February, 2019 - My Awesome Moments

Add-on seat purchase for confirmed flight booking

We are prone to make mistake when being too careful or over cautious in doing something. In my case it happens when doing online transaction which having a countdown clock. Afraid that i might missed the deal due to longer time taken especially during flight booking.

Sure you know for flight booking we must confirm on the date and time of departure, arrival, guests list/ details, credit card info for payment and etc.

Always the time that i need to call my partners to know if he is okay to travel on that date and time. After getting price/rate that i wanted – browsing session pulak been chasing to expired before can confirm. That is normal … phewwww!!

Whenever i want to browse the airlines portal to see their offering i will use incognito window so that it cannot track my searching.

All incognito mode will do is erase your browsing and search histories while in private mode, as well as dump any tracking cookies you pick-up during your incognito session. If you’re unsure how to turn on your browser’s added privacy mode you can find instructions online for Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer. – pcworld.com

Always make sure to register and login upon making a purchase so easier for you to track, monitor and manage your bookings.

This time i only bought seat for departure but forgot to buy seat for return flight. Soon after realised i try to add on seat purchasing from Manage Booking features but unable to do so. Only available add on option for insurance, baggage and flight date.

To solve this i contacted Malindo call center, they gave me option where they reserve the seat that i intend to buy and within 2-3 days someone from payment department will contact me for payment purposes.

In mind should i wait and how can they get the payment thru calling? does it mean i need to give my credit card info? what is the mechanism? does it safe?

what i was told is that seat have been locked for my booking. Since i don’t want this to cause me so much hassle. i told them that meantime i will drop by at their ticketing counter and make payment there.

Wise decision to make.. drop by at Subang Airport counter and make payment. All reserve seats already entered by call centre reps. So all settled.

Am not sure what happen with the online system in my case. Actually members could add on seats from Manage Booking…. sigh!!! whatever..

valuable experience learnt through hard way!

Dilemma on 2 different actions for Maid ‘Balik Kampung’ procedure.

If refer to my previous post, am still contemplating what step should i follow. Learnt from friends experiences but still undecided which should i proceed.

Buy return flight tickets only – not to bother other processes.

My concern there is chances for my helper to get in trouble when returning at Surabaya Airport since she wont be having latest ‘Kad Kartu Kerja’

This card can only get after having a proper contract with KBRI which she need to bring the employment contract to department of overseas employment in Indonesian for them to proceed with card printing.

I don’t want to take any risk of her unable to come back to work with us. It will cause us trouble – for her and my side too.

Proceed with Employment Contract documentations at Indonesian Embassy (KBRI)

Contacted MYEG to know minimum validity period of maid working permit to allow maid to come back working in Malaysia (without hassle), but MYEG unable to answer me and was told to contact Immigration for exact procedure.

They gave the 1MOCC number (03-8000 8000) but since forever can’t connect me to Putrajaya Immigration (Bahagian Pembantu Rumah Asing). I was given direct number to call at 03-8880 1463 or 03-8880 11468 but no one pick up the line.

They advised me to personally go to immigration counter for clearer process and documentation. Immigration counter for Pembantu Rumah Asing only available in three locations; Putrajaya, Shah Alam and Jalan Duta (03-6205 7500 ext 1204/7479)

One day managed to chat with helpful 1MOCC officer on the procedure, she advises for me to proceed with employment contract at KBRI. Need to take 1 day on the process and next day for collection. It is faster compared to renew visa. So she shared the KBRI number (03-2116 4016 or 03-2116 4017) for me to ask further.

From KBRI update i need to do employment contract. Just bring the documentation and maid must follow together on that day. Procedure not much different from what i did back in 2013. https://www.awesomegrasp.com/process-for-indonesian-maid-balik-kampung/

Let my pass through and highlight if there is any changes.

As long im not troubling my helper to get back might as well i do the right way… wish me luck!

Developing Good Habits at Young Age

Every parents want their kids to be successful in their life be it in academic, sports or other fields.

As parent we want our kids to be excel in their:

Academic
Sports
Music
Finance
Programming
Religion

Of course don’t expect them to be excellent in all those but will try to equip them with the right knowledge and habits.

Talking about habits, it is the most important skills to have in order to achieve what ever you want in life.

There is a popular book about the “Power of Habits” by Charles Duhigg – you must have strong discipline if you want to be good at anything. You must be able to wake up early and study. If you feel tired make move to increase stamina by exercising, at same time it will release your stress.

For my kids, below are the routine that we have together especially if I’m on leave or during weekend.

Wake up by 6:00AM
Solat Subuh together
My kids do their academic exercise from 7:00AM to 8:00AM
Ride bicycle until 9:00AM
Breakfast
Have their shower
Let them play together with their siblings mostly iPad. They play Roblox or Minecraft together.
Lunch
Solat Zuhur together
Another round of extra work
Then Deef practices his drums while Lish practices her gym.
Free time for them what ever they want to do but as usual they play iPad.
Solat Asar together
Dinner, Solat Maghrib and Isyak together.
At night usually reviewing back what they have done on their extra works.
If they are weak on one particular topics, I will jot it down in my excel sheet so I remember that they have to repeat it in next few days to ensure they truly understand and remember how to do it.

I try to achieve life balance for them, not too playful and not too academic etc. I believe in Wasatiyyah.

Surprisingly, the most difficult part is for me to monitor and ensure my kids do the daily routine. My beloved kids will just follow it as people say it is easy to teach kids when they are young.

Be Cautious – Some Mobile Apps can auto-deduct credit card

Most companies nowadays will have their own mobile apps (ios or android) as one of platform to reach and promote businesses to clients.

I remembered in 2009 when started using iPhone, most actively used and downloaded apps was more to games, photo editing, kids learning apps, wallpapers and youtube.

Then later on apps usage evolved to messaging (watsapp, telegram) social media (FB, Twitter, Instagram), online shopping (Lazada, Zalora, Shopee,Carousell) , movie ticketing with scan barcode (GSC, TGV), video streaming (Tonton, Netflix), Transportation and mapping services (Grab, Uber, Waze, Google Street) Hotel bookings (Booking.com, Agoda, Trivago, airbnb) and Restaurants (nando’s, McDonalds, Food Panda).

hohoho… that’s why mata cepat rabun .. to much staring on mobile screen.

By having this apps most merchants offer lots off perks in a way to enticed users on continuous apps usage and make transactions with them ..off course 🙂

Perks can be in term of coupon, cash vouchers, redeemable point collection, priority entrances, contests and etc.

No doubt using apps can simplify and ease users experience compared to browsing on the web version, which will need more time to get into exact search within various of other information. By having the apps merchants can zoom in users to its available products and services by put more interesting offers on the plate in front of you.

We as user must be extra careful when using apps because if we didn’t look carefully apps can directly deduct our credit card. Here just want to share my experience, which one of “hotel booking apps” auto deduct my credit card just in one slide (or not even blink).

At first for few times I received repeated email mentioning that my account will entitle discount up to RM300 with given coupon code.

I have been ignoring these emails until two days before expiry i browse the apps to see does it worth the offer. When i clicked at the property comes the “slide for confirmation”.. and yaa in mind… from here where should it guide /bring me so that can key in the coupon code.

But that slide was not the feeling as if am are sliding balcony door with the “sea view hotel” it just so miserable when automatically i got message from the bank “your transaction successful” … whatttttt!!!! OMG what should i do next???

First call the bank and here their responds;

‘you have to call the merchants, only them can cancel transactions‘
why didn’t request for TAC before approved? – ‘Some merchants apps will have this feature which once you have successful transaction record with them it can override TAC for future transaction”
As security measures can bank improvise my account requirement so that each transaction will require TAC validation before can proceed?.. “cannot … up to merchants” – so crazy .. does merchants are their only clients not their account holder meh? .. sigh..

Lastly contacted merchants;

Apps will remember your credit card info last transacted if you saved the card info. *** and saved button is small which you cant easily notice.. (last phrase by the customer service reps.. hahaha)
This procedure will allow easy access and transaction to their frequent clients.
If want to compare and hotels browsing suggested to use website version rather than apps.
Make sure to delete all saved credit card info to avoid future “slide to confirmation” transaction feature. This also can cause misinterpretation – i would suggest to use “slide to payment” instead.
Hotels policy cancellation normally wont allow refund for any cancellation less than 3 days. Lucky this merchant they gave me two options; if hotels allow to cancel they will refund back to my credit card; or if hotels not allow merchant will absorb the cost for this one time and credit with same value to my apps (not card) for future stay.
But luckily with their help hotel allow me to cancel without any payment charges.

Aside from this incident am happy cause get to solved my problem without cash burn, provide feedback to the bank, be more cautious when using apps and share with you all!!

My Target Property Investment Criteria

I really love invest in properties. I started to study property investment in 2008. That time, my wife and I had high debt. I was asking myself how to make money work for themselves.

So I read lots of books about investment. I found 2 major kinds of investment.

Property Investment
Stocks Investment

At first, I started to invest in stocks as the capital requirement was quite small and easier for me to enter into it and easy exit as well.

While doing my stocks investment, I read more than 10 books about properties investment. I did lots of theoretical studies but I didn’t take any action because I was really afraid to venture into it.

I fear property investments because:

1) How do I know the property can be rented out easily?

2) How do I know the tenant is good paymaster & will do good take care of my property?

3) What happens if I can’t rent out fast? Can I cover the loan monthly installment.

4) If anything broken, how much the cost? Can I cover it?

5) Afraid of unforeseen cost to buy a property such as legal cost, valuation cost, stamp duty etc? (Most of books I found are suitable from US, hardly to find Malaysian book which covers these costs)

After awhile doing stocks investment, I feel bored cause it is like watching screen of price movement without much excitement.

I made a leap of faith by going to the ground and did heavy study on properties within my home.

I check occupancy rate of a property, what kind of rental price demand, condition of properties etc by visiting lots of them.

When I bought my first property it was a run down unit with lots of repair to be done.

My hand was shaking when I signed my first property investment S&P. I didn’t have money to cover some of the legal cost. I had to cut my food and other spending to cover my legal cost.

Alhamdulillah, now I have 5 rental properties. If not because of the 30% down payment requirement, I would have more than 10 rental properties by now. :-).

Below are my list of criteria for property investment.

Driving time: 30mn from my house
The area offers lots of jobs opportunity or nearby to business district area such as KL.
Occupancy rate must be above 90%. (Check whether lots of people stay that area at night by looking at the light or parking. If full of cars mean it is good)
Property type is low rise walk up apartment & non furnished (low rise so less competition, walk up because in Malaysia it is known lift is not well maintain, it must be first or second floor only. Ground floor is not preferred because no privacy. Higher floor more competition from first 2 floors)
Joint Management Board (JMB) must be well established to ensure strong management in maintaining the apartment.
Area must be clean. Clean area attracts quality tenant.
Any competition with similar built up and price

Ikan Bilis – Khasiat Zat Besi & Mudah di Masak.

Ikan Bilis (Anchovies) merupakan stok makanan paling mudah yang mesti ada dalam simpanan untuk dimasak bagi mereka yang sibuk bekerja.

Terdapat pelbagai cara untuk menyediakan masakan yang berasaskan ikan bilis, selain ianya berzat, cepat di masak dan stok boleh disimpan lama sedikit berbanding lauk basah lain (fresh fish, chicken and meat).

Ikan bilis kaya dengan zat besi dan merupakan salah satu makanan yang dicadangkan dapat bantu menaikkan Hb yang rendah.

Since we are working parents, kami akan pastikan stok ikan bilis ini sentiasa in the fridge. Bila-bila dah blank tak tau nak masak apa atau masa nak naikkan selera kids yang kadang2 on dan off tu.. ikan bilis will be our back up menu. Dari simple perencah cooking based, goreng sampailah complicated sikit which is ” sambal Ikan bilis for nasi lemak” (tak lah complicated sangat pun 😉

Actually since baby lagi i dah started to introduced to my kids. When i do a simple plain porridge i will add in ikan bilis goreng kering (guna olive oil and lesser oil) yang sudah di kisar halus. Memang la baby suka sangat.

Ikan bilis ni pulak kena pandai pilih untuk dapat yang sedap. I am actually was raised in Kelantan while my partner from Sabah. After married been introduced dengan mak mertua ikan bilis dari Sabah ni. Hahaha… terus murtad i tell you.. from now and then memang all my stock are coming from Sabah.. be it Ikan Bilis, Belacan, Udang Kering, Cili Botol … 100% dari sana.

Why??? Sebab rasanya yang fresh dan sedap, bila makan tak rasa gatal lidah and lastly easy to get (for me). Ada few types of ikan bilis dari yang jenis kecil-kecil (boleh prepared goreng siap letak dalam balang for kids munchies), standard dan besar sikit. I tak la pro sangat untuk differentiate tapi apa yang I tau end results is good.

Kadang-kadang rasa frust pulak when I ate out for Nasi Lemak but ikan bilis is like 5-6 ketul served and taste …not as good as I normally cooked. Only ikan bilis kot.. that should attract people from the taste itself selain sambal yang sedap la kan.

Later I will share few easy recipe to cook with Ikan Bilis – so you see how variety you can make and adding colors to your house cooking taste.

If anyone nak beli ikan bilis that I normally stock up, please comment down here and will share how to get it. Adioss…