Wedding Anniversary Celebration

Our parents will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in May and my siblings and I have been brainstorming on ways to celebrate for them. I don't really like to organize a family dinner. It's too common and frankly, rather forgettable too.

What I would like to do is to send them on a holiday for two to a really romantic place. I had actually wanted to let them enjoy themselves like this, perhaps a romantic vacation riviera maya while they are still healthy and up to it.

I haven't suggested to my siblings yet since there is still time but not only am I looking for their approval, ideally, they should chip in to the expenses as well to realize this dream vacation for our parents!

I know our parents would love such a romantic beach setting to renew their wedding vows!

Non-Localized Garmin Sets Or Illegal Software & Maps

Lelong has issued an announcement regarding a warning from Garmin/AECO about the sale of non-localized Garmin sets claimed as localized Garmin sets or the selling of pirated Garmin software or the illegal installation of Garmin software that are so rampant on Lelong.com.my these days.

Doing any of the above is deemed as a violation of intellectual property rights and Garmin/AECO will not hesitate to take legal action against such seller(s). And as far as Lelong is concerned, they will assist the legal owners if they are asked to do so.

But anyway, I think that Garmin/AECO and Lelong have provided fair warning to everyone not to trade their product on Lelong, or for that matter any other marketplaces, illegally.

Running A Restaurant

A friend, Gary, who runs a 24-hour restaurant in the city, told me that it is a lot of work even though not many people realize that. A lot of his friends who have just lost their jobs through VSS went into the business but had to close down soon after because they just could not put in the commitment required. One of the downfalls is their inability to cook.

Gary says that besides coming up with an interesting menu, he needs to come up with ways to keep his diners entertained as well so that they will continue to patronize his restaurant. In fact, he just bought a 42-inch plasma TV and a HD media player for his restaurant. The TV was so huge, it needed extra tv stands! He actually wants it mounted but since it was the long holidays, he couldn't find anyone to do it yet.

My sister had an opportunity to enter into partnership with a friend to run a restaurant too but it simply requires way too much time, my sister had to decline. She felt it was a pity to let go of the opportunity to be her own boss but after talking to Gary, she felt better. There are many other businesses to go into if she wanted to be her own boss!

Tiered Fuel Pricing Scrapped

It is rumoured that the tiered fuel pricing that was supposed to come into effect this May has been scrapped. The plan was supposed to help the government reduce it's subsidy on fuel which runs up to RM5 billion a year.

It is an unpopular move from the start besides the fact that it was logistically unrealistic to be implemented. Anyway, now that the tiered fuel pricing has been scrapped, it is not known if the subsidy will be scrapped altogether.

I think that if fuel subsidy is scrapped altogether in the country, at least road tax should be scrapped as well since we are already paying road toll and car taxes should be lowered or scrapped entirely as well!

I don't think we should continue to take the crap that Malaysians are enjoying one of the lowest fuel prices in the region or whatever, anymore, should we? Goodness, we are an oil and gas producing country!

Dealing In Hair Accessories

My friend told me that her small business that deals with hair accessories has grown so fast she couldn't keep track of her inventory any longer and is thinking of investing in a Symbol LS2208 barcode scanner. It will help her in her inventory check after tagging everything with a barcode.

Actually, I am very interested in deal with hair accessories myself and after seeing how quickly her business has expanded, I am very encouraged. I am currently looking for a source or a reliable supplier and may even come up with my own brand name.

Right now, I do not have a budget yet but I will not invest too much in this business initially, until I get the hang of it. I hope that I can start a second online business soon!

Recovering From Economic Crisis

The Prime Minister of Malaysia has announced yesterday that the worst of the economic crisis is over we are on the road to recovery. This is based on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 4.5% in the last quarter of 2009. It’s not exactly good but better than expected. Also, in 2009, the Malaysian economy contracted by "only" 1.7%, lower than the projected contraction of 3% for the whole year.

Now, even though these figures are pretty encouraging and apparently, the economy is currently on the rebound, I really do not feel any such thing. It's still a struggle for many of us and some of my friends have been without a job for far too long. Of course, the longer one is out of the job market, the harder it is to secure one of the same level but then life is like that.

Anyway, I hope that even when the economy is recovering, we will NOT be threatened with the increase in tariff hikes for utilities and other essentials like gas. That's not going to help matters when our finances are already stretched to the maximum!

Upmarket Shopping Mall

I went to shop at KLCC yesterday and even though I was too stingy to buy too many things, I found joy just browsing through fanciful items. I didn't buy any especially when I noticed the price tag! What I also noticed though, that for items that are so expensively priced, the stores are pretty easy about placing them all over. Here in Ipoh, anything "expensive" would be under lock and key and we would only get to see them through glass cabinets.

Well, I guess if shoppers get to just touch the items or try them on, they would be more inclined to buy. Besides, I am sure that the place have been installed with many security cameras so there is no chance for anyone to attempt to shoplift. The good thing though, is that even though everything is caught on camera, at least we do not feel as if we are being spied on or anything like that!

Original NES & Games Sold For US$13K

A North Carolina woman had a windfall when she put up her original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) on eBay recently, including a few original games. The auction attracted a lot of interest. Most importantly, it attracted a lot of bids, with the winning bid at US$13,105. That's a lot of money to pay for an old game system and games, isn't it? Who is that crazy?

You know, I am from the era of this original Nintendo Entertainment System. Almost all my friends who came from above middle class families owned one! I didn't but I had a clone, simply because my parents could only afford that.

But I tell you, if I had an original Nintendo, after reading about this eBay auction, I would be digging it out and putting it on eBay pronto! Who would have thought "junk" like this, though still in good condition and playable, would worth this much? Oh, well, game aficionados, obviously!

Debt Discount

A friend who works for a Debt Collection agency told me that after a few days not chasing for repayment, which he felt very relived, it's time to start work all over again on Monday. He told me that he doesn't like being too forceful because he knows that most debtors are probably not paying up because they are unable to do so, and not that they don't want to do so.

According to my friend, his company is willing to negotiate with debtors to make repayments in flexible installments and just to close these accounts, is willing to offer steep discounts for debtors who pay up in one lump sum.

Even with these very lenient terms, most debtors are unable to accept them. The economy is really this bad, huh? My friend told me that companies that need help in managing accounts receivables go to them as a last resort simply because they don’t want to jeopardize their business relationship with their debtors.

However, chasing for repayment could drag on for months or even years and it simply takes up too much time, energy and resources that could be used on more productive work and other aspects of running the business.

Well, sometimes diplomatic intervention by a third party is the best option to take.

*** This post has been sponsored.

StarCraft 2 Beta Keys On eBay

If you are a StarCraft fan who was not lucky enough to receive a key to StarCraft 2 Beta, you may be interested to know that are people money-minded enough to put their keys on eBay asking for ridiculous amounts of money, from US$300 onwards.

Beats me why there are people crazy enough to pay such good money for just a virtual key that would be valid for like how long? Two months? StarCraft 2, the full version game, will probably be in the market later this year, probably in 6 - 8 months' time, for something like US$50 - US$60, according to gaming fans.

Call these sellers scalpers or whatever names, I really take my hat off to them for their entrepreneurship. They do know how to make a quick buck at the slightest opportunity, huh? Let’s see if there is anyone crazy enough to bite!

A New Ride

My sister told me that she has no regrets buying her dream car, the Volkswagen Beetle. She said that even though it's not the most practical of cars, she likes it and it gives her joy driving it. Since the relocation of the warehouse of her company, she has to drive an even longer distance now.

The good thing is that her employer has promised to compensate her and her colleagues who work from the warehouse with transport allowance to be paid at the end of every month. Luckily for them seeing how much gas price has risen and the extra distance they have to travel now.

My sister said that although her car is not very fuel efficient, at least with Car Allowance which they were not given previously, she doesn't feel the pinch on her budget like she expected to. What awesome timing.

Of course, not everyone thinks so. Some of her colleagues were worried that they would be shortchanged. Some, on the other hand, only have one car in the family and they can’t use it for work. Buying another car would be too extravagant at the moment.

Well, it’s not easy for an employer to please everyone and her main concern is of course to run the company as cost effectively as she could, even if it means moving the warehouse further away.

*** This post has been sponsored.

"Replica" Not Clearly Stated

A friend who has experience with genuine watches told me that Lelong has been infested with replica watches that are not clearly stated , most of the time not stated AT ALL, which led to unwitting buyers of brand name watches into thinking that these sold on Lelong were genuine watches.

If you look closely at these watches, all of them use stock photos in their description. That alone can tell you a lot of things. of course I am not saying that every seller who uses stock photos taken from the website of the brand is selling replicas but it indeed is a huge telltale sign.

Anyway, buying a replica watch is not a crime but I do wonder why anyone would spend a few hundred bucks wearing a fake when he could use this money to buy a genuine branded watch. It may not be of the same class but at least, it isn't a fake that could be easily spotted by people who know their stuff.

Respite From Debt Collection Agents

A friend, who works as a debt collection agent with a leading Collection Agency in the capital city told me that he had so heavy a workload that he is glad that this long weekend, he gets to take a break from work. He said that he is also glad that debtors get a respite from him too!

My mother asked me why my cousin is being chased for payment on his credit card debt by a third party company. According to this friend, many credit card issuers have passed on this task to professional debt collection agencies as they are overwhelmed with people with credit card debts over the past few years since the economic meltdown.

I thought that credit card companies are not supposed to divulge financial and personal information of their clients to third parties but I guess I have been misinformed. Perhaps they have seen how creditors from other industries have been very successful in managing accounts receivables with the help of debt recovery agencies that they too would like to close the files of their credit card debtors.

My cousin, who owes a credit card company a small sum of money, told me that the debt collection agent is willing to give him a steep discount just so that he would settle the debt in full as quickly as possible!

*** This post has been sponsored.

Mido Victim Of Credit Card Fraud

An English fraudster by the name of Daryl Louise Harrison, 21, somehow got her hands on the credit card details of Egyptian-born West Ham United Striker, Ahmed Hossam or more popularly known as Mido, 26,

She treated six friends to a vacation to Dubai that cost £8000. In addition, she also bought a laptop for £2000, paid £5800 for dental treatment and £9000 to travel outside the country. All in, Harrison spent £46000. According to news report, she is now in custody pending verdict.

I find it pretty dumb of people to think that they could get away with credit card fraud or any fraud for that matter. Credit card especially, will leave a trail that could easily be investigated and unearthed. But I don't know, I guess the lure of free money is just too great a temptation.

I think that the laws for white collar crime should be stricter so as to serve a warning to everyone that crime doesn’t pay and the long arm of the law will get us eventually.

Minor Home Office Renovation

I have been planning to renovate my home office for a couple of months already but haven't really done anything. However, once Chinese New Year is done and over with, I may start. I hope to get back to serious work once I am satisfied with the minor renovation that I am planning to do.

It really wouldn't be much but I am going to add drawers and filing cabinets, perhaps another desk and one thing I must install are fancy, colorful blinds to keep the sun rays out. The afternoon sun could be so bright, I guess this is one reason I can not bring myself to put in some work time during the day and prefer to work at night.

In any case, I only have a small budget to work with so I think this minor renovation will not take too long to complete. And then it’s back to real work!

Wedding Dress Fitting

I accompanied a friend to her wedding dress fitting yet again last week, though her wedding day is only in May. I kind of feel sorry for her because due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to postpone her wedding two times previously over the past 1.5 years! Naturally, she is apprehensive and is keeping her fingers crossed that this wedding will go as plan.

The bride-to-be told me that she would like to get her fitting done now because she doesn't want to make alterations to the dress but instead resort to fat burner if she couldn't fit in to the dress anymore!

So far, the wedding dress still fits her very well so she doesn’t need to go on a crash diet yet. With three more months to her big day, I hope she would be able to maintain her weight.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

It's 14th of February again and boy, love is definitely in the air! I was out shopping early this morning and there are many people buying last minute Valentine's Day gifts! Well, actually not so last minute because some will only be celebrating Valentine's Day tonight. I hope that these procrastinators have already booked their table at the restaurant.

If you haven't bought your Valentine's Day gift yet, it is too late to do so online. No online store will be able to deliver your purchase at such short notice. However, if you shop with CyberPartyGal's Webstore and if you would like to have your purchase delivered in Ipoh itself, I would be able to personally deliver your gift to your loved one! This is a special delivery service that I offer but only during special occasions like Valentine's Day and Christmas.

Suffering From Dark Eye Circles

Working for myself, I have a very bad habit of working late at night. It's because I start late, I end up not getting the sleep I need every night. I know that I should change but I work best in the middle of the night when the household is asleep.

I noticed that dark eye circles have formed a couple of months ago and to my dismay, they have gotten darker! I should have gotten an eye cream back then but I guess, with so many things going on, I have forgotten.

Actually, I don't even know which eye cream is effective so before buying any, I have to read eye cream reviews first. This is one reason I haven't bought any yet! Anyway, since I am enjoying a long weekend holiday now, I might as well take this opportunity to check out reviews of eye cream online!

Being Young & Jovial

A friend commented that I have changed a lot over the past couple of years. He said that I was very jovial when he first knew me but I am no longer so. I could only say that I have grown up but I know that it's all because of the stress of work and daily living that have dragged me down. At times, I feel so tired that no matter how many hours of sleep I put in, it never seems sufficient.

I am trying to change my outlook in life and try to take things easier. I hope that I don't need to resort to hgh releaser to keep my spirits up even though I read that HGH releasers are pretty effective!

I think that one of the things that could keep me happy is taking more vacations! I love getting around, meeting people and experiencing new cultures. I hope that this year, I would be able to so. It would be awesome!

CyberPartyGal's WebStore Wishes All Gong Xi Fa Cai!

It's the first day of Chinese New Year today and we are all in holiday mood. It spells the beginning of a New Year according to the Chinese Lunar calendar and as we roll into the Year of the Tiger, we hope that the world economy will improve so that we will all have a better life.

At CyberPartyGal's WebStore, it is business as usual and all orders will be processed accordingly except that there will be no shipping until Tuesday, 16th February. However, as with the trend, holidays are when people stay off the internet to spend quality time with their friends and families.

As with every Chinese New Year, Chinese all over the world will be making their way back to their family home. If you are traveling, drive safely. Enjoy the holidays!

Looking Elegant In Cheongsam

This Chinese New Year, I had wanted to buy a red cheongsam. It's a traditional Chinese costume that frankly, not everyone could carry the look without feeling like a dumpling. If you look at the image I have enclosed, you would understand what I mean!

I actually tried out a few at a boutique last week while looking for Chinese New Year clothes. They have to red to follow tradition, but after trying on a few cheongsam dresses, I gave up. They all gave away my tummy. SIGH. I guess I would need the help of quick trim extreme burn before I could even attempt to wear a cheongsam in public.

I know that there are ladies of all shapes and sizes who wear cheongsam too but to me, I don't just want to be in one. I want to look good in one. Anyway, I’ll make another attempt next Chinese New Year!

Natural Health Supplements

My friend, Amy, told me that she has an idea of starting a home-based business like me too. However, she would be dealing with natural health supplements, from Hoodia to enzyte. She already has a supplier who would be able to offer her very reasonable terms but she hasn't totally made up her mind yet.

Amy said that natural health is all the rage now as everyone is looking to be healthier without putting more chemicals into their bodies. People are more aware of their health and the benefits of natural, herbal or organic products.

I haven't really studied this market yet but I know she is partially right. However, I think that Amy should start marketing a single product first instead of selling a wide range of products. She would lose focus in the business and in the end, lose interest, I am afraid.

No Crowd Puller

I was in Ipoh Parade just now just to see what they have organized in conjunction with Chinese New Year. I thought that it would be a good change since I was in Kinta City for the past few days. Unfortunately, most of the tenants were already closed for the long Chinese New Year holidays and there was no performance to attract shoppers. There was a Valentine's dance performance earlier in the afternoon, though, but it has nothing to do with Chinese New Year.

Anyway, from this, one could understand why Kinta City continues to pull shoppers even though it's already around for ten years or more. It's like the most popular mall in the capital city. Ipoh folks actually have a lot of time on their hands and they treat shopping malls like parks. Trust me, I know because I see familiar faces wherever I go.

So yeah, I guess, tomorrow, I will be heading to Kinta City to watch some performances instead. I wouldn't have to pay RM1.50 parking fees either.

Peace Of Mind For Used Car Owners

If you have been following my blog, you would know that I am planning to purchase a car. I am keen to purchase a new car but my dad advised me to buy a used car. He said I don't need a new car and cars depreciate too fast. he is right of course, but it doesn't mean that I don't continue to dream of driving a new car. I guess this is why I still haven't got my own car yet till now!

One of the reasons I am reluctant to buy a used car is because it may give me more trouble than it's worth. My father said that not all used cars are condemned. It's all down to maintenance, he says. I guess it's true and he should know better having owned so many cars, used and new.

I discovered a used car warranty program by Drivetime called DriveCare® that offers 36-month/36,000 miles warranty for used cars bought on or after 1st December, 2009 and I think that this is an excellent warranty package.

With this warranty program, new owners of used cars would not have to worry about being tied down financially with the burden of a new car. In addition, a warranty program like DriveCare® offers them the peace of mind they need.

eBay Inc. To Pay Louis Vuitton $316,500

eBay has been fined by French court to the tune of US$316,500 in legal costs and damages to Louis Vuitton Malletier for its actions in buying keywords that sounds like Vuitton but spelled wrongly in a hope to redirect search traffic to eBay instead of an official Vuitton website. The court said that such action by eBay is "parasitic".

The Louis Vuitton trademark is held by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and they claimed that eBay's actions have harmed their reputation. The company had sought $1.7 million in compensation but it looks like they are just going to get a fraction of it. Still eBay announced that they plan to appeal against this ruling.

This looks like a legal tussle between two giants but just because eBay knows the tricks of the internet and what drives search traffic doesn’t mean that what they did are right.

Invoicing On A Tight Budget

My friend, Terrence, told me that he has to send out invoices to a group of repeat purchasers. He is selling a service that is renewable every year and most of his clients are happy enough to continue buying from him.

Terrence said that it is a lot of work because he is not using any invoicing software as he has to keep his cost low. It's pretty understandable since web business, like any other businesses, has its ups and downs too and we are all still just recovering from recession.

Although I do not use any billing software myself, I have discussed it with a few friends before who are online merchants. They told me that online invoicing doesn't need to be costly if they know which company to go with!

I was recommended Billing Books, a reliable company that doesn't bust our budget. Although I did not try it out myself, I am going to let Terrence know about it. Perhaps Billing Books could help him lightening his work load.

My Name is Khan Tickets on eBay at €1,000 Each

If you are one of Shah Rukh Khan fans dying to watch him in My Name Is Khan, and you couldn't get your hands on a ticket because they were sold out at the Berlin International Film Festival within five seconds because people were crazy enough to queue up in the open braving the cold, perhaps you should head over to eBay.

Yes, only on eBay can we find people selling their precious for a price. And you can have it if you are able to meet the asking price. Right now, tickets to My Name Is Khan is sold on eBay at €1,000 which I think, only a psycho would by.

But whether it is worth the price or not is another matter. If it's put up, there is bound to be a buyer. Let's see if these tickets are sold at the end of their auctions. I wish the sellers all the best!

Quality Custom Labels

A friend, Ken, has been busy getting his graphics for his honey bottle label down to pat. he has been asking for out opinion for months now and with our feedback, has made changes to it but something, he is fussy and did not get the "eureka" feeling, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, his father, show is also the boss, has given him the ultimatum to get those Custom Labels ready for their new packaging. It's the New Year and they have big plans for their bottled natural honey, which is a leading product of the company.

Ken has asked if I have experienced with any printers before. I don't but I also plan to print my own packaging for my business and have been told that Data Graphics Inc. is a quality digital printing company which I believe would meet the requirements of Ken. Like I said, Ken is fussy but I am sure he would be satisfied with his Custom Label.

When I expand my lingerie business, I too would be printing my own Custom Labels and packaging, probably through Data Graphics Inc. too. Unmarked brown paper boxes would be a thing of the past then. I hope my dream of my own lingerie label would come true!

Oprah Winfrey Spring Cleans

Oprah is spring cleaning and will be offloading over 150 personal items on eBay from 1st to 11th March. The ever generous Oprah will be channeling all proceeds from this series of auctions to benefit the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, a foundation that supports the development of a new generation of women leaders in South Africa.

According to reports, we can expect designer shoes, handbags and clothes from Jimmy Choo to Prada heels and boots, Bottega Veneta and Chanel bags just to name a few. There would be more than 150 items on auction, remember, so there is surely something for everyone.

Mind you, these are all going to brand name items, they have been worn or used by Oprah Winfrey herself and since this is for a charitable cause, you can expect the prices to be high. I may not be able to afford her items but I am still interested to see what’s available!

Oprah Winfrey eBay page: HERE

Fancy Residential Mail Boxes

Once in a while, my sister will have this urge to make some changes to her home. She finds joy in that especially if it's not too expensive. Lately, she is thinking of changing to a new mail box. Well, unlike houses here where most mailboxes are built into brick pillars, her mailbox is planted just on the edge of her garden by the roadside.

Of course, changing a new mailbox isn't a big deal but the thing that's stopping her is her inability to decide which one she likes more since there are just so many to select from! When she asked me to help her make that decision, I was taken aback too by the huge selection of residential mailboxes.

The funny thing was that I told her that it doesn't matter which one she chooses. These residential mail boxes are so affordable she can always change to yet another one whenever she is bored with it already! I am sure her husband wouldn't mind.

Cuban-American Designer Narciso Rodriguez To Launch eBay Only Clothing Line

Cuban-American designer, who has dressed the likes of first lady Michelle Obama, Jessica Alba and Carolyn Bessette, will be launching a new clothing line for eBay only this 15th February, 2010.

According to sources, this line will be an eight-piece limited edition collection and will feature his signature sophisticated cut, streamlined look and color blocking. The good news is that we can expect sizes from 0 to 14, which I believe will cover a whole lot of women! Prices will range from an affordable $65 to $35.

This is going to be pretty interesting if you like Narcisco Rodriguez designs but as you know, buying clothes online, or even shoes for that matter, could be pretty tricky because of the multitude of sizes.

Baseball Gloves For Kids

My friend, Lawrence, joked that it is more difficult to buy a gift for the son of his boss than it is getting a Valentine's Day for his girlfriend. He said that's because he knows what his girlfriend would like to receive but he doesn't even know the boy at all but has to get this birthday gift as he and his colleagues are invited to the kid's birthday party next week.

I thought of helping him out by making some gift suggestions but he turned them all down. And then I asked if he plays baseball and if he does, Baseball Gloves would be ideal. Lawrence said that he doesn't even know but I don't think it matters either way. If he doesn't play, perhaps receiving a baseball glove for his birthday would spur him into picking up the sport since he is an active kid from what I was told.

I know it is not the best gift suggestion since buying baseball gloves could be rather tricky since they come in various sizes but then the gift would surely stand out because it is something different from what a boy would usually receive on his birthday. Luckily for Lawrence, baseball gloves are not that expensive so he could always get a backup gift as well.

*** This post has been sponsored.

Personal Payments to India Via PayPal Suspended

A few days ago, I read in a forum that a guy who holds a PayPal account registered with an Indian address could no longer receive personal payments to his PayPal account. According to him, the payments that were sent to his account were automatically reversed and sent back to the senders.

I thought it was just a temporary glitch but at this point, it certainly looks serious and if I hold an Indian PayPal account, I would be extremely worried too. Heck, I am worried even though I hold a Malaysian PayPal account because of our erratic policies.

Anyway, at this point, PayPal has suspended all personal payments to PayPal accounts registered in India. PayPal has also suspended withdrawal (or transfer) of funds to local banks. According to a source, PayPal took this move because of new Indian policy that requires the identification of people who are involved in international money transfers and PayPal is not able to do so.

I'm going to keep tab on this one.

International Trade Show

My friend, Kent, has invited me to join him in an international trade show in China later in the year. He knows that I am planning to expand my business and he thought that being exposed to an international trade show will give me an idea of what to expect dealing with international suppliers and buyers.

This isn't the first time he has invited me and I have always declined because of language barrier but Kent will be participating in the trade show to promote his honey to a wider consumer base and will be hiring a local translator. That's right, he can't speak Mandarin either!

Kent said that there's much to do between now and then, especially with planning his exhibitor's booth. It will be like a carnival with outdoor booths but Kent cannot decide if he should rent space indoors or outdoors.

According to Kent, if he takes an indoor booth, he doesn't have to spend as much since he already has already has trade show carpet and trade show flooring that he could use. If he were to rent an outdoor booth, he would have to get ready a logo canopy. Of course, it will be costlier but it will be very attractive and eye catching. I believe it will be investment well spent.

Kent has plenty of logo mats that he printed for the previous trade shows that he participated in. He told me that actually, it is not easy to clinch a deal during a trade show because of the tremendous amount of people but it is a good avenue to bring his brand name to more people that's why he took such opportunities to hand out premiums.

Anyway, I haven't decided if I will be going. I'd love to, of course, but every time I am away, I suffer a double loss.

eBay Boy Fined £1

I felt really ridiculous reading this news report on Daily Star (UK) that eBay Boy was only fined a nominal £1 even though his online scam was £100,000! That's like a total mockery of the judiciary system!

Phillip Shortman, 22, who is also known as "eBay Boy" is said to have led a luxury life from his ill gotten gains from selling non-existent goods on eBay, holidaying in New York, hired limousines and bought branded clothes.

Apparently, eBay Boy was only fined £1 because he had spent all the fraudulent proceeds and do not own any property. Yeah, right. Is that so easy to get away from a crime? I really pity his victims. It looks like that's the last they have seen of their money.

What riles me even further is the fact that people like eBay Boy are driving away buyers and this in turn hurts genuine sellers. It's like a chain effect, you know?

Source: Daily Star

Tax On Erratic Income

A friend was asking me if she should submit her income tax come April. She is like me, running a small home-based business, but her niche product is handmade accessories while I deal with lingerie.

This is a question that I have asked myself many times previously too. The problem is that home-based businesses like ours do not earn us a lot and worse still, income is so erratic and dependent on the amount of time we put in. I have often wondered if it's worth the hassle of keeping proper accounts and paying quite a lot to an accountant to help us with filing our income tax even, especially now that it's self-assessment.

I talked to a couple of friends who helped me find out what should be done for people like me from their tax consultants. Yes, I was too cheap to go and speak to one myself, in case they charge me consultation fees!

Anyway, I was told that even if we earn so low that we are not taxable, we still have to declare out income tax. A friend shared with me that he too previously did not declare his income and did not pay income tax. When he did, he felt that it was exceptionally easy to apply for a loan. In fact, his auto and home loans were approved within just half a day!

While I do not have any plans to buy a car, I definitely am planning to buy property in the capital city. I have been checking out prices for landed property for the past two years but unfortunately, still have not saved enough money for a decent house. I would need a home loan for that but am not ready yet to commit to a long term loan. It just scares me. I guess it is mainly because my income is too erratic.

Still, like I was told, even if we have no taxable income and do not plan to take out an auto or home loan, we would have to do this if only to keep the IRS at bay.

Red

Red is the colour of the month this February as Chinese around the world usher in a New Year. I visited a lot of shopping malls over the past week as I was doing my Chinese New Year shopping and every corner seems to be red in colour!

Of course, pink is also seen everywhere because of Valentine's Day which falls on 14th February, 2010, which coincidentally, is also the first day of the Chinese New Year! This coincidence makes these two days extra special.

Besides roaring business for retailers, another sector to benefit highly from these two occasions that are celebrated this Chinese is the food industry. A friend, who runs his own restaurant, told me that it certainly has been a long time since he was this busy. I guess that after the long drought no thanks to the recent economic recession, things are beginning to pick up once again and people are beginning to spend once more.

The Right Time To Buy

A friend told me that he would like to purchase 2000 units of a particular share. I was not keen because of the direction it has trended over the past three months with very low volume but I didn't mention anything to him.

If I have his capital, I would invest in precious metal instead, especially gold. Actually, now is the right time to buy gold bullion, despite its already high price but even though it has fallen significantly over the past year, the price per ounce is still above $1000 currently.

This friend said that he is not familiar with investment in precious metals but will do a study of it to be more informed of market trends. However, like all investment opportunities, timing is a major deciding factor to determine if one makes a profit or loss. Well, at least that's what I think.

Battling Excessive Shipping With eBay Bucks

eBay has always tried to discourage sellers from charging excessive shipping to avoid a higher Final Value Fee (FVF) to the point of even making free shipping compulsory for some categories though this will be lifted come 30th March, 2010, if I remember correctly.

Anyway, eBay is rolling out a programme called eBay Bucks which is in BETA now but the aim of it is to bring in the help of buyers to stop sellers from charging excessive shipping fees. eBay Bucks is a "cash back" or cash reward programme that would earn the buyer two percent of the purchase price. Shipping and handling not included.

While previously it did not matter to a buyer if he paid $100 for the item and $15 for shipping, with eBay Bucks, it will make a difference if he paid $115 for the item that comes with free shipping. Let's see how effective eBay Bucks will be.

Relocation Of Warehouse

My sister told me that her company is relocating the warehouse again to one with a lower rent which means that she would have to drive further to work but the main problem now is thinking of where to move to and how to move all those stocks. My sister is in charged of the stocks of beauty products but she and her colleagues do not relish the thought of carting those heavy boxes to another warehouse yet again. My sister said that it was a nightmare for them the first time and nobody wants to relive the nightmare!

I advised my sister to suggest to her boss to engage a Moving Company this time. It isn't even expensive and the relocation could be done swiftly and efficiently without disrupting their usual business, which would happen if all of them have to do the moving themselves. Her boss may be stingy slave driver but I am sure she is a very sensible lady too.

And knowing the boss, she will surely ask my sister to look for the best movers in town; best in terms of rates and service. And I could supply my sister with just the ideal company for this relocation of their warehouse.

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Kim Kardashian Does Her Bit For Haiti Earthquake Victims

Kim Kardashian, through her eBay Store, Kims Closet Clothing Store, is doing her bit for the earthquake victims of Haiti by auctioning off her branded clothing, shoes and accessories. Not only that, she has also roped in her mother Kris, sisters Kourtney and Khloe, Khloe’s husband Lamar Odom and boyfriend Reggie Bush to clear out their closet for charity too.

Kim has always been very eBay savvy and has used the platform to raise funds for charity, one of them being her pet charity, Dream Foundation, which grants wishes for terminally ill adults.

Kim’s auctions have always been very successful. I guess she is so hot, everyone wants a piece of her! If you are her fan, or even a fan of Kourtney and Khloe, or just love to watch Keeping Up With The Kardashian’s, you shouldn’t give these auctions a miss!

Rental Too High

Corrine, a friend, told me that she has decided to relocate her office because she is no longer able to meet the high rental. I have always thought that it was too high and told her so but she said that she was paying for the premier address. Still, I never thought that it was worth the money! It’s not as if she was doing door sales.

Anyway, Corrine said that she has given notice to the landlord and because she has two months' deposit with him, she did not have to pay her rent for January and February but will have to evict by the end of the month.

Corrine has a lot of stuff to move and has no idea where to start. She asked me if it would be a good idea to cart away her things in the office little by little or to only do so at the end of the month. I think she should just leave the work to a Boston Moving company since they are professional movers and would know how to handle a relocation better.

But first, Corrine will have to look for an office for rent that doesn’t come with such a high rental but that would still be convenient for her.

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Miley Cyrus Auctions Grammys Dress For Haiti

Miley Cyrus has pledged to donate the dress that she wore to the Grammy Awards to Red Cross to be auctioned off on eBay to raise funds for the Haiti earthquake fund to help the victims of the recent Haiti earthquake that shook up the country.

Miley Cyrus, 17, wore a dark blue Herve Leger dress to the Grammys as you can see in this photo. Miley looks awesome in the dress but I don't think it could be carried off well by most women in the street.

But perhaps the winning bidder wouldn't even be wearing it. The winner may just want to OWN something that was worn by Miley Cyrrus because that's what fans do, at least those who could afford it! Proceeds go to charity, after all.

I'll be looking out to see how much fans of Miley Cyrus are willing to pay for this!

Power Pilates

My mother has been attending physiotherapy classes at a local hospital nearby for the past couple of months because of pain in her knees and wrists. The pain is probably due to old age but it impedes her movements. I try to accompany her when I can but I do wish that there is some sort of exercise that she could do at home instead because it would be more convenient for her.

I have been told of Power Pilates Boston by a friend, Paul, who hurt his knee in a sporting accident. The nagging pain never left him although he has tried many different exercises but Power Pilates has been rather effective in helping him move better.

From what I read on the website of The Movement Center of Boston, Power Pilates is offered in various group sizes, from private individual classes to group sessions. Clients are also grouped according to ones knowledge of Power Pilates, from beginner, intermediate to advance classes. This means that one could start Power Pilates no matter how old she is. Age doesn't seem to be an issue so my mother will have no problems taking up this form of physical exercise.

From what I learned from Paul, I think that if my mother takes up Power Pilates, she doesn’t even have to attend her physiotherapy classes.

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PayPal Withdrawals Free In the UK From 11th Feb

PayPal has scrapped all fees for withdrawals in the UK directly to a bank account. It is free to withdraw in the USA no matter the amount but as far as I know, all other PayPal withdrawals in other countries outside of the United States have a minimum withdrawal amount to qualify for free service.

In the UK, it is free to withdraw your PayPal funds only if you withdraw a minimum of £50.00. For withdrawals of a lesser amount, £0.25 will be charged. It's about 0.5% service fee if you withdraw slightly less than £50. Is that a lot? I know it should be free since we are withdrawing out own money but it's not too high, I think.

This positive change will come into effect this 11th February, 2010 and I can imagine that there would be thousands of PayPal account holders in the United Kingdom making withdrawals as soon as 11th February, 2010 dawns. These will be people who have just a small amount of funds in PayPal for years. Happy for them!

Difficulties In Collecting Debt

A friend told me of the difficulties he is facing collecting outstanding payment from a couple of customers. He said that it is very frustrated for him because the amount is not big and it is not small either. The cost of chasing for it is sometimes higher than the money owed, especially if he engages a lawyer to issue a demand letter.

I asked him if he has thought of engaging Collection Agencies to do the job instead, since they are a lot cheaper but just as professional when it comes to collecting debt. It doesn't matter what industry he is in. Companies like American Profit Recovery deal with creditors in almost every industry and have a very successful track record too judging from the total monies resolved for their clients to date.

As a business person myself, I am very aware that often times, it is the ability to manage our accounts receivables that determines the profit or loss of our business for the year. My friend definitely could not go on like this as it drains his energy and resources. It would do his business good to hand over the task to professional collection agents who are very diplomatic yet effective in their approach.

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1st Series of Major Changes For eBay UK Sellers In 2010

eBay UK has just announced its first of three series of major changes for the year and after reading the long list of changes, I got dizzy because there are just too many for this one round! I don't sell on eBay UK but I do know of fellow Malaysian eBayers who are doing so and they tell me that the most significant change for them is the reinstatement of International Site Visibility. This means that by listing on eBay UK even for fixed price items, they would also receive the exposure on eBay US and eBay Canada.

I think it is good news to know that eBay has decided to do away with mandatory free shipping and it will be replaced by postage cap. While this is an awesome change, I am afraid that the imposition of mandatory free shipping may have chased away some genuine sellers.

If you are selling on eBay UK, you really should understand the many changes that will be rolled out in from April, 2010 and how they will affect you as a seller. The official eBay announcement page is HERE.

Mobile Employee Auto Allowance

Wilson told me that his company has just clinched a deal, a major deal, but it's in a neighboring state and a few of the employees would have to travel weekly on location until the project is completed. Wilson said that since out-of-state projects are very rare, they would have to travel on their own and no company vehicle will be provided.

Wilson doesn't like the idea of using his own vehicle but he and his colleagues who are involved in this project have been assured that auto allowance will be calculated and paid at the end of the end when the project is scheduled to be completed.

It is actually a good idea for the company to adopt such a vehicle reimbursement program as it has more advantages for both employer and employees. Such programs are highly flexible and could be customized to the needs of each company. In this case, Wilson’s company only has to reimburse employees who are traveling to the neighboring state to manage this project.

Although in the beginning Wilson and his colleagues were not happy to have to use their own car for work purposes, especially when they have to drive out of state, they felt better knowing that the auto allowance paid would be fair to them and tax-free too!

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