Old fashioned or growing older?

I was chatting with a reader on FB and I said how I prefer the newspapers in paper form and not digital form. 

I am very old fashioned. I like to be able to make notes in the margins, underline, tick or cross sections and sometimes draw funny faces (yes, I like to think that this is old fashioned too).

This is a reason why I really dislike annual reports being sent to me in CDs! See these?

I like to be able to do this:

This is quite clean actually. For some annual reports, I could write paragraphs, penning down my thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind. 

I have grown more forgetful of late and I am more easily distracted too. So, it is important that I pen my thoughts down quickly.

Annual reports in CDs? They are really off putting for me.

Related posts:
1. Invest and get back the money spent.
(Old fashioned? Growing old too.)
2. What I do before I buy or sell a stock?
(Old school or old fashioned? Different?)

Totally unrelated post:
Save money with low prices (Go shopping with AK).
- Just updated. All the links were dead.
Thanks to a reader for alerting me.

AK denied Starhub extra income!

For 4 years, I enjoyed unlimited mobile broadband access at only $19.37 a month. Then, my most recent invoice from Starhub shows that I must pay $38.72 a month from now on. That stunned me. I looked at the invoice for a minute or, maybe, two before the fact sank in.

Oh, no. Doubled.

Although an extra $19.35 a month might not seem like a lot (well, that was what my mom said when I lamented about this to her), it is an extra $232.20 a year! That is more than what I give myself in pocket money a month!

I decided to take action and not being very savvy when it comes to IT stuff, I sought the opinions of my FB readers'. After many comments, Wilson (pero) told me "If 3g is enough for you, 7.2 mbps, it's 19 bucks." Yes! Under $20 a month!

So, I made a trip to a Starhub service centre and re-contracted.

Apparently, my old mobile broadband had a speed of only 2 mbps although the dataplan provided for unlimited usage. The service staff told me that under the new contract, the speed will be faster at 7.2 mbps but the dataplan is restricted to 6gb of usage per month.

Faster speed but restricted data usage. Sounds acceptable although I didn't have any problem with a speed of 2 mbps before. I guess being upgraded to a speed of 7.2 mbps is like upgrading from my Mazda 2 to a BMW Z4. Wah! Nice!

At a price of $19.90 a month, it is just 2.85% higher than what I have been paying in the last 4 years. Wah! This is also nice!

I just denied Starhub an extra income of $18.82 a month or $225.84 a year. Wah! This is very nice! 

Makes me happy.

Related post:
How I earned $9,216 with a mug?
(Could be "How I denied coffee shops extra income?")

Invest and get back the money spent!

There are so many signs that my body is ageing and here is another one.

I was reading while waiting for a friend one evening to meet up for dinner. I think I must have been reading for at least 30 minutes and when I looked up, everything was a blur.

I blinked a few times and it was still a blur. I removed my glasses and rubbed my eyes. I put on my glasses again and it was still a blur. I think my vision only cleared up after another minute or so. What's the reason?

When I went for an eye check recently, I was told that I need reading glasses. Yes, it was one of those moments in between denial and acceptance.

What did I do? I made a trip to a discount store!

I tried those $2.00 reading glasses, congratulating myself for being such a smart fellow! However, they didn't work for me! Everything was still a blur.

Apparently, because I have astigmatism, I could not use those $2.00 reading glasses. So, sadly, I had to get a pair made. Price: $68.00.

My reading glasses.

I consoled myself by saying that Singapore's population is ageing rapidly. I am not alone. I should try to get back the $68.00 I spent by investing in businesses that cater to the ageing population. LOL.

Related posts:
1. AK gets recognition from government.
2. Tea with AK71: Eldershield.

Socks! Socks! My Kingdom for some socks!

I woke up in the morning to discover that I was out of socks! Really!

It reminded me of an episode in Black Adder:

Prince George on the left and Black Adder on the right.

BLACKADDER: Sir, if I may make so bold, a major crisis has arisen in your affairs.

PRINCE GEORGE: Yes, I know Blackadder. I have been pondering it all morning.

BLACKADDER: You have, sir?

PRINCE GEORGE: Yes. Socks. Run out again. Why is it that no matter how many millions of pairs of socks I buy, I never seem to have any?

BLACKADDER: Sir, with your forgiveness, there is another, even weightier problem.

PRINCE GEORGE: They just disappear. Honestly, you'd think someone was coming in here stealing the damn things and selling them off.

In case you are wondering, Black Adder was selling them off. The Prince was clueless.

Anyway, in my case, the population of socks in my cupboard has been dwindling as they got worn out and thrown away. So, I decided to buy some new socks in the evening.

I went to the nearby shopping mall and walked into Giordano for the first time in, er, 3 or 4 years? Made a beeline for the socks which were going at 4 pairs for $20. Got the shorter ones because they feel a bit more cushy compared to the ones of regular length, if you know what I mean.

8 pairs in all. I think they should last me another 3 or 4 years. Well, I hope so, anyway.


Funny!

How I earned $9,216 with a mug? (Or $32,000?)

Reader:
I used to buy a Mocha Frap every day at work. About a year ago, after reading your blog, I challenged myself to stop. 

For each day I didn't buy a Mocha Frap, I put aside $10. 





I am pleased to report I have managed to put aside more than $2,000 so far. 

The secret is in your blog. 

I got myself a mug and I will earn more than $32,000 with my mug in 16 years! 





If AK can do it, I can do better!

-----------------------
I was making a cup of hot Milo in the office pantry like I sometimes do and the sight of my mug suddenly gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. 

No, it was not from the hot water or the steam.

Nice? 

Got a bit chipped over the years but still nice.

I bought this not long after I started work. 

I needed a mug to use for my tea breaks.

It must have been 15 or 16 years ago by now. 





How much money have I saved in those years by not buying coffee or tea or Milo from the coffee shop (or from Starbucks) on work days?

Conservatively, $288 x 2 x 16 years? 

$9,216? 

Not bad.





Gives a new flavour to the phrase "old is gold". 

OK, who threw something at me? 

Who? Who?




Related post:
Tea with AK71: Some of my stuff (Part 3).

Photos of AK's home.

In my last blog post, some readers thought that the photos were of my home.

Nope. Too luxurious. 

Anyway, curiosity is only natural and since I took some photos of my place a couple of years ago, here they are:

Main entrance to my home on the right.

I gave away the TV console and LCD TV to my sister.

Kitchen with inexpensive washing machine and fridge.

The rather small guest room which was rented out to a friend.

Washroom.

My bedroom.

This is SPARTA!

Related post:
Moved in after 2 weeks and an $8,000 renovation.

Tiger Balm Liniment by Haw Par Corporation.

When I was a boy, I used to wonder why older folks liked to rub medicated oil on their temples. I didn't like the sharp and stinging scent.

You know what they say about how only time can teach us certain things. This is one of those things.

For about 10 years now, I have been using medicated oil regularly. 10 years? Do I keep a record? No, I kept the empty bottles:

First bottle on the extreme left was manufactured in 2002 while the one on the extreme right which is the one I am using now was manufactured in September 2011.

Two lessons from this:

1. Often, we can only really understand why older people are the way they are when we grow older ourselves. We should be more patient when interacting with our elders.

2. I could have bought shares of Haw Par Corporation in the past when it was much cheaper but I did not. A pity. It last traded at $7.45 a share.

Based on its financial statements, I am estimating a PER of almost 15x at current share price. It seems to have a fixed annual DPS of 20c which gives a dividend yield of 2.68%. The stock has a NAV/share of some $10.71 which means it is trading at a discount of 30.5%. Its balance sheet is very strong too.

Some might ask if it is better to invest in SPH. Well, if SPH were to pay a DPS of 21c, at $4.10 a share, we would get a yield of 5.12%. From this angle, SPH wins hands down.

However, if Haw Par Corporation were to pay out all its earnings as dividends, we could see a higher yield of 6.7% or so. Of course, I am not suggesting that it would but, comparing it with SPH thus, it seems stronger compared to SPH.

It is probably safe to say that anyone investing in Haw Par Corporation probably looks at it as an asset play. It does not seem attractive in any other way to me as an investor at its current share price.

Remember, "you could sit on an undervalued situation your entire adult life and the stock wouldn't budge a nickel." (Peter Lynch, One Up On Wall Street.)

Still, all investments are good at the right price and if PER were to decline to 12x or if the stock were to trade at a 40% discount to its NAV while maintaining a DPS of 20c, it could be a very compelling buy! Well, I can always dream.

Related post:
How to be "One Up On Wall Street"?

The last bit of moisturiser wasted.

I prefer tubes to tubs because there is less exposure of the content to air. However, I really dislike how some of the content will go to waste.

Front.

Back.



Side. How to squeeze anymore?

If this were a plastic tube, I would have cut the tube in half to get the last bit of moisturiser left in it. This is, however, a metal tube.

Oh, well.

Related post:
Shea Butter Cream.

Repairing my Tag Heuer watch.

I had to send my Tag Heuer watch for repairs because one hand was free wheeling.

According to the service centre, I must have dropped the watch before and watches don't like to be dropped. They are like living beings, I guess.

Anyway, after seeing the repair bill, I decided that I don't like to drop watches too!

$130. Ouch!

LVMH gave me a nice drawstring bag.

At least this is less expensive compared to my dad's Rolex which cost almost $800 to repair when he dropped it a couple of years ago.

The lesson to learn from these incidents is not to buy expensive watches!

Buy a cheap $40 Casio. Break it, throw it away and buy another!

What? You have a weakness for watches (like I do)?  Oh, dear. Good luck to both of us.

Related posts:
1. My CASIO watch.
2. Vintage ROLEX watch.

Protect ourselves from the haze while in bed.

We spend 6 to 8 hours everyday in bed. While we can wear a surgical mask when we are up and about, it is more difficult to do so while sleeping. So, how do we protect ourselves from the haze while asleep?

Keep the windows closed and switch on the air conditioning, if available. Then, get ourselves a good air purifier and place it at the foot of our bed.

My Sharp air purifier at the foot of my bed.

It is positioned with the air intake panel facing the foot of my bed.
There is a HEPA filter on the inside.
HEPA filters are able to filter out smaller particles compared to traditional vacuum cleaner filters.

An entry level model like the one I bought costs a bit less than $200. I have had it for almost 2 years and I consider it money well spent since it protects my health.

This photo was taken while I was waiting at the traffic light earlier this evening.

This is not an advertorial.

Related post:
Singapore air pollution reading: PSI 170!

Tea with AK71: Casio watch and The Price is Right!

In my last Tea with AK71 blog post which was about a vintage Rolex watch, I revealed in the comments section that I travel with a Casio watch. In case you think that it is a digital watch, think again.

I have not bought a digital watch since my Smash watch died years ago. I rather prefer analogue as they seem to harken back to the good old days.

My travelling companion.

I bought this watch because it just looks so clean and its bezel looks like a Rolex. How much, you ask? Let's play a game. Why not make a guess and leave your answer in the comments section?

We will see whose answer is the closest to the actual price I paid for the watch. Reminds me of the game show, The Price is Right!

Eligibility:
All ASSI readers are eligible to take part in this game. Employees of CASIO Worldwide, members of the immediate families and/or persons living in the same household as such persons and CASIO Worldwide associated agencies are not eligible to take part in this game. ;-p

Related post:
Tea with AK71: Vintage Rolex watches.

Tea with AK71: Vintage Rolex watches.

I recently have a new routine. I would wind a vintage Rolex watch every night. Yes, quaint, isn't it?

I have automatic watches, solar powered watches and, of course, the ubiquitous quartz movement watches. A manually wound watch? I haven't had one since my primary school days more than three decades ago.

Shortly after acquiring the watch, I spent some time online trying to find the exact year of its manufacture. I know, from what I found, that it has to be more than 20 years old but it could also be more than 60 years old. I was able to finally determine its age from its serial numbers.

My vintage Rolex Oysterdate 6694.

The watch was manufactured in the year 1956 which means that it is some 15 years older than me!

The watch is from a time when life was a bit less hectic than it is today, perhaps. It was a time when people would have the patience to wind their watches, perhaps. For sure, the internet did not exist then and information most probably flowed more slowly.

The daily winding of the watch is quite therapeutic, I have found. It helps to focus my mind on something simple for a few moments each day. It has a very calming effect.

When I showed the watch to my father, he said that only the rich could afford a watch like this during those days. It would have cost S$400 - S$600 when he was a young man and that was a lot of money back then. A clerk made only S$200 or so a month in those days.

A quick search on eBay for similar Rolex watches found asking prices of between US$1,600 to US$2,990. The only unit available from the same era as the one I have was asking for the highest price of US$2,990. Antiques have higher valuations, I guess.

A friend said that it is creepy that I should have such an old watch and not know who were the owners before me. I don't feel that way. This is a piece of history and I am privileged to be its new custodian.

Related posts:
1. Bought a new car.
2. Parting with an old friend.
3. Money well spent.

Tea with AK71: Parting with an old friend.

Would you consider 15 years a relatively long time to be in a relationship? Personally, I think it is. It is longer than the duration of many marriages I know of.

After 15 years, I am finally parting ways with an old friend which has been showing visible signs of ageing. Beginning to fall apart, it still stayed by me, faithfully serving me while I reluctantly looked for a replacement in the past couple of months.

I must admit that it is really hard to find a fitting replacement as the candidates were either too big, too small, too complicated, too sexy, too fake, too simple or just didn't feel right. Finally, I found one that is just about right.

What am I talking about? My wallet, of course.

My old wallet was from Heritage, a company in West Germany. Yes, it was bought during a time when Germany was divided into East and West. I think it cost me a bit more than S$100.00 back then. I bought it when I got my very first pay cheque.



Visible signs of wear and tear as the stitching in the fold unravels.

The replacement wallet is apparently quite branded or so I was told by friends. Braun Buffel is a company in Germany (not West Germany) and this wallet costs me $109.00, after a discount. 

15 years on, it is still roughly the same price to get a good quality German leather wallet. No inflation! A miracle!

Even though it is very similar to my old wallet in design, I feel that my old wallet is still better. I guess I just need time to get used to the new one.

Related post:
Some of my stuff (Part 2)

Tea with AK71: Some of my stuff (Part 3).

No prizes for guessing how many years I've had this mug for. ;-)

I still remember buying this when I was in Secondary 4. 

It was a small luxury for me in those days as a student. It was also the first time I had my own mug at home. I would only use this mug from that day on. 

Of course, over the years, I accumulated another few mugs but this is still my first love. ;-p

A beautiful full moon tonight. I took a shot with my IXUS from my balcony. I guess this is the best I could do with the zoom and all. I am feeling somewhat nostalgic tonight. Growing old.

Related posts:
Some of my stuff (Part 1).
Some of my stuff (Part 2).

Tea with AK71: A very old handkerchief.

In LP's cbox, a conversation took place on whether we should use handkerchiefs or tissue paper. Some went on to say that guys who use handkerchiefs are romantic. I have been using handkerchiefs forever! No one has ever said I was romantic. In fact, some people think that I am a dinosaur.

This is my favourite handkerchief, one that my mom bought for me when I was in secondary school. So, it must be at least 24 years old by now. Actually, I suspect it is a couple of years older.

I have decided to stop using it after its last wash because it has started tearing. Quite threadbare by now. How many packets of tissue paper have I saved because I was using this handkerchief for more than two decades? Just a rhetorical question. I don't have the answer. ;)

Tea with AK71: Some of my stuff (Part 2).

One of my favourite possessions is my wallet! I truly can't live without it! This was bought with money from my first pay cheque 15 years ago. It is a Heritage brand genuine leather wallet made in W. Germany and cost slightly more than $100 then. I remember I got it from Metro in Marina Square. The leather is really nice and soft. Good quality stuff. I can't find this brand anymore in Singapore. If you know where to get it, let me know. I would like to standby a replacement wallet, just in case.

This next item is a collapsible umbrella which I bought from Japan in 1998. Cost: JPY1,000 (equivalent to $15 in those days). I really like how compact it is and it fits into my briefcase. I am never caught without an umbrella when it rains. I doubt I could get one at the same price now even if it was still available. 

Do you have some old stuff which you are still using today? They don't make things the way they used to, do they? So what if they are old? Old is gold. :)

Related post:
Tea with AK71: Some of my stuff (Part 1).

Tea with AK: Some of my stuff (Part 1).

I was chatting in LP's cbox and I cannot remember how the conversation went but I talked about some of my stuff which is really old but still in use. 

I mentioned that I have a T-shirt which I bought in Secondary 2 which I am still wearing today. 





It is very comfortable and I even wear it out sometimes. 

If we do our sums quickly, this shirt is 26 years old this year!

A cboxer, Crystal, said:

no no. i believe but i find it amazing in terms of the condition. cos my secondary school t shirt can only wear @ home liao.... what washing machine and washing powder u use!

I was really amused by what another cboxer, Evolution, said:

Evolution: lobster taller than small girl , ak's t shirt older than evo