Fuel price down another 10 cents

RON97 - RM1.90 per litre
RON92 and Diesel - RM1.80 per litre
Effective 3 December 2008

I'm not sure whether to say it's a good news or a so-so news. Ya, fuel price for RON97 has dropped till RM1.90 per litre, while RON92 and diesel has dropped to RM1.80 per litre. But how much have the people spent throughout those period when the fuel price went skyrocketting? How much have the government spent on rebate, later to find that the fuel price went down to the bottom? Well, we'll leave that question to those people that need to answer. We just enjoy our benefits of the fuel price drop.

Source

Tackling Debt

Well, a very tough topics. For everyone out there that didn't really tied up with commitments (e.g car, house, kids and etc.), congrats! For everyone out there that currently paying a huge portion of their salaries for this and that debt, you're not alone!

Currently, I'm paying for multiple stuff - such as car loan, family expenses (for my parent), petrol, food, insurance, classes and so on. A huge portion of my salary. A pain in my heart. Well, what to do. Remember, you can't change the fact that you're currently in debt, but you can change the way you going to tackle it. And I feel this thinking is important.

After been in the rat race for so long, I realized that what is really important is focus. Without focus, you're just stressing up yourself, thinking that you're working your ass off just to pay this and that. Worse still, your emotion will be unstable and you'll start to get pissed over small stuff. This happened to me, and I'm not shy to share this out with you all out there. Remember, don't let this ruin your relationship with your loved ones. Stay focus all the time. Change your focus towards solving the debt. Eventually, you'll stay focus and you'll start to think lots of ideas to gain more money to settle your debt.

Save. Yes, save! Start to live your life to your mean. Don't overspend. You're now in debt, not in luxurious lifestyle. First thing first, change your mindset. I personally think this is really important. Your mindset is the one that controlling your body and soul to adapt to certain lifestyle. Start to change your mindset to live your life to your mean. You'll realized that you'll be able to save a huge amount of money. And this amount of money that you able to save - you'll be able to use it to settle your debt even quicker. I'm trying my best to save as much as possible so that I'll be able to settle my car loan debt asap.

Some ways to keep productive wherever you are

Sometimes, in the evening, you'll realized that your energy level went really down. Not that you've been tired exercising the whole day, you just do not know why your energy level gone down drastically. For sure, there are lots of factor and one of the main factors is psychological. Our brain can't store too much information, that's for sure. An organizer or calendar in our Microsoft Outlook aren't created for no reason.

Keep a small notebook - be it a small diary, organizer or you can even use your PDA phone. Sometimes, some great ideas sparked and we thought we will be able to remember it till we find a piece of paper and pen. Nah, you're wrong. Many times we are distracted by other stuff (environmental, emotion or etc.) and we might lose out a potentially great idea.

Carry a small messenger bag. You can keep lots of stuff in there - your wallet, umbrella if you need 1, notebook, pen, paper and etc. Some magazines when you're waiting for bus. A PSP for you to play when you're lining up for a long queue. A MP3 player to listen to your favorite music in the hectic environment. Those stuff will keep your brain active and productive.

Keep everything organized. I believe this idea is being said over and over again in most of the personal development book. Nevertheless, it's really a great idea. Imagine your cubicle is full with documents, papers and etc. - all over the place. Do you believe this is a great environment to work? Do you believe that you'll be productive? My workstation in the lab is full with cables and computer parts (I'm a Software Validation Engineer) and that sometimes really pissed me off. I spent some time to do some housekeeping and wow - I got a clean desk for me to continue my work.

Record it down

Many times in our lives that we spent without thinking or jotting it down. Come on, who will bring a notepad or diary to keep record of our daily expenses? I don't mean that we need to keep a memo pad or diary in handy all the time we go for shopping. I'm trying out this technique and found that it's really helpful.

Buy a diary (doesn't need to be expensive, if it is, it beats the purpose of saving). Track down everything that you going to spend and what you have spent in that period of time. Manage your financial income and expenses. Jot down how much you going to pay your loan installment, your family allowance and etc. Many times you're in the situation where you'll start to think "where have my money gone? I didn't spend that much, ain't I?". Many times in a day that we will think "Come on, let's go drink at mamak stall", ending up spending RM10++ and we will say something like "It's only RM10++". Try to add up the total of that (I believe if you think that way, it means you're the type of person that will go for a drink at mamak stall every weekends) and you'll be surprised with the amount that you have spent.

Keep track and be disciplined. If you're saying to yourself that you're going to spend this amount of money for this month, then stick to it. I know it's tough, in fact, it's very tough and it might make your life miserable anytime. I'm practicing this technique and found myself unhappy for controlling myself too much over my spending. I believe that there's no 100% working solution for any problem. There's always the need to refine the strategy and make it to near perfection.


It might be your best companion 1 day

Petrol price likely to be reduced by another 15 cents

Sorry everyone for late blog updates. Was busy with competition stuff. Nah, don't wanna say too much about it, long story.

Read in The Star Online today, came across this "wonderful" news. As we can see now, the world crude oil price is dropping drastically and that's really a good news for most of the people. People who travel nearly everyday in their own vehicle will definitely be happy to see the news that the petrol price is dropping down. The news is stating that Malaysians are likely to enjoy another 15 cents reduction in petrol price - bringing the petrol price to RM1.85 per litre.

Our Domestic Trade and Consumer Minister, Datuk Shahrir Samad claims that further reduction was "not impossible" judging from the current declining trend in world crude oil price.

Good news. But I personally feel that we should pay even lesser than that. Currently, Malaysians were paying slightly more for fuel than the market price. (slightly? I don't think so. Our Minister claims that the government able to earn RM10B with our petrol price of RM2 per litre). Our minister keep on stressing on his statement claiming that even government didn't make money from the difference. He kept on stressing that they have paid RM15B to date this year for all the petrol subsidies.

World crude oil price might go down to USD$40 per barrel. Source

Sounds happy and think it's a good news?

When all of us expecting more reduction in petrol price.....
Our Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to Malaysians: Don't expect much. Source

1 best sentence to describe our current government status: State of Denial.

Maths calculation worth pondering

First equation (Petrol)

1 barrel of crude oil produces 159 litre of petrol.

Current world crude oil price = USD$55
Let's multiple with 3.5 (exchange rate of US Dollar to Ringgit Malaysia)
= RM196
159 litre = RM196
1 litre = RM1.23 per litre.

Government informed us that we are being subsidised by 30 cents per litre for our petrol price.
Therefore, it's RM1.23 - 30 cents and it's 93 cents per litre.
We are paying whooping RM2 per litre! (Do calculate by your own and see)
Source

Second equation (EPF)
Assuming that average salary is RM4K

If our monthly contribution is 11% (RM440), taxable income is RM3560, income tax payable = RM77
If our monthyl contribution is 8% (RM320), taxable income is RM3860, income tax payable = RM109

If you're choosing 8% contribution, you'll end up paying more tax to the government and it'll make them richer. Okay, the government will say that the money is used to boost up the country's development and so on, but how true is that? Let us just wait and see then. Government that doesn't have the best interest of the people in mind.. interesting..

Source from email

Disclaimer: The first equation make sense since the calculation is based on the exact current world crude oil price versus current Malaysia petrol price. The second equation does not make sense after several discussion with my colleagues.

Government not paying petrol subsidies

1 day old news. I believe most of blogs, newspaper and media are reporting this fact that the government has stopped paying petrol subsisdies since the beginning of the month. This is due to the huge drop in world crude oil price. This statement has been claimed by our Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs - Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad.

He claimed that if this situation going on (world crude oil price below USD$60 - current price is USD$50++ Source ), government will be able to save up to RM10B or more. He claimed that government no longer paying for any subsidies when the petrol price is at RM2 per litre. "We have actually arrived at a time when the price can return to RM1.92", he said.

He added that government might still make "a bit of income" if the price went back to RM1.92. To be honest, his statement is slightly contradicting with what our Deputy Prime Minister has said in Budget 2009. Najib Abdul Razak had then said that government would maintain a 30-cents fuel subsidy.

Datuk Shahrir claimed that the car and bike rebates will be maintained. His statement was "We are still giving RM625 rebates for cars and RM150 for motorbikes that goes straight into your pocket".

I think the main thing that makes most of the citizen pissed off is that when the world crude oil price is at roughly USD$80++ per barrel, the petrol price was at RM1.92 per litre. Now, the world crude oil price is at USD$50++, the fuel price is at RM2. Aren't that slightly irony? I strongly believe that the government people would reply me in this way "So, now you know how hard we have been subsidising for you guys? Right now, instead of think what we can do for you, think of what you can do for us".

[Strictly personal opinion] If they are thinking that RM625 rebates will go straight into our pockets, I would say that RM10b will go straight in your pocket(s) as well.]

In short,