Upgrade Phone Plan

My mobile plan expired in January and I put off renewing any contract as my Iphone 8 was in good working condition and no promotions were attractive enough. With the onset of Covid, I guess telcos and phone manufacturers had to do something even with limited launches of new phone models.

I used the link below for comparison.

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/iphone-se-2020-vs-iphone-11/

The video is really sweet and concise.

Shopping around, I narrowed my selection to Iphone 11 or Iphone SE. My needs were simple; no fancy cameras, small, light and call me old school but I like the home button as compared to Face ID security function. Ultimately, the Iphone SE is similar to the one I was using except with improved processing power.

Next, I decided to upgrade the plan from Singtel Combo 3 to XO78. For $13 more per month, I got 30GB more data, free SIM card, free home delivery but less SMS and talktime. The sweetest bit of the deal was the $18 outlay for a new 256GB phone.

The delivery was made at the appointed time, I gladly paid in cash and did the setup the next day. 3 weeks of usage later, I'm very pleased with the purchase as the phone met my expectations at a super penny pinching price.

Tip: Four Pillars Navy Strength Gin with a dash of castor sugar, mint, lime and Fever Tree Indian tonic water

Health Talk

If you look out of the window, what do you see? In Singapore's urban landscape, most likely concrete or into the privacy of your neighbor's room.  I'm quite lucky, I see a quiet road and a patch of neglected grass field needing a trim. Then about 2 weeks ago, the road and grass didn't look right. The ground appeared soft and shaky, could it be an earthquake happening thousands of miles away? Perhaps near Indonesia where there had been previous reports of mild tremors affecting parts of the island.

No, it cannot be. Because the feeling didn't go away for 2 days. My head spun and balancing was getting awkward.

So I did the dutiful work of looking for answers online. The potential issues ranged from an ear infection, low blood pressure to head injury. Quite a depressing combination. I don't remember any self inflicted damage and felt no pain. Then, something alerted me, the symptoms go away in the morning when I wake up. My body must be signalling that it's tired. It worked, I napped in the afternoon and woke up feeling good. But the issue soon caught up as I started doing the usual email checks, newspaper reading and Zoom discussions. Finally, I decided to visit a specialist and made an appointment.

The conclusion was stark. I had presbyopia. 2 sets of prescriptive spectacles later, I'm still adjusting to the routine and new image.

Tip: Prunotto Moscato D'Asti DOCG 2019. Honey burst with slight hint of fig.

CPF Interest Rate till Sep 2020

The CPF is a very important instrument as part of my retirement plans. I truly believe it's one of the best policies that any government can provide for its citizens. Being forced to save a part of one's earnings is something not most are willing to do. So CPF steps in to fulfill the taskmaster role and you get additional contribution from your employer plus interest top ups.

CPF Interest Rates Jul to Sep 2020

My approach to using CPF as a retirement tool is not to spend it but add on wherever possible. Currently, I use it to pay part of my housing loan and nothing else.

Tip: Albert Bichot Chablis 2017. High acid minerality with medium body and short finish.

Thanks, Covid.

The Covid-19 situation has definitely brought about a rethink of how our lives should be. It's been 43 days since movement restrictions were imposed. During this period, while everyone is still adjusting to the new way of life, there have been more unpleasant news but I feel it's expected.

So, rather than dwell on what-ifs, I'm going to share the positive aspects of this situation.

1) More time spent with the family and putting our hands together to learn new recipes

2) Reading more topics (mostly online) and having the space to think

3) Exploring investment ideas

4) Work from home has become a reality where previously it was disapproved by the boss

5) Planning the details for next vacation

6) Lesser load of washings

7) Breathing cleaner air

8) Receiving surprise gifts from friends

9) Finding lots of discounts across everything

10) Setting up a blog

Looking at other countries and then ourselves, what's the fuss of being holed up at home most of the time? You are safe, can rest well, there is no protest on the streets and away from the wicked work pace.

Bottomline is, we should be grateful for sprinkles of contentment. I know I am.

Tip: Matcha tea latte, home made.

Welcome, come on in.

I have finally gotten off the couch and decided to organize my scatter thoughts into words.

You see, there is so much information out there and the human brain can only do so much processing.

So in order to guide myself, I have selected these topics as staples: finance, technology and lifestyle.

Essentially, I am a numbers person and these areas revolve and intrigue me the most.

History is a good teacher. Through this, I hope to revisit in future to "see" my old self and strive to better myself. Let the journey begin.

Tip: For starters, the liquid of life, water.