Car service - 120,000 km mileage

120,000 km - time to service my car.

Owning a car in Singapore can be very expensive and it makes sense to service your car regularly to avoid breakdown and costly repairs.

Sent in the car at 9.20am and the car was ready by 2.30pm. Going to C&C to collect and check my car...

Collected my car...

Here's the bill:

1. Diamond Care Package Menu D @ 40K - Paid previously as a package
2. System refresh & oil treatment kit (Fuel system cleaner + engine flush + engine oil treatment) - $65
• Engine Flush (250ml)
• Nano Eng Super Protection
• Fuel System Cleaner Gasoline 250ml
3. Rotate & Balance tyres - $20
4. Spark plug - $37.40
5. Replace Antenna Mast - $46.75

Total plus 7% GST: $180.99

Others:

• Clean up throttle body and lubricate belt (to resolve squeaking sound from engine compartment)
• Complimentary car wash

Next service due 130,000 km or 27 Aug 2013 (whichever earlier). This will be the last Diamond Care Package.

Diamond Care Service Plan - 2 Yr (CAT A) - $1059.30 (includes 7% GST)

• Includes 4 scheduled services
• 2x Menu A, 1x Menu C, 1x Menu D

MAS imposes restrictions on private car loans

From February 26 onwards, MAS said consumers will be limited to borrowing 60 per cent of the purchase price of a motor vehicle when the open market value (OMV) is S$20,000 or less.

A tighter limit of 50 per cent will be imposed when the OMV is more than S$20,000.

The MAS is also capping the tenure of a motor vehicle loan at five years.

With these restrictions, I hope that there will be fewer people bidding for the COE and the price of COE to fall within reasonable range. My target is for the COE to fall to below $20k within the next three years. I have just paid off my car loan and now I'm saving some amount every month so that I can have the cash to pay for my 3rd car. My 2nd car has another 3 years before the 10 years COE expires.

On February 20, COE for cars up to 1,600cc ended at $78,301, down from $87,109 a fortnight ago. Let's see whether the next bidding will drop or rise...

Investment as at 24 Feb 2013

Added VeriFone Systems into my portfolio. I'm targeting US$25 for PAY.

Investment as at 24 Feb 2013

Bought 100 shares of VeriFone Systems (PAY)

VeriFone Systems (PAY) plunged 38% early Thursday after the credit card payment device maker late Wednesday preannounced weak fiscal Q1 results and forecast current quarter profit and revenue below estimates.

I sensed that it is a good buying opportunity and bought 100 shares @ US$19.83 a piece. I have reserved some cash to buy if it drops further. Keeping this for at least 3 months and see whether I can profit from here. When I sell, I will post again. My target to sell is around US$25.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11851004/1/verifone-looking-more-like-a-value-stock-every-day.html?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO

I didn't buy the HNR and MM stocks in the end. I was reading the financials and did not see great potential in them.

I regretted that I did not sell my LVS stock when they were at US$55. Now it is below $50 and dropping. I will set my target to sell at US$55 again. Watching this counter...

Investment as at 21 Feb 2013

Looking at the NYSE now (12.52am SGP time), there are two stocks that drop about 35-36%. The two stocks are:

Harvest natural Resources Inc (HNR) : 5.8090 -3.36 (-36.68%)

Millennial Media Inc (MM) : 9.2200 -5.11 (-35.69)

I'm thinking of buying 500 shares of HNR and 100 shares of MM. Looking at the financial reports, they don't seem to have good earnings. Probably, they are pushed up before the report and announcement. HNR has lost the deal on the Venezuelan Sale and MM has missed the estimates... Not buying now... just paper trade... This is not an indication to sell or buy.

Oh yes, I have been monitoring this stock, Oi SA. Oi SA, formerly Brasil Telecom SA, is a Brazil-baed holding company engaged in the telecommunication sector.

I'm thinking of buying it now at the price of 3.72. Anyone has information on this stock? Is it worth investing? Thanks.

Investment as at 21 Feb 2013

Investment as at 18 Feb 2013

Just sharing my investment holdings as at 18 Feb 2013. Currently, the stock prices are not attractive enough for me to buy for investment. I will keep on monitoring the markets and buy when the price is right...

Investment as at 18 Feb 2013

Investment for retirement

Since my first blog SG My Life Is Good, I have wanted to start a blog on my investment journey and experience.

I read a book, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. It mentioned that there are three ways to gain financial freedom. There are:

• Own a business
• Investing in stocks
• Investing in real estate

At this moment, I do not own a business and still thinking of a business proposal or venture. Thus, the next way is to invest in stocks.

I have two properties which I intend to rent one out when it is completed in end 2014. The rental will be able to cover the monthly instalment plus maintenance fee. The excess will then be invested or put aside towards paying off the loan earlier.

I plan to pay off the loan in 15 years' time. If I'm still working then, I will re-invest the monthly rental into real estate or stocks. However, this monthly rental is for either me or my wife's retirement. So, I will need to look into another way for my own's retirement - by investing in high dividend stocks.

I'm now 39 years old and I'm working towards financial freedom in 10 years' time... so if I don't make it then, I will have another 10 years to work harder to achieve my goal...

I will update in my blog the stocks that I have invested. However, this is not an indication for you to buy or sell. This blog is just for information only. I will not be responsible for any loss arising from the content of my blog. Trade with care, invest and not speculate.