Financial Planning

That's all I've been hearing for the past week and it almost bored me to death. But still, it had gotten me thinking, maybe it's time that I start to plan my finances.

I'm never one that saves, it runs in the family, we spend whatever we earn. When we need money and get desperate, somehow the problems will work out on their own. Most of the time that is :p

But after 4 days of talks on Financial Planning, I realize we really need a lot of money to retire, the amount that we have to set aside can go up to millions!! serious! If I want to continue with my existing lifestyle after retirement, I would have to start saving right now.

I think it's time I get a proper insurance plan, probably an endowment plan, so that I get insurance coverage as well as some savings. Many people go for endowment plans, that's why we see so many ah peks driving sports cars on the road. They buy an endowment plan when they were younger, and 20 years down the road, they get a lump sum which they dump into the car to make themselves feel young again :p

Insurance-linked plan is also something I'm considering, but I would use my CPF funds for that. And it will have to wait till I get a place of my own.

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Blinkymummy had a post on weddings and our views are the same. Why go thru all the pain and agony just for something which 90% of the guest will not appreciates?

I never get wedding dinners, it's boring, the food is most often lousy, and it's a waste of time for most. And pretty often, the guest hardly knows the couple that's getting hitched. What's the point then?

I stated upfront that I will not have a wedding dinner. A small reception is ok, a chinese-style wedding dinner is out of the question. I don't like the pretense, I don't see the point of wasting all the money on people that I do not know.

A wedding ceremony is meant to share the joy of the couple's union with friends and family, it's not a time to show off. I really want mine to be just a small affair, just the traditional tea-serving, solemnizing ceremony and a small reception.

I like the wedding I always see in the movies, where the whole event is held in the parent's house, the priest comes over and the solemnizing ceremony is conducted in the garden. After that, there's a lunch with a live band and a small area to dance. Other than the solemnizing ceremony, there's no fixed schedule and the whole event just flows on its own.

That's what I like, no tables and tables full of strangers, just a room filled with loved ones.

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I had lunch over at Cherry Garden @ The Oriental last week, pictures will be up next week I guess. The food is pretty good, I love the presentation and the ambience is great.

The best thing about the place is that you can book the whole place for a private event. Consider to use this place?? hmm.. hee.. Later Ah Dear will start to get stressed :p