happynsunny

2011-07-31

SELL or NOT TO SELL?????

Potential buyer now offered $1.12mil to buy our current house,up from $1.08 and $1.02mil previously.

HB is obviously keen to sell, as this is the price he told agent intially. I am not keen as I agreed to let in viewers only because Hb said will sell and rent back the place for 2 years, till B1 complete her PSLE,but not buyer is not willing to.

Options:

1) Don't sell.

2) Sell and move to our new unit in Bt Batok meant to be rented out. I am not too keen as it's not so convenient for B1's schooling and if this can fetch better rental return, I'll prefer to stay in cheaper unit elsewhere.

3) Sell and rent a unit in another condo,like Mayspring which is still far from her school but at least has mall and library.

4) Sell and rent a bigger HDB unit near her school. Saw a 5I unit at Blk 441 renting at $2.5k!

P5 and P5 has lots of supplementary classes.When I couldn't pick B1 from school, at least she could walk back herself.

SELL Or NOT TO SELL?

2011-01-29

Rowenta Bagless Vacuum Cleaner RO6643

Bought this from Courts on Friday for S$369.

I have been "studying" and comparing various models from Philips,but ended up getting this which is totally not in my list.

Courts Lot 1 didn't have all the Philips models that I have been eyeing.Hb is away for business trip, so I have to do all the CNY shopping and spring cleaning all by myself, I don't have time to travel to other Courts or Best Denki, so I just "take" this and go.

I like that it's bagless,has HEPA filter,with parquet care kit,light weight at 5kg ,and compact. Anyway ,most in the store is considered compact when comparing to my 10-year-old Ossim vaccuum cleaner,which thankfully, has just retired!

The triangular shaped also made it easier for handling corners. One major CONS is that it's quite noisy at 82dB!

2011-01-20

Online shopping-GST on Package over SGD400

If dellivery is by UPS- They will deliver the parcel without collecting any $,but invoice will come one or two weeks later with the GST,handling fee,shipping fee (if it has not already been paid in advanced by shipper)

If delivery is by DHL-they will deliver the parcel and we'll pay GST and a handling fee of S$10 on the spot.

By USPS Express International Mail-

Marking the parcel as gift/used items do not help! Even if the custom form clearly stated the value,as long as it exceeds SGD400, it will still be detained by Custom!

http://www.customs.gov.sg/leftNav/trad/cle/Internet+PurchasesPostal+Parcels.htm

Internet Purchases/Postal Parcels

All goods, inclusive of new articles, personal effects, souvenirs, gifts, food preparations and dutiable products, imported by parcel post through ordinary mail or speedpost are subject to clearance by officers of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at the Singapore Post Centre (SPC). The ICA Office at SPC is located at #01-04, 10 Eunos Road 8, Singapore 408600 (next to Paya Lebar MRT station).

Goods and Services Tax

There is a 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST) levied on all goods, inclusive of new articles, personal effects, souvenirs, gifts, food preparations and dutiable products, imported into Singapore. GST is calculated based on the CIF value of the goods plus all duties payable. If the invoice value of goods does not include insurance and freight charges, the postage charge paid for the goods is to be taken as freight and insurance charges, and is to be added to the invoice value of such invoice for calculation of GST payable.

GST relief is granted on goods, inclusive of new articles, personal effects, souvenirs, gifts and food preparations but excluding dutiable products, imported by post to a total value not exceeding $400. Where the value exceeds $400, the entire sum would be subject to GST.

Clearing parcels containing non-dutiable and non-controlled goods of above $400 in value

Parcels containing non-dutiable and non-controlled goods above $400 in value are subject to payment of GST. ICA requires the invoices or confirmation slips (with values of goods stated), printed from the website of the Internet Portal upon confirmation of transactions, to compute the GST payable on the parcels.

If the parcel is imported with an invoice attached, SP will deliver the parcel to the addressee and collect the GST upon delivery.

If the parcel is imported without any invoice attached to it at the time of arrival, the addressee upon notification by SP could fax the supplier's invoice or confirmation slip from the Internet Portal (with values of goods stated) to ICA at SPC for computation of GST. The addressee may call at SPC to collect the parcels or appoint SP to act on his/her behalf for delivery of the parcel and payment of GST. A service fee is payable to SP for the service rendered.

In my case, the seller shipped out on 11 Jan 2011 (US time),the parcel left SF on 12 Jan 2011. Arrived Singapore Sorting Centre on 18 Jan 2011. 0:18, Confrimed detained by Custom on 18 Jan 2011, 13:18.

On 20 Jan 2011, 11am+, postman delivered a registered lettter to inform me about collecting my parcel from Sing Post Centre.

I could authorise Singpost to pay GST on my behalf, collect the parcel then deliver to me, at a fee of $10 +$5 (this $5 is not applicable if pay by Giro).

Or I can personally collect with any documentation that shows the CIF value of the parcel.

B1's Primary Five now

No more honeymoon period...P5 is the year they started the preparation for PSLE! Sounds Scary? That's what we were told when B1's in P4!

P5 and P6 are both in morning sessions for her school. B1 said is better, as she's not so tired when she does her school homework in the afternoon.

Till now, I have not bought a single assessment book for any of her subjects. Previous experiences showed that the school teachers gave them enough homework, so much that they really don't have time to do other assessment books.

She started walking back from school instead of taking school bus. I don't really like the idea,but it may be better since she'll have more and more supplementary classes coming along. One Chinese, Two for English+Maths+Science, One Conversational Malay class(optiona), CCAs... In the morning, either daddy drives her, or they walk together to school.

She has to wash her own dishes after meals,but haven't started ironing her own uniform yet.

Also taught her how to wrap her new books and she wrapped all her textbooks and workbooks within 2 days.

Pocket money also change from daily to weekly.

Still as stubbon as before and talk back all the time.... addicted to Korean dramas and MTVs, Korean celebrities,kept watching them on iphone and iPad again and again.

Hb has decided to remove the SCV set up box in her room, since she clearly shows that she couldn't manage herself. Watching TV in her room, instead of taking shower.

She's no longer in the top class of her level, but I think it may be better for her and she seems happier in her present class.Less stress and away from some of the snobbish classmates in her previous class, who were quite mean to her.

Lunch Every Thursday

For the last two Thursday and Today, lunch is always the same soup

Boil soup with soya beans,ikan bilis, a drumstick,black mushroom in the slow cooker early in the morning.

When B1 reaches home, transfer the soup to my small Tanyu pot, boil and add in Quail eggs, Fresh fish balls, Fish dumplings,button mushrooms,chopped spring onion, and fried shallots. Season with salt and a bit of light soya sauce. A pot of piping hot, tasty and fuss-free soup is ready!

Shallots are "fried" in the microwave, so washing up of oily pots and pans after that!