Ridiculous ways to save money $$$

Since i started working, money has been the center of my life. More a like center of problem. It has put me to a place where i've never wanted to go - Independent.

It's all begin when i started working, (doing my industrial study, to be exact), my parents have threw me out of their pocket. I couldn't blame them as my father got sick and business wasn't doing well.
Not getting FAMA pocket money was a hard start to begin my journey with. Not to mention that i have to pay my car loan on my own. My bro took a pity on me by paying half of my car loan (yeah, after my endless cries over the phone every end of the month).
And non of my frens could understand why i had to take part time job during my final year. They thought i love the job (yeah, rite!)

Then i've got a real job. This is even harder. I didn't know that there's so much i need to spend + invest and start thinking for a better future.
Here's the list:

1. Emergency fund (at least 2 months of my salary)
2. Insurance policy (there's so many in the market, i really dont know which to choose from)
3. Wedding/Family fund
4. Retirement plan (apart from EPF deducted from salary)
5. Investment in COOP
6. Investment in Unit Trust
7. Property Investment

These are the MUST HAVEs that my seniors colleagues are investing/saving in.
Can u imagine that? There's no credits for my shopping list!!

Then i thought of ridiculous ways for me to save money:
1. Take brunch instead of breakfast and lunch. Better still, attend + organize meetings coz - food and refreshments provided.
2. Take teaner instead of tea and dinner.
3. Sleep early so that my frens wont bug me for supper.
4. Dont use air cond while driving to + from work (hahaaa.. i could do this. My office is so cold it can lasts till i get home :-P)
5. Use office phone instead of mine when making calls (lucky i'm working in Telco)
6. Refill fuel full tank in the morning or at night.
7. Become a homebody. No need la to go out every weekend.
8. Avoid going to shopping complexes. It's a dangerous place for my pocket. Esp when i'm alone.
9. Buy groceries at hypermarket and keep a shopping list.
10. Cook! Urghh..
11. Wash my own clothes.
12. Withdraw salary and pay for expenses only after 1st of every month (Bank gives interest on every 30th maa)
13. Go back hometown as often as possible (expenses sponsored by family hehehe)
14. And i need to find a housemate!!

And figuring so, i've managed to save up a few hundred bucks by sticking to the rules. But the money doesnt go right to my piggy bank though. All the hardwork gives me pressure at the end of the month, so I spend it all on retail theraphy.. hehe

Procrastination

Things that i procrastinate every day:

1. Wake up at the sound of alarm clock
2. Pray
3. Wash my face before sleep
4. Take supplements

Things that i procrastinate every week:

1. Mop the floor
2. Read books (Currently i have 3 books + 2 magazines i haven't done reading)
3. Wash clothes / Send them for dobby
4. Visit my niece. (miss Sarah so much! :( )
5. Call/hang out with my friends

Things that i procrastinate every month:

1. Pay credit cards
2. Save money
3. Pay phone bill
4. Get insurance policy
5. Go for religion class

Things that i procrastinate in my life:

1. Grow up

That's it.

cause inside...

"If I have to give away...
The feeling that I feel.
If I have to sacrifice...
Oh, whatever baby.
If I have to take apart...
All that I am...
Is there anything that I would not do,
'Cause inside I'd die without you..."

i just cant wait to get home
to you...
With a bowl of mushroom soup :)

What a tragic accident

Article in English
Article in Malay

COINS (My Department) will be holding a Yassin recitation for Allahyarham Siti Salwani this afternoon. Wani was in COINS team before company reshuffering.
I dont know her well, as i'm new to this department (barely 3 months).
The whole department grief..
And i feel the loss too...
She was innocent.
She was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mungkin dah sampai ajal dia..
Al-fatihah to her.

The accident:

My wishlist

My wishlist according to ranking:

1. A PDA
2. New purse
3. New handphone
4. A digital SLR-like camera with >10x optical zoom
5. New sunglasses (preferably identical to my beloved sunglasses that my mom accidently flushed down the toilet :( )
6. A holiday with my new camera and sunglasses!! yeeehhhaa!!

Item 1 & 2, i've already got them - FREE!! Courtesy of Company + Leader

Women

"Women should not see themselves as being weaker or lacking capability as compared against the men. Most of the time, weakness come from self-assumption and attitude, which prevent women from fully utilising their talents and skills."

-- Wanita Umno Chief Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz

The quote above is today's quote of the day of www.bernama.com.my. It captured me in a sense that i know and i believe that many women in Malaysia feel the same way too. However, most of them are just too afraid to put it in action. Or lack of support, i presume.

I recall one incident.. I was a bridesmaid for my good fren who got married last month. A flowerlady (err.. she's not the senior version of flower girl, she provided flowers for the bride's room and pelamin) innocently tried to give the bride a piece of advice (apparently, to me too) while we were waiting for the groom to come for akad nikah. She told us; ladies' rule-of-thumb: "be dependant on your husband, so that he will always remember you" Which means, DO NOT do anything that is not in the bracket of housewife chores. Not even changing bulbs, nor rearrange stuff in the house eg. table. Even though you are capable of doing it on your own. Just pretend that you dont know. Whatever happens, wait for him and ask him to do it for you or do it together. By doing this, your spouse will always worry about you, thinks of you, whatever he does, where ever he goes.

My bride-fren and i were like, "What???" Hello!!! What era does she lives in? I'm not married but i personally do not think that's how it should be. It should be based on understanding and respect to each other. Not clinging!! Zaman dulu-dulu boleh la kot, where girls were so naive and all they knew, is to breed and cook and wash for the family.

I like to see myself as one of the women, just like Datuk Seri Rafidah. I always wanted to believe that i'm independent and strong. But i know i cant't be that, not without support from my love ones. I dont say to be stronger than men, but i just want to be a stronger self, a better person each day. I dont compare myself with other people. I compare me with myself yesterday.

i do suggest that women should stand beside a man, not behind. And men should do likewise. Thus, i disagree with the quote "In every man's success, there's a women behind him"

"In every man's success, there's a women beside him" and vice versa.