eBay Diamond Ring Designer Tool

With the launch of eBay's latest tool, the online diamond ring designer, which is still in Beta, it looks like eBay is growing further and further away from its roots, an online garage-like auction marketplace where ordinary folks like you and I gather stuff around the house that we no longer have use for and sell them to someone who wants what we are selling and not willing to pay the price for a brand new item.

eBay used to be a platform where ordinary folks could earn decent pocket money selling used items but with it's new site at http://diamonds.ebay.com/, it looks like eBay is getting more and more high class. It's changing into a totally commercial marketplace where merchants sell their wares, fashion designers and celebrities sell their high end clothes, shoes and bags.

With the new diamond ring designer tool, eBay shoppers can now design their very own diamond ring by selecting from a range of diamond shapes and settings. I find this an innovative idea but somehow it seems to me pretty out of place designing a diamond ring off the eBay website. Well, maybe it's just me but despite all these new features on eBay, it still has the boot sale image.

Employer's Market

It's times like these that make me thankful that I am no longer in the employment market. A lot of friends tell me that it is so tough to look for a job these days that it is not surprising to know of people who are jobless for months on end. An engineer friend is out of job for the eighth month and he is finding it increasingly difficult to cope with his new "status" or the lack of it.

My sister who works in Tennessee tells me that a former colleague is so desperate for a job that she is even seeking philadelphia job search opportunities and not worry if she would have to relocated to another state if she managed to secure a job out of state.

Well, it’s an employer’s market right now and there’s nothing much that we could do except to go with the flow. Things will surely look up soon enough.

5¢ Listings With eBay Giving Works

This holiday season, eBay is encouraging its sellers to give to charity by charging sellers only 5¢ per listing for auction-style and fixed price listings. This offer starts now until 15th November, 2009, me thinks this period is a little odd, and to be eligible for 5¢ listings, sellers have to donate a part of their sale to any charitable organization listed on eBay Giving Works, for as little as $1 only.

As with all promotions like these, this one comes with eBay's usual set of rules. Check with eBay at this link http://pages.ebay.com/promo/givingworks09/ to see which categories are excluded from this promotion. Whether this would be worth participating in would depend on the goods that sellers are selling but eBay will really be pushing eBay Giving Works out there and encouraging buyers to support eBay sellers this holiday season.

Senior Friendly Home

I visited my elderly neighbor at a senior citizens' home which is just down the street last evening. It has been quite a few months since this lady became a resident of the home. It was after an unfortunate fall that her family decided to place her there. It would be safer for her too since there would not be anyone around to care for her during the day when everyone is out schooling or working.

This is a premier senior citizens' home in the city and the monthly rates are a little more expensive than others but my neighbor opted for this home because it's nearby and would be convenient for the family to visit her. In fact, they are able to do it every evening and on weekends.

I've never really visited a private senior citizens' home before. This home is very well equipped to care for the elderly. They have walk in tubs, non-slip mats, railings around the house, walkers and even wheel chairs.

The naive would think that the children are not doing their duty to the parent if they decided to place the parent in a home like this but in some cases it really is better for the elderly to be cared for in a home that is more conducive for them.

Cashing In On Holiday Sales, NOT

Online shoppers are already getting online looking for bargains to fulfill their Christmas shopping and gift list. I am on both sides of the retail spectrum, as a shopper and as a retailer.

Unfortunately, this year, due to some personal issue that is taking up ALL my time, I am unable to prepare my store for the season. I am unable to cash in on holiday sales and make extra money. SIGH, what to do? In my business, I only earn when I am working. Boy, don't I just long for MORE residual income!

This doesn't mean that my Store will be closed for Christmas. It will still be business as usual except that I did not replenish stocks in my store, haven't done so for a long time. Sometimes, I wish I have an open door concept where people could just walk in, pick what they want and pay for their purchases.

Christmas Gift-Giving Ideas

My sister, Kelly, was chatting with me earlier this morning asking for help with compiling her Christmas gift list. Working with a group of ladies with children, Kelly is always pressured into getting gifts for the children for all sorts of occasions from birthday to Thanksgiving to Halloween to Christmas and New Year. At first, it was not so difficult but as the years go by, Kelly keeps trying not to repeat her gifts and that's when her ideas run dry!

I told Kelly to try to buy something that is useful to the kids. While their mothers may like something impractical to place around the house or shopping vouchers, kids usually prefer something they could use like t-shirts, shoes, baseball gloves, books, music CDs, DVDs or video games.

Still, even with my suggestions, Kelly says it is going to be difficult to get something that the kids truly like because she doesn't know them that well. That's probably why the Chinese are super practical people who would give cash for every occasion. Yes, even for Christmas!

One thing to keep in mind when buying a gift is that it’s not the monetary value of the gift that matters but the thought that has been put into selecting it.

*** This post brought to you by Kid Sports Inc.

Withdraw PayPal Funds To Malaysian Banks NOW

Finally, since the updated policy which says that Malaysians can withdraw PayPal funds directly to their local bank accounts beginning 14th October, 2009, we now have the ability to link our bank account to PayPal today.

The fees are what we all want to know, after all, from US$5 per transaction to our VISA credit or debit card which was changed to RM20 per transaction, we were losing MORE money.

Now, we have the information and it's free withdrawal to Malaysian banks if the amount is above RM400. If it's below, it's just RM3 per withdrawal. Withdrawal limit to a VISA credit card is US$500 per day but it's not stated if there is any if we were to withdraw to our bank account.

Is it cheaper to withdraw to our local Malaysian bank? That would depend on what currency exchange rate we get for USD to MYR. HHmmm One thing though, it would be quite tricky inputting our names into the field provided. LOL

ETA: I noticed that some of the MEPS bank routing codes provided in the pop-up window are incorrect. The most obvious one is for CIMB Bank Berhad. It is CIBBMYKL.

Home-Based Office

Mick, my friend who is based in Boston, told me that some of his business associates are finding it difficult to continue servicing their office rental. Some of them managed to renegotiate a better monthly rental since the landlord would rather have a little rental than none at all.

But then there are some who are not as lucky in this painful recession. They are forced to relocate, spending money to move just to save on rental. And because they are moving to a cheaper place which is farther away, business would be affected too, unfortunately.

Mick said that luckily, he could still sustain his business thanks to some small projects to pull through these difficult times otherwise he too would be searching for reliable, budget-friendly Boston Movers. Mick, however, said that if it comes to that stage, he would operate his business from home. At least, he gets to save not only on rental but on transport as well.

This is one advantage I like about being a home-based company. Granted, I will not be able to show off a prestigious office address but between that and keeping my overhead costs low, I would rather not have a prestigious address. After all, in a web-based business, no one cares where I operate from.

*** This post brought to you by Humboldt.com

Overcoming Credit Card Debt

As a blogger, I receive quite a number of messages from random readers who would tell me things that they are not comfortable with posting as comments. One thing I noticed writing about credit card and the abuse of it, is that there are quite a number of people who have years and years of outstanding credit card debt. It's not something that could be settled within a year. The snowballing of interest upon credit card balance could be staggering.

Well, of course, if the debtor strikes a lottery and settles the debt in one lump sum, his credit card debt problem will be solved but most of these people are making just enough to get through the month, some even do not earn enough to cover their monthly expenses, hence they have to take out cash advance from their credit card(s).

Although there are a third of credit card users who are responsible in using their cards and settling their balance in full every month, I have to admit that it is really tempting to overspend, using money that we do not yet have on hand. Should an emergency crop up or should we lose our job, that's when our financial balance is thrown into havoc.

My philosophy in using my credit card is that I would only charge it as long as I have the money in my bank account to pay for it when the bill comes. This means that I could pay cash if I wanted to but then I would not be able to enjoy the bank interest or the loyalty points.

Cultivating Sportsmanship in Children

My friend, Eve, told me that she would like to expose her young children to sports at an early age. She said that when she was schooling, her parents only allowed her to study and not get involved in extra curricular activities. It was boring; something which Eve would not let her children go through. Besides, being active in sports brings many benefits too. I too noticed that children who excel in sports excel in studies too.

Eve and her husband plan to get baseball equipment that are meant for children this Christmas. Little league baseball gear seems to be popular gifts for children; after all, baseball is the number one sport in America, though soccer, which is known as football around the world, is fast catching up.

Eve says that since her house has a large backyard, her children could invite their neighborhood kids over to play so she would need to purchase enough baseball equipment for everyone. I think it's a great idea to have the kids over; at least the adults could keep an eye on them.

Luckily baseball gear and equipment for kids are really affordable. And then there are times when these go on sale especially during gift giving seasons like Christmas which make them even better buys.

*** This post brought to you by Kid Sports Inc.

20% Off Single Clothing Item From Victoria’s Secret

I have a friend who is addicted to shopping and must buy new clothes every time she is out shopping at the mall. She would be happy even if she only managed to buy an item or two. This "disease" isn't entirely suffered by females only. I have another friend, a guy, who is the same. Frankly, it's no fun shopping with them when they spend so much time trying on clothes! I always tell them they don't look nice in the clothes. HEHE!

Anyway, if you are looking for something new from Victoria's Secret, here is an offer which expires tomorrow. By using the Victoria's Secret coupon code 20ITEM, you will be able to enjoy 20% off any single clothing item from Victoria's Secret. There are over a thousand styles to select from so there surely is something for everyone. Enjoy shopping!

Wedding Season

A friend was complaining to me that she has received way too many wedding invitations lately. Well, I guess many couples are tying the knot before the start of the New Year because of superstitious belief that next year would not be a good year to get married.

It really is surprising to see that couples continue to get married despite the recession but then life goes on; though weddings are held at a smaller scale to cut cost. The other day, I read that there are couples who would pay for their wedding packages in installments but on the other hand, someone once told me that she only spent $35 to get married ten years ago but I think that's the extreme end already. Surely all brides would like something a little more memorable?

Luckily nowadays couples have so many more choices to keep their wedding within budget. There are discount bridal flowers, for example, where they are able to be priced competitively because they are shipped fresh directly from growers.

Some bridal couples opt for balloon sculptures in place of fresh flowers but no matter how popular balloon sculptures are, without fresh flowers in a wedding banquet, it would still look as if something was missing.

Forgoing Credit Card Benefits & Rewards

With the proposal to charge a service fee of RM50 per principal card and RM25 per supplementary card for credit and charge cards in Budget 2010, many of my friends, who own a multitude of credit cards, are in a dilemma.

Obviously, most of us are not able to own as many cards as we used to and would have to make the difficult decision to only own one or two cards, canceling the rest before this service fee is imposed on 1st January, 2010.

I feel that it is unfair to impose such fee when many of our credit cards are "free for life" and there are a third of us credit card users who are responsible in our spending and the way we use credit cards. These cards, when used wisely, actually help us to save money but now that we have to give up some of our cards, we are also forgoing the benefits and rewards that come with different cards.

It is OK to impose such service fee on the second and subsequent credit and charge cards but on all cards? That's pretty ridiculous and a step backwards, me thinks. A friend also pointed out that now that we are not carrying as many credit cards, we would be carrying more cash around and that would only make us the target of snatch thieves, as if this problem isn't chronic enough already.

Early Christmas Greetings

Christmas is still two months away but I am already preparing Christmas cards to send out to my buyers. Some of my friends, who are also proprietors of online stores, are preparing their business for Halloween and Thanksgiving but since I do not sell anything related to these two occasions, I don't have to worry about them.

You may think that sending out christmas cards in November is a tad early but I have to allow time for shipping and for my buyers to come by my store to purchase Christmas gifts for their loved ones, making sure that their gifts would reach them before Christmas. You know how packages could get caught in the high volume of seasonal mail and it would be bad for business if packages are locked up in the post office during the holidays!

Also, one thing I noticed is that buyers, especially guys, tend to shop at the last minute as if buying a gift is an after thought. I remember one Christmas I had to do the delivery on Christmas Day itself. Luckily the recipient lives in a nearby neighbourhood. Hopefully, a reminder in the form of an early Christmas greeting would nudge the guys into buying their Christmas gifts earlier!

EPF For The Self-Employed

As a self-employee, I do not have an EPF account. I did find out about it and yes, we could open an account with EPF if we wanted to, with a minimum monthly contribution of RM50. Well, in Budget 2010, it has been proposed that now the self-employed can open an EPF account and we can contribute any amount to EPF according to our ability.

The Government will contribute 5% to our EPF contributions but it will be subjected to a maximum amount of RM60 per year for five years. This means that to maximize on this 5% contribution from the Government, the "ideal" contribution by the self-employed is just RM100 per month.

This is called the 1MALAYSIA Retirement Scheme and since this scheme is administered by the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), contributors who are self-employed will be able to withdraw their EPF contributions in one lump sum at the age of 55.

At this point, I am unsure if such contributors will be able to initiate a partial withdrawal at the age of 50. Also, I do not have any information on what happens to the 5% annual contribution by the Government after five years.

Car As A Work Tool

My friend, Wilson, is forced to purchase a new car with the imposition of ridiculous new conditions under the just announced National Automotive Policy (NAP) during the unveiling of Budget 2010 yesterday. Frankly, I am not agreeable to any of the conditions as well, clearly made to protect the local automotive industry.

I have been thinking of buying an older car lately although I do not need a car but then with these conditions, it looks like owning an older car is no longer viable and I, along with everyone in the same boat with Wilson and I, would have to purchase a new car, be burdened with a car loan for at least five to nine years and yet, can only afford to drive a local car.

For me, though, I am shelving my plan to buy a car for the time being since I don't need one for the moment and can use the family car but for Wilson and many working people like him, a car is a necessity and is a work too.

Luckily for Wilson, though, his company has a Car allowance program which reimburses Wilson for the use of his car for work purposes so he is not incurring extra monthly expenses despite the commitment of a new car. However, for people who cannot afford a new car and do not have employers like Wilson's it would be a major problem for them once these new conditions are imposed under the NAP.

Top Christmas Gifts 2009

Christmas is about two months away and I have been spending the past couple of days compiling my shopping list of Christmas gifts for friends, family and associates. Well, if you don't mind giving tens of the same item to people who do not know each other then this is not as difficult as it seem but I like to give people DIFFERENT gifts. I want to put THOUGHT into my gifts to show that I care and know that that certain gift would be useful. It would be great if I could get the gift that the recipient wants exactly. Not just some gift vouchers to some random stores!

I did a little research and found that the top electronic devices as Christmas gifts for this year are Nokia N97, Amazon's Kindle, Sony's PSP Slim and PSPgo and Nintendo Wii. But these are pretty expensive gifts that are usually reserved for family or that someone special.

Books continue to be one of my favourite gifts for people whom I love reading but this year is going to be different. I intend to buy audio books. You know, I discovered how easy it is to go through a book by listening to it compared to reading it. This is going to be a wonderful gift for older people who may find reading a bit too strenuous on the eyes now.

Anyway, although I love to shop but I hate the money that is being spent! Argh!!! Don’t you just hate gift giving seasons like Christmas??

Reminding With Christmas Cards

Christmas is upon us soon enough and it is going to a very busy season for retailers running up to the Christmas holidays as there will be an increase of shoppers, online and in stores, all looking for Christmas gifts for friends, family and colleagues.

As an online seller, I have to make sure that I have sufficient stocks to meet an increase in demand, I need to ensure that packages are shipped in a timely manner and as a shopper myself, I would be busy fulfilling the Christmas gifts on my shopping list.

Truth be told, I don't really like Christmas because it is a frantic season but I love the opportunity to send out christmas cards to my buyers. I take it as an awesome opportunity to remind them that I am still in business.

Of course, I try to send out my greeting cards a little earlier as soon as I have my new stocks up. I find that many people would at least stop by my store after receiving a gentle reminder in the form of a custom made, personalized greeting card. They can feel it if I put in extra effort in my notes, even though they may be just a couple of lines!

Installing A Wedding

Weddings and wedding-related businesses are really huge money making generators. People continue to get married even if the economy is weak. After all, life goes on. There is a bridal fair in Kuala Lumpur next month and I got to know that they allow bridal couples to install their weddings for six months up to twelve months.

I think that with this option, bridal couples tend to be more extravagant with their weddings even though they are not able to afford it. Obviously, this outstanding cost will be paid for with a credit card which means that this new couple will be starting their married life with debt.

It makes me wonder what in life is more important. Is it a grand wedding that could not be paid for or a more financially secured married life? What is more damning is that the credit card institutions that offer such wedding packages on credit will throw in some perks which make the deal seem worthy but in actual fact, may turn out to be more expensive than paying cash for it!

Creating A Temporary Bedroom

I have been in discussion with a friend, Warren, about an apartment that I intend to purchase in the capital city. Warren is supposed to help me with the purchase since I live in another city. So I was talking to him that with three rooms to an apartment and if I were to take the small room, I could rent out the other room to cover the monthly installment for the home loan, service fee and utility bills.

I was telling him that if I could find a tenant for all three rooms, I would, and then rent a cheaper room somewhere else. But Warren told me that there is no need to. He said that it's quite common for apartment owners in the city to install a Panel Room Divider in the living room to make a "temporary" bedroom, if the living room is spacious enough. Well, it is understandable since accommodation is so expensive in the capital city!

The “room” may be a little cramped but I like the idea that a panel room divider could be folded up if the “room” is not needed if there is no additional guest. And if someone wants to come over for the night, at least a divider would afford a certain degree of privacy.

Waiting To Close Shop

I was complaining to a friend that a certain local company owes me a few hundred bucks since last year and I am tired of chasing for what's due to me. My friend replied in surprise, "You mean they haven't closed shop yet?"

You see, this company has such a bad reputation locally but I believed in them (at first) because they were pretty good paymaster. I guess back then, the amounts owing were small. My friend said that they dragged my payment this time probably because they have yet to receive payment from their client but what has that got to do with me? Isn't it better business practice to fork out money from their own pocket first to settle us? I guess not for them.

Although the money they owe me is not of a great sum but it's still money and I like to be paid for the work that I have done, at the price that we have agreed upon, and it makes no difference to me if the amount is big or small.

I guess there is nothing that could be done except to chase for the money but I really loathe wasting time and energy chasing for payment when it should be automatically paid out to me in a timely manner in the time frame that was agreed upon.

Participating In Trade Shows

My friend, Keith, told me that his father has just handed him the family business as he is retiring early. You know, I kind of envy him because he is now a big boss and he is younger than I am! On the other hand, a big job comes with bigger responsibilities. Keith said that his first task is to try to turn the business around. This past year has seen slow sales but I think that it's because of the weak economy and almost all business sectors have been affected, not just his.

However, Keith said that he is going to try a new approach to promote his product and brand name by participating in trade shows, something that his company has never done before, although they have been visitors to various trade shows, some outside the country. Keith has even helped me connect with manufacturers through his visits because I couldn't make it.

According to Keith, there will be a trade show exhibition in the capital city this December and he has less than two months to prepare for it. So far, he has only Velcro Display Boards on his list of things to buy! I think that there are companies which help customers to set up trade show display booths but I know that Keith is a hands-on person and he would rather do it himself. I guess I am obligated to attend the trade show too just to support him.

Update: Withdrawing PayPal Funds To Malaysian Bank Account

PayPal mentioned in its recently updated policy that Malaysia is one of the new countries that would be able to have PayPal funds withdrawn directly to a local bank account. Well, it's 17th October, 2009 today, and I just logged into PayPal and see no such feature YET.

One of my blog readers told me that he called up PayPal to ask about it and the customer service representative who fielded his call told him that since this is something new, PayPal needs a little more time to implement it and we should see the feature in our PayPal account in a couple of days' time.

It IS a couple of days' time now already and it is still not available yet. The customer service representative also mentioned that there will be fees imposed on this new service and it will be 2.5% of the amount withdrawn but the good news is that there will be no daily withdrawal limit. The current limit to withdraw to our VISA card is US$500 per day.

I think that 2.5% is a tad too hefty and it wouldn't make much of a difference if we were to withdraw more or less since the fees imposed is in percentage unlike the current fee of US$5 (now MYR20) per withdrawal. Anyway, I am not so sure I am looking forward to this convenience now!

Affordable College Education

You know, one thing I regret the most at this point in life is that I never completed my tertiary education. It's with much regret that I had to leave college only after a couple of semesters because my parents could no longer support my education. I don't blame them, of course. I just blame myself for not studying as hard as I should so that I could gain a scholarship. Back then, it really wasn't as easy as it is now. College students these days are offered bursaries as soon as they are accepted by institutes of higher learning.

Even though that's history already and I don't really need a college degree now in my work, I still dream of being a college graduate just to fulfill my dreams. With Affordable College Education now, there is really no reason why I can't be one and since I can now afford to put myself through college, I should. I have just been dragging my feet because I can't seem to decide on what to study or the time to study.

A lot of friends tell me that there are so much more education opportunities in the United States and that no matter what I would like to study, there is bound to be a college offering it. Did you know that we could even learn to create games? I feel that for the sake of practicality, I should study something that would be useful in my line of work now but then again, I would like to bring out the creative side of me. Argh, there are just too many choices!

PayPal Malaysia: Today's The Day

So here I am, waiting for 14th October to come so that we, Malaysians, could finally withdraw our PayPal funds directly into our Malaysian bank accounts. The day has finally dawned on us and I eagerly logged into my PayPal account this morning to see if there are any changes in the way that we could access our PayPal funds. Nothing is available yet but I did see this notice which says that some features of PayPal may be unable to us from 9am to 12noon Malaysian time.

So, could it be that we will finally be able to link our local bank account to PayPal after noon? We shall see and I shall update this on my blog. Don't get me wrong. I am not desperate to have this feature so that I could withdraw my PayPal funds but as a blogger, I strive to bring readers information as soon as it is made available. Stay tuned!

Topsy Turvy Working Hours

Working for myself, there's a bad habit that I have and that is not following strict working hours. I guess if I had a proper office, it would be better but I operate from home and there are 101 distractions on the home front, so much so that I usually only end up having time to work in the middle of the night.

I know this is bad for health and late night work is going to take its toll especially when those are the hours that our body needs rest the most. I am trying to change, believe me, because I don't want to start using wrinkle cream at such a young age. Yes, I am STILL young!

Even though we cannot defy age, at least we could grow old gracefully and not allow the effects of time to show too much on our appearance, right? I better make sure I am clocking enough hours of rest daily.

Lelong's FREE 365 Days Posting

What has come over Lelong? I have no idea if you ask me. But if you are a Lelong Store member, this is an offer that you must take advantage of, and for a whole year too!

Effective from 9th October, 2009, Lelong is offering free 365 days of listing if you are a Store member but there are terms and conditions, the first being each store is limited to a maximum of 200 unique items. According to Lelong, an item is not considered unique if it comes in a different size or colour. Basically, it is up to Lelong's discretion if two items are unique or the same.

Anyway, although it is now free to list 200 of your unique items on your Lelong Store, all other enhanced listing features that you may have selected will be charged accordingly. So make sure that you are only paying for what you want.

Source: Lelong Forum

Long Term Silver Investment

Steve, my friend who sometimes discusses his investment plans with me because he would like my opinion, told me that no thanks to low bank interest rates, he is thinking of expanding his portfolio to include gold and silver for longer term investment. I told him that he is a little late investing in the commodity market now and looking at the price graph of gold, I am not sure that he should go in since the price of gold has already broken US$1000 per ounce.

On the other hand, based on how interest in silver increased in 2009 particularly by sleeping economic giants like India and China and in older European economies that strangely just discovered silver as a long-term investment product, the price of silver has continued to rise steadily over the year, in tandem with the prices of gold and other precious metals. This rise in silver price has of course attracted the attention and capital of long-term investors.

Steve is not familiar with gold or silver investment as he has been in the stock market all these while, and quite successful too, but he does buy gold and silver jewelry and accessories. Now, after much research in the precious metal market, he is beginning to look at gold and silver through different eyes.

Long term demand for gold and silver is expected to continue in the next couple of months through next year even as the global economy is still trying to recover from a deep recession but the commodity market, like all investment markets, will see periods of volatility. Global investor activity for gold and silver will help to sustain prices yet as in any investment, there are risks too.

Steve wants to know the exact time he should go in but I really have no answer for him. It's best to do his own research and shore up his knowledge on investing in precious metals. Luck plays a part too and I don't want to "bear the brunt of his wrath" should anything go wrong. If there's one thing I learned, it's not to teach others when to invest and on what.

Withdrawing PayPal Funds To Malaysian Banks

A week ago, I sent a text message to a friend, to let him know that PayPal will start allowing Malaysian PayPal users to withdraw PayPal funds into their Malaysian bank accounts on 14th October, 2009. Although both of us PayPal users are withdrawing to our Public Bank Visa Debit Card without problems so far, I felt that it is useful to have an alternative withdrawal method.

This is supposed to come into effect on 14th October, 2009, but I just checked and until now, there is no option for us to link our Malaysian bank account to PayPal. I have thought that since we will be allowed to withdraw our PayPal funds from 14th October, 2009 onwards, we would have a little time before the date to link our local bank account to PayPal what with having to undergo steps to verify the account and such.

This means that although the date stated is 14th October, 2009, no Malaysian will be able to withdraw on this date. We probably CAN link our local bank account to PayPal on 14th Oct, 2009 but we will not be able to withdraw. That will have to wait until our local bank account has been verified by PayPal.

Well, 14th October is just three days away. We shall wait for developments on PayPal's side.

Adult Education

As a working adult, even though I am self-employed, I find it difficult to fit time for a course into my packed schedule. I know that the longer I delay, the harder it is for me to go back to school but it is not easy juggling so many commitments and responsibilities at the same time. If I find it difficult now even though I am single, I shudder to think that I may have to give up the ideal of going back to school if I have children.

Due to time constraints, I may opt to enroll in a university online course. it is convenient and I could study at my own pace at the comfort of home or wherever I am in as long as I have access to the internet. The best thing about studying online is that I don't have to waste time commuting. The bad thing is that I may be distracted by the many things online outside of course work.

It's funny how our priorities change over time and how I feel that studying is no longer as important as it used to be even though deep down, I would like to finally obtain a degree.

“This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive. For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.”

New CIMB Bank Bhd. Swift Code

My mother was expecting some funds into her CIMB Bank account from overseas. After more than three days and still no incoming funds, my mother made enquiries with the bank but was told that perhaps the funds were lost already.

My mother was not satisfied with the replies since this is not the first time she has been sent money this way so she persistently sought a reasonable reply from one officer after another. One finally had the presence of mind to inform my mother that perhaps it is because of the change in the bank's swift code.

My mother was pretty pissed off for not being informed of the change by the bank at all. Although Southern Bank and Bank Bumiputra-Commerce were merged for a long time now, there was no change at all until now. This officer was not able to tell my mother when this change came into effect. She just said, "Maybe in September."

Anyway, the new swift code for CIMB Bank Berhad is CIBBMYKL. For a full list of swift codes for banks in Malaysia, check this post: Swift Code For Malaysian Banks.

New Company, New Policies

Jason told me that he is in a quandary right now, which surprised me. Jason was out of job for many months and I thought that he should be happy now that he finally has a job, albeit a lower paying one. Well, at his age and in this economic condition, I don't think he should wait for a better offer, giving this one up, even though he is in a lower position that previously.

According to Jason, he is not assigned a company car and has to use his own car. I can understand that he may think that's a little unfair seeing that Jason has been using a company car for close to twenty years already in the various companies that he had worked in so much so that he never had the need to purchase his own car.

Now, working in a new company brings new policies, obviously, and Jason has no choice but to abide by them. Jason may be using his own car now for work purposes but his company has a good Auto Allowance program in place that calculates Jason's car expenses for work. Previously, Jason could even use the company car for his family but this is no longer the case and personally, I think that this new arrangement is fairer on the company, although Jason doesn't agree.

I told Jason that many companies have adopted such programs so there’s no reason to think that he could gain better car benefits elsewhere.

VS $20 Off Your Next Online Purchase

Tese next three days, Victoria's Secret is running a promotion whereby you will qualify for a $20 discount code on your next online purchase at the Victoria's Secret Online store when you make a purchase during this period. The coupon code to use when you check out is GIFT20VS.

As usual, you have to check out with the coupon code if you would like to benefit from this promotion to take $20 off you next online purchase. If you have forgotten it, then sorry, you will not be eligible because Victoria's Secret would not be able to make amends to your order once it is processed.

In any case, knowing Victoria's Secret's promotional strategies like I do, if you have missed this round of promotion, then you can wait for the next one. It wouldn't be long coming. LOL

Beauty & Cosmetology

My sister, Kelly, who works in a beauty house in Tennessee, told me that after eight years with the company, she is ready take up a new skill in either make up or hair styling. The company would occasionally bring in beauty experts to serve their clients, and after seeing how they work, my sister thinks it is a pretty interesting job.

There are good cosmetology schools in tennessee and enrolling in one would not be a hassle even though she says that she is hard pressed for time but I think that if the interest is there, she would make time for it.

Kelly also suggested that I pick up a beauty skill so that we could go into business together. I used to be a hair dresser for my friends but it has been a long time since I held a pair of scissors but partnering with Kelly in such a venture is certainly worth considering.

Up To 80% Off Clearance VS Lingerie

At the rate that Victoria's Secret runs their promotions, it seems like no matter how much you have bought and at low prices, they don't seem enough. And they don't seem cheap enough. i get that feeling all the time and yet, I keep going back. I guess their marketing strategy really works. Well, if it works on me, they are really good. I have to take my hat off to them.

Currently, Victoria's Secret is running a steep offer whereby we can get up to 80% off clearance items. That's an additional 20% off already reduced prices. As always, these will be SELECTED clearance items only with limited sizes, styles and colours. Once again, the early bird gets the worm.

This offer ends this Wednesday and the coupon code to use is SAVE20VS and you will have to use it when you check out. As always, make sure that your order reflects the new total, otherwise, you will be charged in full and will not qualify for the discount and that would be a pity, wouldn't it?

Lowest BLR Since 1976

I just did a search on the history of our Base Lending Rate for the past 33 years as stipulated by the Central Bank and found that this year's BLR which is currently at 5.55% per annum is the lowest.

Certainly, this is a very attractive rate for loan applicants either for an overdraft against Fixed Deposit or for a home loan where the interest rate per annum is BLR minus x%, a rate that differs from bank to bank. As mentioned in a previous post, CIMB Bank is offering me a rate of 3.55% per annum for OD against FD.

However, while this may spur loans, this will also create unnecessary loan takers who may think that they could service their loans at this low rate. I have to admit that I am also considering a home loan, but with a fixed interest rate. At least I will know the exact figure for monthly repayments.

A friend who works at a bank told me that this situation has also created way too many loan defaulters but banks outsource the collection of such loans to Collection Agencies that will take a small cut from successful monies resolved. Banks know that managing accounts receivables is a time-consuming process and it is better to allow professionals to do the job than waste valuable human resource on it.

Google Wave Invitations Fetch Up To £55 on eBay

Google Wave is a new Google product that incorporates email, instant messaging and microblogging, and was rolled out to 100,000 pre-release testers last week. Each tester is allowed to invite up to five people to try out the service.

Almost immediately, such invitations began showing up on eBay, with the highest winning bid of £55 while the lowest transacted was £9.44. This craze for invites reminds me of the invites for Gmail some years back. A friend of mine paid handsomely for an invite while the rest of us waited for the service to open to public. Those who waited may not be able to sign up with their real name for the email, that's why Gmail invites could fetch some money.

At Google Wave, which is at http://wave.google.com/, you can see that we could request for an invite but we never know when we will get one, if at all. Anyway, I think that while it is cool to be one of the firsts to try out a new product, I would rather wait a little while and use a bug free product! What do you think?

Social Security Disability Insurance

My friend, Paul, told me that he knows of a worker who was injured while at work but the strange thing was that even though he had Social Security Disability Insurance, his application was denied. It was because of a technical error with the paperwork. Now, this guy has to make a disability appeal and it is causing him a lot of stress.

As a newly disabled person, it is difficult enough to cope with a new life and the fact that he could no longer work and earn a living is devastating. This is the time that he should be free from financial concerns but the fact that his SSDI is still not yet forthcoming is adding tension to an already stressful situation.

Paul had suggested that he leaves the appeal to a representative company that would only charge a small fee upon approval. At least this will reduce the runaround that he has to go through doing it himself. Hopefully, his appeal will be approved this time.

Grandma Auctioned On eBay

10-year-old Zoe found her grandmother annoying when watching TV, she was asked to make a cup of tea for her. 61-year-old grandma, Marian Goodall, was recuperating from knee surgery and Zoe probably got tired of fetching stuff for her so she logged in to eBay and placed a listing to auction off grandma with a starting bid of £0.99.

The auction received some bids before it was removed by eBay for listing violation where the sale of human beings is not allowed. While everyone thought that it's funny, I wonder what a ten year old is doing logged in to eBay. I thought the website is only for those above 18-years-old to buy and sell. If little Zoe had used the account of a family member then it says a lot about the lack security measures taken within the family to ensure that children do not access the websites that they are not supposed to!

Solution To Dropped Calls

As an iPhone user, I read a lot of problems faced by fellow iPhone users and one of the most common problems faced, especially for users of iPhone 3G is dropped calls. I am so lucky that I never experienced this before. It's probably because I am just using iPhone 2G.

Dropped calls are not only irritating but if you are making business calls, it also gives a poor impression of you to the other party! Dropped calls proved to be so frustrating that these users even thought of changing mobile phones but the fact that they are Apple fan boys and girls made them stick with their favorite brand.

Actually, it is not difficult to solve the problem of dropped calls. A Cell Phone Booster could reduce incidents of dropped calls by boosting the reception of cellular signal. A cell phone antenna doesn't cost a lot and one could still continue to use the iPhone like normal. If you visit the website of WPS Antennas, you can see that there are various cell phone antennas and no, you don't have to stick it to your iPhone!

As an Apple fan girl myself, if I suffer from dropped calls, this is definitely what I would get. I wouldn’t give up using the iPhone that easily!

Public Liability Insurance

I read the awful news in The Star today where three people in a car on the way to town for supper were injured and killed as they stopped at the traffic lights as the dilapidated buildings that were being demolished that morning fell onto their car. Two of these people died and one was seriously injured. Luckily this happened just outside the general hospital.

This is where Public Liability Insurance comes in to save the contractor his skin. I am just assuming that he did get covered and he didn't think that it was a waste of money. Insurance is like that. We think of the worst and get ourselves covered but we hope that the bad stuff wouldn't happen and even if they do, we are covered.

Right now, we do not know if the family of these victims would be making claims against this contractor but I really think that they should be compensated. It's a pity they are victims of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

What's Missing

I had yet another opportunity to visit my friend last evening as he was hosting a BBQ party. I have been to his house before for his housewarming party where he showed us every inch of his new house! He was very proud of his house because he designed it and furnished it himself.

This house is very large and although I have plenty of photos, because of security concerns, I am unable to post them on my blog. Anyway, after the first visit, I know that something was missing but I couldn't pinpoint what it was no matter how I rake my brains.

This second visit, I was able to spend more time there, I realized that what this home needs is a Wireless Home Intercom System because it is so large it would be silly to shout from one end to another, or one floor to another. Of course, we could use mobile phones to call each other but that is not cost effective and besides, not all of us have our mobile phones on us at all times.

I haven’t let my friend know that this is what his house needs but I think that he too would agree that it’s a good idea to install a wireless home intercom system. Just think of the convenience!

Push Pocket Modus Operandi

The Star ran a report today about the Push Pocket modus operadi, as opposed to pick pocket. Push Pocket means that small items like mobile phones or wallet are pushed into the pocket of a victim. The victim is then accused of stealing. An accomplice would then come over and claims to have seen the victim stealing.

This has been all abuzz on the internet but the authorities have denied that this has happened probably because they don’t want to jeopardize the image of the country.

I guess we will never know the truth of it unless it happens to us or someone close to us. In any case, whether pick or push pocket, it doesn't hurt to be extra careful especially when we are traveling alone and when there are people coming close to us.

While we have been on the alert for pick pockets and snatch thieves, we now also have to be alert of push pockets as well!

Pet Boarding, Grooming & Training

My neighbor, who keeps a German Shepard, asked if I would take over the dog for him. He is a first time pet owner and he is not able to tolerate the dog's naughty behavior. His dog is only one year old so you can imagine the havoc she wrecks at home.

I am already keeping a dog, an invalid dog at that, who takes up all my time so even though I love dogs, I am unable to take in his dog. In fact, after this seriously awful experience with a dog who suffered from seizures all his life and one who is invalid due to old age, I swear I am not going to take in another pet.

I told my neighbor that giving away his dog is not the solution. What he needs to do is to send his dog to training school. Pet Shelters In California, for example, does not only offer boarding for dogs whose owners are away for a lengthy period of time, pet owners could also opt for grooming and/or training.

Did you know that a well groomed and trained dog make a happy dog and a happy dog makes a happy owner? Of course, it is another story if the owner doesn't think the dog is part of the family!

30-Year Home Loan

My cousin brother told me that he took out a 30-year home loan last year to purchase a condo unit in the capital city. His home costs him MYR330,000 and he had to pay 10% deposit, which is MYR30,000.

I didn't ask him how much interest rate is but he said that now, and for the rest of the loan period, he has to pay his finance company MYR1300 per month. Since my cousin earns about MYR5000 per month, MYR1300 is just a fraction of his paycheck.

But I think that 30-year period is too lengthy. Who could tell what would happen five or ten years down the road? Heck, we can't even tell what happens tomorrow. How would we know if we would still command a salary as high as this? Of course, ideally, as we work longer and have more experience, we would earn more and more but I know of some friends who lost their homes because they could no longer service their housing loans due to illness or loss of job.

I think that when that happens, it's pretty tragic. We buy a house because we want permanency but when we lose it, all our hard work would go down the drain.

US Unemployment Hits 26-year High At 9.8%

The United States unemployment rate suffered yet another high in September, 2009 at 9.8% where one in ten workers are without a job. The last time this happened was in 1983. If I remember correctly, that was a global recession as well and everyone suffered too.

Even though the labor market is weak, my friend, Paul, who runs his own business, told me that it is actually a good time to expand now. He would be able to keep his startup cost low as he works at putting his name out to new clientele. He said that he doesn't even have to employ full time staff; just temporary staff will do until the market is more stable and he clinches his first business.

Getting temporary staff to fill positions is not a problem. If you check the website of UNITEMP which is a leading NJ Job Services and on-demand professional temporary and contract staffing company, you would be able to see that they have just the right candidate for you no matter what industry you are in.

UNITEMP serves both employers and job seekers by making it easy for both parties to seek and fill jobs, full or part time, in and around New Jersey.

eBay Is Still Relevant

Everywhere I read online where there are discussions on eBay, many people who used to sell on eBay sound very disillusioned with the marketplace because of the every changing policies that seem to side with Buyers.

Of course, eBay is a corporation that is trying to keep itself relevant and the management has to ensure that the policies are what the majority of the people want though they have not been very successful when it comes to caring for the interests of Sellers.

However, I think that despite all these hiccups, eBay is still relevant to many of us who trade online. Fees may be high, policies may sometimes be against us Sellers but there's no denying that the marketplace still offers us the eyeballs that we need.

In any case, I only have one thing to say to people who are unhappy with eBay. If you don't like it, just don't use it. This applies to everything in life too, actually.

Personalized Christmas Gifts

Even though Christmas is still some months away, as a business person, it is time to plan gifts to send to my customers. My business may be just a small concern but I like to keep a close rapport with my customers to keep them happy and coming back for yet another round of shopping.

Since I don't have a big budget for gifts, I try to find something that is small and light for easy and low-cost shipping yet useful and would make a wonderful reminder to customers of my online store. My sister suggested Personalized Lip Balm since I have more female customers than male. Besides, lip balm would come in handy during the cold season and it is definitely something different. At least it's not as common as pens and caps and not as expensive as printed t-shirts!

I am very receptive of her suggestion but I like to keep my options open since there's still time to plan. My concern is how long lip balm could be stored since I may have to order in bulk and it would be more than I could send out since I am not going to send to everyone on my mailing list, just those whom I know who are celebrating Christmas.

3.5% p.a. Auto Loan

A friend is planning to purchase a new car. He told me that he is going to take a loan of MYR30,000 and the interest rate for his car loan will be 3.5% per annum. The car is sold at about MYR50,000 and he is paying close to RM20,000 initial deposit. The rest will be paid by his finance company in installments over a period of five years.

Many people I know do not have too much money to spare as an initial deposit. These people usually just pay the minimum and then take a maximum loan of up to 90%. Some would even take the maximum length of NINE years. Nine years is too long a period for me. Three to five year period is bearable, though still not that short.

The best would be to pay by cash, but I also know that there are quite a few people who could afford to buy in cash but not doing so because they do not want to be disturbed by the IRS. Well, taxes are something that nobody could escape from!

Patching A Tire Puncture

I was out shopping with my father last month when the tire of our car suffered a puncture. He must have driven onto a nail or screw but it was late at night and we didn't notice it. My father thought of driving home and then getting a workman to come to repair it the following morning.

Actually, a tire puncture is a small matter but my father has a heart condition so I told him not to stress himself. Too bad I couldn't help him because I don't even have the strength to jack up the car. It's a Mercedes, a heavy duty car!

Heading home, we passed by a tire shop and we were surprised that it was open on a Sunday night! My father drove in and there as this skinny guy who single-handedly patched up the puncture. I can only say, well, he has the equipment! LOL

I thought that patching up a puncture would be a tough job but he used a Tire Repair Patch and it didn't even take him five minutes to do it. The best part was that we only paid $5! We were very happy because it was just a small price to pay to elevate the hassle of a tire puncture. I remember what a big deal it was previously when something like this happened. I wonder who invented the tire repair patch!

OD Against FD Credit Facility

I received a text message from CIMB Bank a couple of days ago which says that we could obtain ready cash at 3.55% per annum and get a FREE multi-purpose bag upon acceptance. No minimum income is required. Just pledge our CIMB Fixed Deposit or investment products.

I was curious what this was and thought that it was a new investment product. I called up my home branch after checking there was no information that matches this on the CIMB website.

According to the person in-charge, this is a credit facility that we all know as "OD against FD." Aiya, how come they failed to mention this in the text message? Also, they should provide a contact number for us to call should we have questions but they did not even provide something as basic as this!

Anyway, the rate 3.55% was obtained from (Base Lending Rate minus 2%) and the current Base Lending Rate is 5.55%. To be frank, this "interest" on OD against FD is very attractive. When we pledge our FD to this account, we are able to obtain 100% overdraft and still continue to reap interest on our FD as usual.

This means that if we are enjoying 2% interest on our FD, we only have to pay 1.55% interest per annum (3.55% minus 2% per annum) on whatever overdraft we have used. I think this is an excellent housing or car loan.

All Male Job

My friend, Walter, told me about his world's most boring job with an oil & gas exploration company. He described it as boring only because all his colleagues are men. He said that even though he may be married, it would be good to work alongside women because men and women have different opinion and outlook and may offer points of view from another angle.

I guess it is because of the extreme environment that women prefer some other less demanding jobs or perhaps these companies are not willing to take a risk with female employees. Walter told me that work is very tough, especially when of-shore. Rules are very strict and they have to adhere to them at all times.

Walter is in-charged of Frequency Control Devices so he is sometimes on 24-hour call. He said that sometimes he has to be out at sea in the middle of the night where the winds are strong and bitter cold. He joked that a skinny person like me would be blown off the oil-rig easily. LOL

Well, Walter may have complaints about his job but of course that’s just one aspect of it. He, of course, forgot to mention his gigantic paycheck or the long holidays he enjoys each time he has served time off-shore!

House Hunting Online

Being housebound for the past four and a half months due to some family commitments, I have been so bored that I am looking for stuff to buy online. All these while, I do shop online but for smaller articles like clothes, bags and accessories but lately, I am busy checking out used cars and houses.

Despite the poor economy, houses are still not as cheap as I would like them to be. I did find some houses that would fit my budget but these houses are not good buys, unfortunately. Today, I found a house that is in a pretty good location but the house is in a dilapidated condition and would need additional money out of pocket to make it livable.

My friend told me that even though there may be people who are forced to sell their homes, these people would still want to fetch as high a price as possible. He joked that even ghost houses are sold for gold and silver. I guess shopping for a house would need a lot of patience. After all, a house is not a small purchase. One has to be really careful before dumping money into property.

Keeping Up-to-date With Trends

Working from home, I lead a rather secluded life away from the rat race. I don't have to conform to a strict set of rules at work and I dress as I please. The bad side of this is that I tend to let things slide when they are not that important and one of the things I let go way too often is the upkeep of my looks and dressing. To my embarrassment, I find myself out-dated when I go shopping with my girlfriends and have to rely on them to tell me what's in and what's not.

I was recommended this beauty online magazine at ExoLimited.com, a leading online beauty and lifestyle magazine for Latinos. Since the site is in English too, it is a good site for me to keep up-to-date with the latest trends. Latinos are, after all, leaders in fashion and style.

EXO Limited is not only an online magazine on beauty and lifestyle. You can also read entertainment news, food news and reviews and travel. If you love to read, you can be sure there are plenty of articles written in a lighthearted way to keep you interested. If not, I am sure you would still love EXO Limited Magazine for their rich photos for you to feast your eyes on!

PayPal Allows Withdrawal To Malaysian Banks Effective 14th Oct, 2009

PayPal has made several policy updates in September and one of the best news for Malaysians is that effective 14th October, 2009, Malaysian residents can begin to withdraw PayPal funds in Ringgit directly to their Malaysian banks.

In addition, Malaysian Ringgit joins the following currencies to be added to PayPal: Filipino Peso, Taiwanese Dollar, Thai Baht, Argentinean Peso, and Brazilian Reais. These are also the countries that allow for direct withdrawal from PayPal to a local bank effective 14th Oct.

At this point, I have no information yet the fees charged or how long it will take to receive our funds after initiation of withdrawal. Neither do I know if there is a withdrawal limit. But for people who have no access to a Visa credit or debit card, this is indeed long awaited!

Discovering Natural Makeup

Although most ladies dare not go out of the house without makeup, working for myself, I am glad that I don't have to live within the confines of society which says that we have to wear makeup to work. I was happy that I actually saved a lot of time every morning without going through the trouble of applying makeup.

Recently, though, I was introduced to Natural Makeup Products and I have to say that I am back to wearing makeup again. LOL Natural makeup is makeup that is free from chemicals. You can actually feel the difference wearing ordinary makeup and natural makeup. Natural makeup, which is also known as mineral makeup, allows our skin to breathe.

As someone who suffers from pretty sensitive skin and am particular about the things I put on my face, I am very happy to note that the best thing about natural makeup is that is suitable for most skin types. It's all natural, you see, and there are not chemicals added to the makeup to irritate our skin.

A friend has warned that natural makeup is very addictive and we would just want to buy and buy because it makes us look, and feel, so beautiful.

Celcom's Compensation

If you are a Celcom subscriber or have close friends and family who are, you would have experienced Celcom's breakdown during Hari Raya. I am a Celcom subscriber and I have to say that I was pretty disappointed at how I was not able to use my phone line for almost a day! I can imagine the frustrations of my Muslim friends who needed a phone to keep in touch and go visiting. Nobody likes to drop by at another person's home without prior notice, right?

To compensate us, Celcom is giving subscribers 50% off voice calls on 2nd and 3rd October, 2009. This discount will be reflected in our October bill. Celcom didn't exactly say that they are compensating us for the downtime but do you think that a corporation like them would suddenly give us a discount on our bill?

I will not benefit from this, unfortunately. What good would a 50% discount on voice calls do when I already prepay 250 minutes every month? As a matter of fact, I make so little voice calls I hardly fully utilize my 250 minutes every month.

Giving It All Up

While most of my friends are busy climbing the corporate ladder, a friend dropped us a surprise at recent meet up of old school mates. This friend, Desmond, told us that he would be leaving his job to go back to school. At first, we thought that he was joking because he is already a senior manager and if he wants to go back to school, he could do it part time or over the weekend and certainly doesn't have to give up his job!

But Desmond said that he is already checking out Theology Degrees and is very exciting about the prospect of coming home to serve his church and the community. Although he didn't say much why he has new plans now and why the sudden vocation to religious life, I guess he received a calling or something. This is probably something that he must do judging from his words.

It is not easy to fathom how someone could give up almost everything to lead a religious life, a life that is totally different from what he has known all along. In any case, Desmond says that he has the support of his family even though his parents would not enjoy as much monthly allowance when he leaves his job.

Save Up To 40% On Fall Shopping At VS

A new season is here and it is yet another reason to shop, as if we ever needed one in the first place! I have to admit that I love to shop too but I only buy discounted items. Discounted items do not mean that they are out of season already, you know?

Victoria's Secret is running a Fall Fashion Event where we get to save up to 40% on selected Fall apparel, including shoes. As usual, you would need to have your coupon code ready upon check out. It is FALL25.

According to Victoria's Secret, you will enjoy 25% off selected items for a TOTAL savings of up to 40%. So make sure you benefit from this round of promotion. I am sure there will be something that you would want to buy as there are over 200 styles to choose from!

Clocking In & Out

Working for myself for so many years now already, I actually forgot what it is like to keep to strict working hours. I now enjoy such time flexibility in my work that I know that I would not want to give it up. It is going to be difficult to find employment with my own hours and at the same time offer the same level of job satisfaction as I am enjoying now.

I told a friend that I may seek employment in the capital city in a few months' time just for a change of environment and to create an opportunity for me to live in the city. I could still continue with my online selling business since I could do it wherever I am as long as I have access to the internet.

My friend warns that my major problem would be tuning my body clock. She knows that working for myself, I work best at night and usually stay up till the wee hours of the morning. If I were to take up an office job, for example, I would have to clock in at eight sharp. I wouldn't be able to sleep in as and when I like because all companies Track Time And Attendance of employees.

Changing my work hours is a problem, I agree, but I also know that being out of the rat race for so many years already, I have lost my competitive edge. I may even have to start from the bottom again unless I go back to school for refreshers course or something.

A Sale!

I was so happy today that I managed to clinch a sale of lingerie today. You know, although I have been selling online for at least four years already, I haven't actually worked on it for the past two years or so.

At first, my priorities shifted to some other work that brought home my bread and butter and selling online became my secondary source of income. Of course, I couldn't depend on it alone if I didn't have real work. As for the past four months, I wasn't able to spend any time on my online business at all due to some family commitments that have taken up all my time an attention.

Even though I haven't done anything about my online business at all and in fact, new stocks are still in their boxes, I have to say that right now, I am reaping benefits from the groundwork that I laid and the hard work that I put in into the business in the early days.

I hope to be able to get back into the groove soon but at this point, I really can't tell when it would be. Boy, I am so ready to face the challenges of online selling once again!

Beauty Talk

I met my cousin a couple of days ago. It had been years since we had an opportunity t sit down and talk because he has moved to the city to work. I noticed something different about him but could not pinpoint what it was until he told me that he underwent a laser procedure on his face two times to reduce acne scars. So that was it!

What surprised me is that my cousin is a guy and yet he is so particular about his looks. He said that he has no choice because he has to meet a lot of people in his line of work and his bad skin made him self-conscious and he suffered from low self esteem.

According to Ben, it was not a painful procedure and after going through it two times which much improvement to his skin, he would love to go for a third round if he has the budget for it. Ben says that it is worth paying for beauty because looking good makes him fell good too.

I read about the procedure on the website of Miami Plastic Surgery as I am planning to follow the footsteps of Ben. Although my acne scars are not as bad as his were, I believe that I would look way better without scars on my face. I would be happier too and I am willing to "suffer" for it!