Peringatan untuk Pengguna Kad Kredit

Kepada pengguna2 kad kredit yang membaca blog ini, saya ingin berpesan supaya anda membuat pembayaran penuh ke atas baki hutang kad kredit anda setiap bulan.

Pada ketika ini, pihak bank seperti bank HSBC, UOB, CITIBANK dan AMBANK sudah mengemaskini tariff faedah ke atas baki hutang kad kredit yang tertunggak di antara 15% ke 18% seperti jadual dibawah :

Bayaran denda lewat juga sudah dinaik kan sebanyak di antara rm10 hingga rm100 ( bergantung kepada bank) di mana kadar denda lewat sebelum ini hanya rm5 sahaja.

( sumber maklumat dari majalah Personal Money keluaran april 2012)

Perkara yang boleh dilakukan jika tidak dapat masuk U

5 Things to Do Instead of College

Posted on: Tuesday, April 03, 2012|Written by: Robert Kiyosaki

The path to financial freedom is financial — not traditional — education.

New numbers are out on the cost of attending a four-year university. According to The Daily Ticker, U.S. college student loans eclipsed $1 trillion in debt—more than credit card debt—with students borrowing $117 billion last year alone.

The average student loan debt burden now stands at $45,000 at graduation. With an extremely high unemployment rate for recent grads and those in their twenties, the prospect for many grads to pay off these loans with high-paying jobs is dim. Many stories are surfacing of Harvard grads working at Starbucks and honor students doing second, unpaid internships.

These numbers are leading experts to speculate that student loans may be the next bubble to burst.

When I was a kid, my poor dad wanted me to go to college. For him, as an educator, life was about getting into a good school, getting a good job, saving money, buying a house, and investing in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

For many people in my poor dad’s generation, this plan worked and provided a steady, moderate lifestyle that was safe.

My rich dad wanted me to be an entrepreneur. He believed college was for those who would be employees, not entrepreneurs, because it didn’t teach you anything about money, investing, or running a business. Instead, it taught you how to do as you’re told to advance up the corporate ladder.

I ended up going to college at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. In many ways, I’m thankful for what I learned there, such as discipline and critical-thinking skills. But I didn’t learn anything I couldn’t have learned elsewhere, and I certainly didn’t use my degree to make my fortune. I wouldn’t pay what our students have to pay today in order to do it again.

It’s a new world of money, and a new world for young people. The old rules of money, including go to college, simply won’t work for most.

So, I thought I’d offer five things you could do instead of going to college.

Work to learn.

When I graduated from college, I had the opportunity to work in the shipping industry and make good money. But I knew that I didn’t want to be an employee. I wanted to be an entrepreneur.

So instead of take a sure thing, I did the risky thing — I took a job as a salesman at Xerox making next-to-nothing in a field I was not experienced in. Why? I knew I needed sales skills in order to be successful in business. At Xerox, I could learn those valuable skills while getting paid.

At first I was the worst salesman on staff, but as I learned on the job and applied myself, I became our top salesman. Those sales skills have paid off more than anything I ever learned in college.

Explore non-traditional education.

There are important skills you can learn outside of the traditional, four-year institution that will help you depending on what you want to do with your life.

Many community colleges offer courses on investing hosted by professionals rather than professors. Also, you can learn important new-world skills like computer programming, web design, and more at a fraction of the cost. Rather than spend four years wondering what you want to do, racking up debt and taking classes you’ll never use, figure out what you want to do and take specific classes that will benefit you in the future at a fraction of the cost.

Additionally, build your financial education by attending seminars, reading books, taking classes, and hiring a coach. All of these services are widely available, including through our Rich Dad Education programs.

Begin investing.

If you have to spend $45,000 to get a degree just to work at Starbucks, you might as well skip the debt, get a job at Starbucks, save some money, invest in your financial education, and begin investing. Find an asset class that you’re interested in, learn all that you can, and use the money you would have spent on college to start building your financial future now rather than later.

Start a business.

For most people, the whole point of college is to get a good job. Chances are that if you’re reading this, you think differently than most people. Some of the most successful business owners and entrepreneurs I know never went to college or dropped out. They understood that they could spend all their time, youth, energy, and talent putting money in other people’s pockets and building other people’s dreams, or they could use those resources for their own pockets and dreams. If you have a good business idea, run with it now.

Serve your community.

Finally, spread some goodwill with some of the free time you’ll have from not writing term papers on ancient history at three in the morning.

A lot of people want to serve their community but never seem to have time. “I’ll do it after college,” they say. Then it’s, “I’ll do it after this internship.” Then, “I’ll do it after the kids are older.” It goes on and on.

I’m a firm believer that helping others is not only good for your soul but also good for your financial future. As the old proverb goes, if you plant good things, good things will be harvested.

Serving your community allows you to think outside your world, make connections with people you’d never meet otherwise, identify needs and opportunities, figure out ways to meet those needs, and opens many doors that would otherwise be closed—all while doing something worthwhile and good.

To me, artikel ini sangat well written. Apa yang aku belajar kat U dulu, rasanya tak sampai 5% pun aku guna dalam kerjaya yang aku buat sekarang ni. Kalau dari dulu aku tahu, masa lepas SPM pasti aku akan terus cari cara macam mana nak dapatkan fund dan kemudian terus melabur dalam asset class yang aku suka. By the time orang lain graduate, aku dah capai financial freedom...Kan best macam tu?

Tips Mindset untuk Bekerja dari Rumah

Saya percaya ramai di antara kita yang bercita2 untuk bekerja/berniaga dari rumah kan? Seronok sebenarnya kalau bekerja dari rumah. Tidak ada kod pakaian, tidak perlu meredah kesesakan lalulintas, boleh kawal masa sendiri merupakan antara kelebihan bekerja dari rumah.

Namun ianya tidak semudah yang disangka. Bekerja dari rumah juga memerlukan tahap disiplin yang tinggi dan komitmen yang lebih tinggi berbanding kerja di pejabat. Sebab kalau kerja dari rumah, tiada siapa yang akan monitor progress kerja kita. Kita yang perlu set target dan memastikan target tersebut dicapai. Kalau tidak ada disiplin, memang huru hara la jawabnya.

Saya ingin berkongsi satu artikel menarik yang saya terima dari mailing list Irfan Khairi. Harap kita semua dapat menambah ilmu.

Artikel pilihan:
Mindset Berniaga Dari Rumah

Oleh: Irfan Khairi

Memulakan perniagaan bagi mereka yang belum berpengalaman berniaga merupakan satu langkah yang besar. Walaupun perniagaan bermula dari rumah, untuk berjaya, seseorang itu perlu benar-benar serius dan memberi dedikasi sepenuhnya kepada perniagaan yag dijalankan.

Sebelum memulakan perniagaan, bukan sekadar kita perlu melengkapkan peralatan dan strategi untuk berniaga, kita juga turut perlu melengkapkan mindset kita untuk berjaya. Berikut adalah antara Mindset yang perlu ada untuk berniaga dari rumah.

1. Ketahui dan fahami sebab musabab anda ingin memulakan perniagaan. Pastinya menjalankan perniagaan, tujuannya adalah untuk mendapatkan keuntungan membantu diri, keluarga dan juga agama. Mungkin bunyinya agak mementingkan diri, tetapi tidak boleh dinafikan bahawa, memulakan perniagaan perlu bermatlamatkan keuntungan!
   
   Untuk mendapatkan untung dalam perniagaan, bukanlah perkara yang mudah. Untuk berjaya, memerlukan strategi yang terbaik. 90% perniagaan gagal dalam tahun pertama sahaja beroperasi. Selebihnya, akan memasuki tahun kedua. Dalam jumlah itu pula, separuh akan bungkus dan gulung tikar.
   
   Sebabnya? Tidak mendapat keuntungan! Fahami bahawa, tujuan anda berniaga adalah untuk menapat keuntungan, dan keuntungan hanya akan datang apabila anda mengaplikasikan ilmu dan strategi perniagaan dengan betul. Lengkapkan minda anda dengan ilmu perniagaan ini.
   
   
2. Menjalankan perniagaan daru rumah, ada juga dugaannya. Katil sedang memanggil, sofa sedang memujuk dan TV mengsajikan rancangan-rancangan menarik!
   
   Memulakan perniagaan akan menjadikan anda majikan atau boss! Anda adalah majikan anda. Dan ini memerlukan disiplin yang amat tinggi. Tanpa disiplin, pastinya kita akan terleka dengan kemudahan yang ada di rumah.
   
   Kini anda tidak lagi bekerja 9 hingga 5 petang. Oleh itu, waktu tersebut sudah menjadi waktu kerja baru anda. Walaupun dari rumah, hasilkan jadual yang terperinci dan tepat untuk anda ikuti- tetapkan masa rehat, makan, minum, solat seperti mana anda lakukan di tempat kerja. Hasilkan jadual seperti di sekolah dulu, di mana waktu tertentu digunakan untuk melakukan aktiviti perniagaan tertentu.
   
   Tanpa disiplin yang tegar, pastinya bekerja dari rumah hanya menjadi mimpi- terutamanya bila katil memanggil! ;)
   
   
3. Ketahui kekuatan dan KELEMAHAN anda! Memang sering saya menyebut, memulakan perniagaan, perlu mengikut minat, kebolehan dan kekuatan kita. Namun, jangan lupa pula dengan KELEMAHAN kita. Pandai bermain gitar, tidak bermakna pandai berniaga gitar. Pandai memasak, tidak bermakna pandai berniaga masakan. Pandai berfesyen, tidak bermakna pandai menjual pakaian.
   
   Dalam apa yang kita lakukan, fikirkan juga kelemahan yang ada pada kita. Berniaga dari rumah, sering kali dilakukan seorang diri. Tiada orang akan menganggu kita. Dalam waktu yang sama juga, tiada siapa yang akan menegur kita tentang kelemahan yang ada.
   
   Oleh itu, mindset yang kita perlu adalah lebih kritikal untuk melihat kelemahan diri sendiri. Dalam mencapai apa sahaja matlamat, kelemahan kita akan melambatkan kita mencapainya. Jangan sahaja melihat kekuatan, tetapi, lihat juga kelemahan.
   

Memulakan perniagaan dari rumah, adalah perkara yang amat saya syorkan kepada anda. Bukan sahaja peluang pulanganya kalau betul caranya, adalah lumayan. Tetapi, berniaga dari rumah dapat merapatkan hubungan kekeluargaan oleh kerana masa kita lebih banyak di rumah bersama keluarga tercinta!

Kisah Rumah Sewa (Pantai Dalam)

Alo? Alo? Senyap sunyi je kan blog ni. Lama betul tade update. Silap2 labah2 pun dah mula datang nak buat sawang hahaha...

Ok kali ni nak bercerita lagi pasal kisah rumah sewa kat Pantai Dalam. Sebelum ni dah cerita kat sini. Time tu cerita pasal mengecat rumah. So sekarang ni alhamdulillah rumah ni dah selamat disewakan.

Kadar sewa? Rasanya ada yang dah tahu kot. Pernah sebut di facebook. Lebih Rm 1k untuk unit fully furnish. Rumah low medium cost apartment. 710sf. Takde parking. Tinggi ke kadar sewa tu? Boleh la. Ramai yang suka bila dengar dapat duit ni.

Akan tetapi tak ramai yang tahu macam mana kesukaran nak dapatkan penyewa yang sanggup bayar sewa sebanyak tu. Bukan senang nak menguruskan rumah sewa. Saya terpaksa menunggu sehingga sebulan setengah untuk mendapatkan penyewa yang saya berkenan dan mampu untuk membayar kadar sewa yang saya inginkan. Rasanya ada dekat 20 orang yang tengok kot. Ulang alik ke rumah sewa ni pun rasanya dah lebih 8 kali. Memang hati kena cekal. Kalau tak cekal, awal2 dah fed up.

Proses memilih penyewa ni bukan benda yang remeh. Kena buat betul2. Masa sessi tunjuk rumah tu, ada penyewa yang kita suka, dia tak suka pulak kat rumah tu. Kalau suka kat rumah tu pun, budget pula tade. Ada yang boleh bayar, tapi kita pulak yang tak berkenan. So terpaksa la tunggu sampai sebulan setengah padahal rekod area tu pernah dapat penyewa dalam masa tak sampai satu hari.

Kepada rakan2 tuan rumah sekalian, kalau anda ada rumah sewa, pastikan pulangan rumah sewa anda betul2 berbaloi dengan usaha yang anda curahkan. Kalau setakat break even, susah la. Nak menguruskan rumah sewa bukan senang. Alang2 buat, biar lah benar2 menguntungkan.

Lagi teruk kalau ada rumah sewa, tapi tiap2 bulan kita pula yang nak kena top up sebab installment bulanan lagi tinggi dari sewa. Kalau anda di posisi sedemikian, cepat2 lah jual rumah sewa tu. Itu bukan lagi asset anda tetapi dah jadi liabiliti.

Ingat ya! Kalau nak jadi kaya, beli dan simpan asset, bukan beli dan simpan liabiliti...

Sedikit Motivasi Untuk Kita Semua

(Sumber : http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F8%2F21%2Fnation%2F8834389&sec=nation)

MOST of his fans know him as a deejay with popular Chinese radio station 98.8 but Chan Fong is a man who wears many hats. He is also an artist, actor, songwriter, brand builder, event planner and a successful businessman.

Chan, 41, joined the entertainment world when he was in his 20s and used to work 18 hours a day doing numerous jobs, including hosting programmes and directing.

Despite the long hours, he recalls, he rarely earned RM10,000 a month.

Wanting a better life, the graphics design graduate decided to try his hand at business and ventured into advertising with a partner. Unfortunately, that was in 1997, the year of the Asian financial crisis.

Chan relates how he and his partner turned to the Yellow Pages and randomly mailed out letters to potential clients about their business.

“We offered proposals and told them they could pay us only if they liked our suggestions,” says the father of three.

They managed to get a few small clients before getting a big break with a leading water filter company. There was no turning back since, although Chan split from his partner in 2002 and set up his own company, 180 Degree Strategic Communications.

Today, Chan's company employs 42 people and is involved in branding for about 30 companies, most of which are household names.

For those who intend to go into business, Chan's advice is to be prepared as “doing business is very competitive these days and involves a lot of hard work as there are financial and human resource issues that need to be looked into, among others”.

He also believes one needs to have at least eight to 10 years of experience before setting up a business.

“People will only come to you if you have experience,” he says, adding that networking also requires time.

Chan, who still guest-deejays once a week for 98.8, believes that passion is important to succeed in business.

“Don't always think about making money first. Think about how you can solve problems before thinking about a better life,” he says.

Chan acknowledges that he is in a position to retire but wants to keep going, at least until the age of 50, before focusing on other interests such as acting.

“There is still a long way (to go) and I am not tired yet,” he quips.

Suthan Mookaiah is 25 and has already earned his first million after working seven years.

While many people take a lifetime to hit the million ringgit mark or don't even come anywhere close, the online entrepreneur and Internet marketing coach considers seven years “a very long time”. “I have seen people who made millions in one or two years,” he says, adding that business started picking up for him when PayPal was introduced in Malaysia.

He points out that there's a huge market for Internet-based businesses, with Malaysians spending about RM1.8bil shopping online annually. Apart from eBay, many online entrepreneurs are also relying on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to push their products, which may range from e-books and videos to things like sarees, sunglasses and even diapers.

Some, he says, earn RM60,000 to RM70,000 a month.

Suthan explains that one only needs RM100 for a domain name and hosting to start an Internet business. For a conventional business, the start-off capital is a minimum RM20,000 to rent and renovate a place.

He notes that while youngsters are more IT savvy, senior citizens can also tap into the online market. One of his students is a 70-year-old man who is selling a guide on Islam online.

When the Asian financial crisis struck, many people who invested in stocks had their fingers burnt while others pulled the brakes on their investments.

But Anthony Poh (not his real name), a former remisier, saw the 1997 crisis as a “window of opportunity” to invest in other areas.

“I went into real estate and the birds nest trade,” he shares.

While some friends were sceptical over his swiftlet farming venture, it turned out to be a cash cow for Poh. Today, he exports premium birds nest to several countries.

Something of a forerunner to his younger contemporaries, Poh cemented his millionaire status in his early 20s by being at the right place at the right time and daring to take risks.

Having made some decent coin with initial public offerings when he was still in university, Poh decided to be a remisier after graduating. His career choice was swiftly rewarded by daily five-figure earnings his best daily haul was RM37,000.

Although the rewards were great, Poh's wheeling and dealing convinced him that he was strolling down a sunset boulevard.

“Internet trading was on the horizon and more remisiers were entering the market,” he recalls.

“I still had my regular clientele but I figured there was better money to be made elsewhere.”

Successful real estate dealings have further bolstered his wealth and Poh's masterful streak shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Despite this, Poh keeps his feet on the ground, spending wisely and resisting urges to buy anything more expensive than a Toyota Camry.

Joel Neoh, the 28-year-old CEO of Groupon Malaysia, may have a degree in mechanical engineering but his forte is definitely in business. Modelling part-time during his college break, he realised there was a huge demand for such jobs and set up a company that recruited youth for events.

The company generated its first million within a year, and Neoh went on to set up NGO Youth Malaysia, which ran several big youth-based projects.

Nine months ago, Neoh started Groupsmore, a discount website that offered deals on food, products, services and lifestyle activities. In January this year, it was acquired by American giant Groupon, a company worth billions and is said to be one of the fastest growing Internet companies.

Neoh believes that many youngsters do not realise their dreams by taking the safe route of working for corporations. To succeed, he stresses, one needs to enjoy their work and be good at what they are doing.

Ammar Zahar, 24, started selling information products during his first year of university. He was pursuing a degree course in landscape architecture and needed money to buy colour prints and paper. Coming from a poor family, he had to support himself through university. He attended many web seminars and learned the tricks of the trade.

These days, he sells information products on various topics such as finance, investments, internet marketing, acne cure, weight loss and even Farmville (a popular Facebook game). He also gets expert writers to write on the products.

“A lot of people from all over the world are buying these things,” he says.

By his third year in university, he had set up his own firm and this year alone, the company achieved half million ringgit sales. Ammar is giving himself another year to reach millionaire status.

“Anyone can go into internet business,” he says, adding that he has no plans to use his degree for now.