As we are approaching the last day of the year, we have no time to waste for the tasks below: 1) List all the unfinished business and set a completion deadline. 2) Clear up things that need to be done by the December 31 deadline. 3) Put our money in all the right places in anticipation of another uncertain year. When I said “all the right places”, I mean the best … [Read more...]
Finding good bargains again this Chinese New Year
Still remember my 2014 blog post “Finding great bargains in a Chinese New Year fair”? We flied to Hong Kong again this lunar new year and stayed in the same hotel opposite the Victoria Park Flower Market which opened from Feb 10 to 6 a.m. on Feb 16. Most people buy plants and flowers to decorate their homes and offices one to two weeks before Chinese New Year. Many visit … [Read more...]
How to tell real property bargains from fake ones?
Flying back from Jakarta in the evening, I managed to get a few hours of sleep before boarding the early morning flight to Perth for a week-long family trip. The first part of the vacation was a farm stay in the countryside. After we checked in and made our way to our rented cottage, I could finally rest my body and soul. I looked outside the windows and found myself … [Read more...]
5 tips to negotiate for a good bargain (part I)
In a tenants’ market, it is commonplace to see tenants bargaining with landlords for a good rental deal. I shared a private apartment with two flatmates between the years 1999 and 2003. The 1,700 sq ft flat previously tenanted at $2,500 was let go at $1,800 a month after being left vacant for some time, despite the fact that the owner was paying $2,500 every month for the … [Read more...]
Finding great bargains in a Chinese New Year fair
We were in Hong Kong during Chinese New Year. Four of us stayed in an hotel's family room overlooking the Victoria Park. The Victoria Park Lunar New Year Fair was just across the road. We decided to pay a visit the next morning. The first visit It was the largest flower market in Hong Kong, with 475 stalls occupying six soccer fields. Besides three rows of … [Read more...]