Request for sponsorship.

"Astonished, we were."

Recently, I received what I thought to be a rather bizarre email.

As someone who is blogging for fun and making a bit of pocket money from ad placements etc, I never would have thought that I would be asked for a monetary sponsorship. Well, I was recently asked!

Apparently, the event will have:

1000 delegates:

• Age between 28 to 55
• Annual income more than $40,000
• Professionals, Managers, Executives and Businessmen (PMEBs)
• Entrepreneurs
• High Net Worth individuals

"There would be abundant opportunity to gain exposure for your site during the event."

The proposal listed various levels of sponsors. A monetary sponsorship of $500 would qualify for the Bronze Level while $10,000, the highest, would qualify for the Platinum Level.

 

At the Bronze Level, ASSI will get our "corporate logo" into the event and will be eligible to insert a "voucher" into the 3,000 goodie bags.

 

I was truly flabbergasted.

 

ASSI doesn't have any logo, let alone a corporate one and I would have to provide 3,000 vouchers on top of the $500 monetary sponsorship? Wow!

 

A friend told me in jest that I should be happy because it means that my blog has moved to a higher level. What higher level? People actually think that I am making serious money from blogging now? That is the higher level? I almost fell off my chair laughing.

 

Gaining more exposure for my blog would be good. If I am able to reach out to more people, sharing my ideas on financial freedom and my methods, why not?

 

If every reader would share my blog on Facebook, Twitter etc, I think it would be more than enough.

 

After all, I blog for free. Should I pay to promote my blog? I think not.

Where to buy silver bullion coins?

I have been asked by many people where to buy silver bullion coins in Singapore. My standard reply has always been for them to perform a search online with the same words as the title of this blog post and they will have a list of companies which sell the coins here.

Recently, a reader asked me not where to buy the coins but whether it is cheaper to buy the coins online than buying the coins from a seller in Singapore. I thought I should share my reply to him here with anyone who might have a similar question.

Email from reader:

I'm your blog new follower about 1 month, thanks for sharing all the great info.
Regarding the canadian maple leaf silver, can I get it in Singapore for a cheaper price or I have to buy it online?

1.  (SG company)
2.  (Online overseas company)

Please advise me the above 2 sites or your own views to get a cheaper price.

My reply on 01 December 2012:

I buy from Singapore sellers because I do not buy in large enough quantity to make any cost savings from buying online significant.

For example, if we buy a tube of 25 1oz silver bullion coins from (SG company) today, price is S$1,187 or S$47.50 an oz.

Spot silver is at US$33 an oz or about S$41. (SG company) brings in the coins in bulk and by ocean freight. So, their cost of freight is quite low. If we were to buy only 25 coins from Canada, we would have to use DHL Express Worldwide or Federal Express which would be expensive and could easily cost S$80 to S$100 for a 1kg parcel.

Anyway, (SG company) probably makes some S$6.00 per coin or 15% gross profit. I feel that it is fair. The biggest advantage for buyers is being able to bring the coins home with us immediately after making payment.

Note: I have replaced the names of the two companies the reader mentioned in his email with generics so as not to appear partial to any party.

Related posts:
1. Silver bullion coins.
2. Buy gold and silver as insurance.