checks. The personal checks in the image above are from CarouselChecks.com. Awesome idea, isn't it? Checks shouldn't be so boring, don't you think?

Checks are not only a great way to pay bills, they are the perfect venue to express your hobbies, interests and sense of style. CarouselChecks has hundreds of varieties to choose from from colorful images to panoramic views to define your individuality. If you prefer traditional checks, there are parchment backgrounds to gorgeous monograms to choose from.

Photo checks are the new fad currently. They are a great opportunity to show off your interests and family. Photo checks use modern printing techniques to put crisp, clear pictures on the front of your check. You can even use several pictures in the same checkbook if you order from CarouselChecks.
Proud of your children, your grandkids? Love your dog or kitty? Put the people and places you love most on your personalized photo checks and you'll always have a great conversation-starter. Brag away while you pay - put your vacation photos, family portraits, or even a funny moment to make your photo checks a memorable venue. The options are quite endless.

If you own or manage a business, business photo checks are a great way to showcase your finished product. Market your business by adding your best business picture of a finished renovation, wedding cake creation, floral arrangement or even a happy customer!

With hundreds of different images available, Carousel Checks has the checks you're looking for and at affordable prices. Clean, clear and classic, their bank check selection puts a modern spin to a familiar favorite.

A tax-deductible move - buying a PC, Laptop or Tablet

What is the cheapest way to get connected when thousands of miles apart? Via the Internet, of course! A colleague just bought a laptop for her mom because her new job requires her to travel often overseas.

Not sure which brand of laptop she bought but I know that after looking through the latest laptops at several IT centers around town, she picked one that's of medium price. Surprisingly, laptops are very affordable these days. In this world of connectivity, every household could do with one unit at home. Besides, as a taxpayer, it's tax-deductible.

Insurance plan that pays immediate annuities

Not sure if this type of insurance is available here in Malaysia but over in the U.S., there is such an insurance plan called single premium immediate annuities or simply "immediate annuities."

What this means is that this insurance product requires only a single payment and after that the insurance company pays you a pension for the rest of your life.

Single-premium immediate annuities are most useful for individuals or couples who are already at retirement age. A retiree can use his/her savings to purchase an immediate annuity, which will ensure steady income for his/her entire retirement, no matter how long he/she lives.

Best credit card deals from Credit Card Applications

It is easy to apply for a credit card in the US. Unlike here, one can apply for a credit card online. This site, Credit Card Applications, has a very wide selection of best credit card deals, one that will suit any credit need.

To help the applicant narrow down the search, you can indicate the user you are whether you are a general consumer, a small business owner (yes, they do have business credit cards), whether you are a student or one with a credit challenge. You can further fine-tune your search by checking off the kind of features and benefits you are looking for. For example, you may want a card that gives you frequent flyer miles or cash back or even annual fee waiver. You can just check off your requirement and a list of credit cards will be located for your consideration. Below is what I mean.

I think you can find the best credit cards here. Get a Citibank credit card or a Capital One or any one from reputable card issuers here on the site. These are the cards and companies that come highly recommended by top businesses and credit review organizations.

This is The Seventh Lunar Month

Bad news sells (newspapers). Indeed. Some say to stay away from reading the papers. But then again, how else are we to get news if we stay away from papers and the media. These are the places we get news from. Unfortunately, there is more bad news than good news these days. These are just a couple of the happenings around the world today.

1. London burns. I have a couple of girlfriends who are in England as we speak. I hope the city they are in is not affected by this rioting violence happening in various parts of the country. This chaos does not augur well for a country gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympics less than a year away.

2. The share markets all over are going south, first in the US with Stocks Suffering Sharpest Drop Since 2008 and the trend spreading to Asia, including Malaysia. Last time I checked at 12:30PM, the FBMKLCI closed at 1461.21 (-35.78). Is a recession in the offing? May be a good time (as any) to further tighten your belts or if you have cash to spare pick up some good stocks (and gold) which has hit a record high?

These are just two examples of bad (understatement) news around and affecting most if not all of us. It's tiring to talk about negative events. Things, bad things, happen this time of the year, the infamous seventh month of the lunar calendar. Gosh, do I sound superstitious or what! No, I'm actually not superstitious, maybe a little, but being of Chinese descent and growing up in a Buddhist/Taoist environment, Chinese family traditions and customs are part of my life.

Anyway, there is this prediction of the seventh lunar month that I read and the events happening right now around the world seem to ring true. According to the reading, this seventh month is set to see more severe negative energy in the world, much more severe than that of previous seventh lunar months. There is prediction of frequent or worse natural disasters, diseases, violence and freak incidents.

On the personal front, this being the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival, best to avoid dark and secluded places and places with negative connotations including hospitals. Children are more vulnerable to the negative effects of such places, so best to avoid bringing them to places with negative Ying energies. This month especially is where (stray) spirits hang around all over. One thing I've often been told as a child is to avoid street corners and junctions especially when night falls lest we bump or rather they bump into us. The seventh month is not a good month for auspicious events including engagements and weddings or moving house, etc. It's even not a good month to go swimming. Old wives tale perhaps but still, better be safe than sorry.

The seventh lunar month began on July 31 ending on Aug 28. From now until the 15th day (Aug 14), you may come across elaborate prayer setups and stage shows. These are normally arranged by business organizations made up of local business owners and they are specifically for the hungry/stray ghosts that are free to roam the earth just this time of the year. Front-row seats at these stage shows are usually left vacant, reserved for the spirits. By midnight of the 15th day, i.e., Aug 14, they would all have to return to where they come from, the underworld.

For families that are not in business, they can pray outside their homes by the roadside. This act of kindness and generosity is optional but it is believed that once a family starts this tradition, it would have to be a yearly affair. Joss-sticks and candles would be lit, food, underworld currency, gold and silver ingots and clothes are the usual offerings. Other than the food, everything else would be set alight. This is the only way, the offerings can be received. This prayer ritual is carried out either on the 14th or 15th evening of the seventh lunar month depending on the dialect clan the family belongs to. Other than the family carrying out this ritual, people normally avoid going near the prayer site so as to avoid bumping into the spirits.

Today is the 10th day of the seventh lunar month of 29 days. Nineteen more days to go before we go into the 8th month, the joyous month of the Mooncake Festival or also known as the Lantern Festival which falls on Sep 12. On a brighter note, mooncakes are already on sale. I saw them on sale at Genting Highlands even in July!

Whatever..
Take care and stay safe, Everyone!


Image source: The Star

Malaysian Ringgit strengthens against the US dollar

The nation rejoices that the Malaysian Ringgit is strengthening against the US dollar and that Malaysians can look forward to paying less for imported goods. It is also good news for parents with children studying in the US as well as for travellers.

Today, The Star says Economists expect the ringgit to steadily appreciate against the US dollar with several predicting the local currency would strengthen to between 2.95 and 2.90 against the greenback in the coming months. The ringgit was valued at RM2.50 per US$1 prior to the Asian financial crisis and was later pegged at RM3.80 to the US dollar.

What does this mean to you if you earn in US dollars or hold US stocks bought when the exchange rate was above 3.5?

Poor purchasing power in Malaysia

It is common knowledge that a hundred Ringgit doesn't buy us much these days. Our poor purchasing power sees to that.

The Malaysian Insider did a check on salaries and prices in selected developed country cities and results show that despite being touted as one of the world’s least expensive cities, KL residents pay as much or even more for chicken, broadband, cars and mobile phones as a percentage of their income.

Communications, for example, is one area where Malaysians are paying notably more than residents in developed countries even after currency conversion.

For instance, a 5Mbps broadband package costs RM149 in KL while in London, a 10Mbps package would cost GBP13.50, in Melbourne a 5-8Mbps package costs AUD40 and in New York, a 7Mbps service costs USD41.95.

Those who want to buy an iPhone 4 in KL, meanwhile, would have to pay RM1990 with a basic 24-month contract while in London, residents can get an iPhone 4 for just GBP199 with a basic 24-month contract and in Singapore, it costs just SGD210 with a basic contract.

The 2010 Prices and Wages report by Swiss bank UBS AG shows that residents in KL have only 33.8 per cent the purchasing power of their counterparts in New York, 42 per cent that of London, 33.7 per cent that of Sydney, 32.6 per cent that of Los Angeles and 31.6 per cent that of Zurich.

The same study shows that on average, KL residents have to work 22 minutes to afford a loaf of bread as compared with 18 minutes in Los Angeles, 16 minutes in Sydney, 15 minutes in Tokyo and 12 minutes in Zurich.

Wait, there is more..

A Honda Civic in KL costs about RM115,000, or 20 times the average monthly salary of an auditor.

In Melbourne and London by comparison, a Honda Civic costs AUD25,000 and GBP19,000 respectively, or only about three times the average salary of an auditor in those cities.

The high cost of cars is part of the reason that Malaysians have leveraged themselves to a record 76 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Bank Negara statistics show that at the end of last year, 20 per cent of Malaysian household debt was due to cars, an asset which depreciates over time.

All this from TheMalaysianInsider..

How to save money and be happier

What gets most of us into financial trouble is when we mix up what we really need and what we just want; or what we could make do instead of rather have when it comes to making choices.

When we seriously start working on only getting what we need, we can begin to see the possibility of saving money, staying out of debt or perhaps not having to resort to the aid of a payday advance though the latter could be a life-saver in some situations. Keeping tabs on your monthly expenditure could help you manage your finances better.

Fake money, RM50

Ever wondered how fake Malaysian currency look like? Received a heads-up yesterday about the current circulation of the Malaysian 50 Ringgit, RM50. Below is an image of the front and reverse of the note. Click on the image to enlarge print. Spread the word.

However, do discount the "50" logo on the reverse of the original as not every RM50 note has this logo. Only a certain amount was printed with this logo to commemorate Malaysia's 50th independence in 2007. By the way, notes with this logo are now a collector's item. Have you got any?

All that glitters is Gold

Gold does not go out of style. Despite its high price, goldsmith shops here are still doing good business. People buy gold jewelry as gifts for weddings and new arrivals to the family or simply to add to one's collection though people don't flaunt them so much these days for safety reasons.

Investors, however, are looking at another angle to owning gold. Gold is and has been for centuries been used to preserve one's wealth hedging against inflation, now more urgently needed than ever. You can start small and slowly build up your investment portfolio. You can buy gold coins to start with or open a gold investment account with a bank here.

Spot gold is around US$1,412 per ounce. As for the Ringgit, Ringgit is quoted at 3.0555 to the US dollar.

Egypt Erupts in Jubilation - Hosni Mubarak steps down

Events like this sets not only the country back but the whole world back several years. Citizens will have to work at bringing the same standard of living back to where it was. Even tourist dollars will have to be coaxed back. According to the NY Times, "This was meant to be a banner year for Egyptian tourism. The ministry of tourism was anticipating more than 14 million visitors in 2011, a record. It was hardly unrealistic, considering that Egypt had 12.5 million visitors in 2009, and in the first nine months of 2010, despite the continuing global recession, had already seen 10.5 million visitors pass through the country."

Worldwide, economy takes a dip when something this unsettling takes place. Everyone is affected in such a situation, sort of like the elements (the sun and the rain). There is no escape for anyone. Share markets everywhere were affected and went south. Even the KLCI lost 33 points on Thursday and continued to slide on Friday. I foresee the trend will be reversed come Monday now that Tahrir Square is back to normal.

NY Times..Egypt Erupts in Jubilation as Mubarak Steps Down
- CAIRO — An 18-day-old revolt led by the young people of Egypt ousted President Hosni Mubarak on Friday, shattering three decades of political stasis here and upending the established order of the Arab world.

Shouts of “God is great” erupted from Tahrir Square at twilight as Mr. Mubarak’s vice president and longtime intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, announced that Mr. Mubarak had passed all authority to a council of military leaders.

BBC.. Egypt's Mubarak resigns as leader
- Vice-President Omar Suleiman made the announcement on state television

Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as president of Egypt, after weeks of protest in Cairo and other cities.

The news was greeted with a huge outburst of joy and celebration by thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the heart of the demonstrations.

Mr Mubarak ruled for 30 years, suppressing dissent and protest, and jailing opponents.

The Star.. A day Egypt will long remember
- CAIRO erupted in loud cheers which could be heard for kilometres around reflecting the joy of Egyptians that long time President Hosni Mubarak has finally stepped down after 18 days of massive demonstrations.

Hosni Mubarak

* Elevated from vice-president when Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981
* Supported Sadat's policy of peace with Israel
* Maintained emergency law for entire presidency
* Won three elections unopposed
* Fourth term secured in 2005 after allowing rivals to stand
* Economic development led many Egyptians to accept continued rule
* Survived 1995 assassination attempt in Ethiopia
* Faced Islamist threat within Egypt, including Luxor massacre of 1997 and Sinai bombings
* Regularly suppressed dissent, protests and political opponents


Sources:
- NY Times
- BBC
- The Star

Android Banking App Mint

Managing Cash and Checks Made Simple with Mint.com | Business Wire

I've been using Mint for a couple of years now and love it. The only issue I have is that my credit card is listed just like my checking and saving with the same log in.

Mint doesn't understand that and can't pull the credit card data, which is why I switched over to www.yodlee.com. Pretty much a similar financial web application but works correctly with the way my bank set up it's customers credit cards. Yodlee also has some more advanced features such as bill pay and utility company balances, which is something Mint doesn't have.

Either way you choose I'm looking forward to trying out Mint mobile and hopefully they have addressed this credit card account issue.

Also a quick note about Assistant Free Android App, I don’t like it because it always runs in the background even though it’s set to not do so. Support didn’t respond to this issue. I’ve since uninstalled Assistant Free and my G1 which already has limited memory runs much better. Really there is no need for a financial application to be running all the time in the background upon boot up of the OS.