Set up SingPost collection booths at MRT stations

One of the delights in reading newspapers is the reader's contribution session. 

And, one of the added delight in reading newspapers online is the commenter's response to the reader's contribution.

One extract from Today's reader, published on 28 February 2014:~

Set up SingPost collection booths at MRT stations
From Arthur Phua

The biggest problem with online purchases is that one must be at home to receive the delivery.

If SingPost could set up collection booths at various MRT stations and charge a small fee for this service, it would bring convenience to recipients and reduce SingPost’s labour overheads from not having to deliver to every door.

Such booths need not occupy a big space, and the capacity could be managed via an online booking system.

And here's what the online commenter says in response:~
 Ricky Lye · Top Commenter

Set up post offices next to MRT Stations, no need to set up additional booths for collection.

All very good ideas, considering our experience of SingPost delivery postman/courier leaving a "you-were-not-in' notice far too many times for this excuse to be valid.

At first, when we got such a slip stuck to the door entrance, we thought the doorbell went kaput.  There is always someone on standby, so how could the loud bell be missed?

Then, when it happened even when the door was wide open, and many folks were around, we began to wonder if we didn't splint to the entrance fast enough for the postman/courier to vanish off to his next rounds.

This was confirmed finally, when at the first strike of the doorbell gong, we dash to the door - only to find the same old notorious SingPost slip waiting instead of the postman/courier!  Ta-da .. ta-da .. drum-roll.. .. ..we knew we didn't make it to the Olympics.  The impatient postman/courier obviously felt we were not Usain Bolt standards and too slow for his liking.

SingPost didn't make it to the Olympics too, come to think of it. 

We paid lots for their airfreight from USA, only to find that upon reaching Singapore, smaller items would be segregated from the larger items, and then posted using snail mail instead of couriers.  It took 2 weeks for the smaller items to arrive, after the larger items were received via local courier within Singapore.  All items were in the same pack, coming from USA to Singapore.  The air delivery from USA to Singapore was fast and on schedule.  It was only when all big and small items arrive in the same shipment pack, that the delay became evident.

The Bland Taste of Brand's Essence

Traditionally, around this time of the year, we would order Brand's Essence of Chicken as giveaways.  They have a fantastic range, with options to choose the essence with added ingredients like American Ginseng, Cordycep, Lycium, Tangkwei and Vitamin B Complex.  For corporate giveaways, we generally go for the basic one, taken by many to strengthen to body and help relieve fatique.


This year, however, the first batch of Brand's Essence of Chicken we received (Batch: November 2013) taste diluted, prompting us to halt further orders to clarify the issue with Brand's Customer Service.  They assure us that the extraction method and nutritional values remains the same, and in fact, there were feedback that some people might not like the taste of chicken and actually wanted a blander taste.

If this is the case, it may be better for Brand's to market this lesser-taste form under a sub-category, because our first impression was that the whole stuff was being diluted somehow, somewhere in the manufacturing process.  Whereas before, we were able to add warm water to the original version and still enjoy it, now it already tasted quite close to plain water straight out from the bottle.  Individual taste preference aside, when we wish for chicken soup or broth, we prefer it with the taste of chicken, as that is part of the appreciation process.  It is small consolation to be told that the chicken essence remains as nutritious as before.  While we appreciate its lower cholesterol values as compared to chicken broth which can be oilier even when skin is removed, we aren't ready for tasteless chicken soup when the word 'chicken soup' itself conjures anticipation of good taste with its aroma providing a sense of comfort.

For those who appreciated a brander form of Brand's Essence of Chicken, though, here is an extract from their website -

Quality Chickens from Temperature-Controlled, Contamination-Free FarmsAll BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken products are made with chickens supplied by leading poultry suppliers, reared in a pollution-free, temperature-controlled, and safely enclosed farm closely monitored by computers. Unlike traditional open chicken farms, these chickens are not exposed to other aviary animals, eliminating the risk of contamination.

Each chicken is inspected by a government veterinarian to ensure that it is healthy before it is processed in the GMP, ISO 9001 QMS, HACCP and Halal certified slaughterhouse. Chickens are then rigorously inspected by state-accredited veterinarians before a final check by a BRAND’S® quality assurance personnel to ensure the highest quality and hygiene before it is processed in BRAND’S® factory.

OCBC Frank Card

OCBC needs to increase manpower for their credit card processing.

The branch staff did a mistake on our form filling.  Then it took them so long to process a card, we miss out on the free luggage which we would have been entitled to if not for their delay.  All in all, they didn't care. 

Then the card didn't activate, though the SMS says it got through.  This resulted in a duplicate order, causing lots of inconvenience as we tried to take back money belonging to us.  It is 2 months now, and we have not gotten the money back.

The customer service staff, however, proved to be really helpful in trying to do what they can whenever mistakes crop up. 

It is the only card in town that allows you to choose from a variety of designs.

It offers 6% rebate for online shopping and 0.5% for other spending.  Minimum total spending, be it online or others, must amount to $500 before the 6% rebate is awarded.

Another improvement would be if they grant the "no-annual-fee" benefit to all OCBC Frank card holders, instead of only to those who apply at their branches.  Why penalize those who apply at their roadshows?

Complicated Bank Deposits - SCB

Everybody hates it when bank products gets too complicated.

Around the Christmas season of 2013, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Singapore put up tantalizing advertisements promoting a 1.88% per annum Bonus Saver Account deposit scheme that offers 4 SEA Aquarium Tickets at Sentosa.

We pop in to their roadshow at Plaza Singapura atrium. 

Naturally, we expect some attached terms and conditions e.g. fresh funds, minimum terms, and minimum amount.

What we didn't expect was a complicated explanation whereby Pru Save kept coming into the picture, followed by deductions from a compulsory dedit card that must be issued together with this deposit account (don't you just hate it when one things leads to another.. and another..).  What has Pru Save (Prudential insurance?) got to do with a 1.88% deposit scheme?  When someone goes for a bank deposit, they don't want any insurance scheme in it, hello? 

And the explanation of how a $500 minimum monthly spending deduction must be deducted from a specifically designated debit card baffles as much.  We already hold 3 other SCB credit cards, and really didn't want one more to complicate life, so why can't the minimum deduction come from our preferred SCB card?  After all, it all belongs to the same bank.

At first, the heavily mascara-ed pretty lady was pleasant.  But as we pestered for a more straightforward breakdown of steps in order to comprehend how the simple bank deposit links itself so intricately to Prudential and SCB debit deductions, her patience got stretched. 

Our tolerance got shorter as well when we simply couldn't grasp the concept even after she had sketched the figures and systematic deductions onto paper (which she wouldn't let us keep).  No matter which way she try to present it, it was simply too convoluted. 

All we wanted was to deposit cash, and earn interest. 

Instead we wasted one hour being goreng-ed left and right.

We have the interest in the product but either by poor design or poor explanation, we gave up.

Our Next Fridge

We have a 5 year old 28" side-by-side which we detest, particularly for its meagre space.  This Samsung RS20NRHS was designed for fans of 2-door fridge who might not mind small internal space. It must have been inexperience which possess us to purchase this model, because it turns out to be a seriously crammed fella for our needs.  Not enough rooms for bulky items on either sides - the fridge side or the freezer side. As soon as we bought it, we can't wait for it to die so we can replace it.

Soon after we bought this, we saw the bigger Hitachi ones.  Good side-by-side fridges, however, comes at a much heftier price than the S$1,199 which we paid for the Samsung (5 years ago). Much to our relief, a Taiwanese expat donated her Panasonic one-door fridge. Though smaller in body, this simple Panasonic one-door has the same internal capacity as the bigger bodied Samsung yet has wider space for a big pizza box to slot in easily.  So if budget is a concern, a one-door fridge may be a better option.  The Panasonic has its freezer at the bottom, suitable for those who spend less time digging in freezers than the fridge. 

We liked our first side-by-side for its icemaker/water feature.  However, its filter occupies quite a lot of internal space and requires discipline in changing at proper scheduled time.  It was such an energy guzzler though, that when it was carted away, the power bill dropped significantly!  Its capacity was bigger than the Samsung but it was also dimensionally bigger, taking up too much kitchen space.

The plus of a side-by-side is that most comes with handles that allows one to loop a latch around it.  This is useful for those who really needs to keep stuff locked away from folks with dementia, or various other reasons.

The other plus is that on both the fridge and the freezer side, you have most of the regularly used stuff at eye level.

Note also that the door of a fridge or freezer holds a ton of stuff, many of which can be quite heavy, e.g. litres of your favourite drinks.  In a wider one-door fridge, the technical advice is to keep the heavier stuff towards the hinge area.  We found this out when the fridge becomes less cold at times.  The door had slide somewhat off the hinge requiring servicing to align the door back upwards.

Meanwhile, we are looking into a multi-door fridge, favoured by many Japanese families.


Hitachi

Mitsubishi

Panasonic

CPF LIFE

55 is a milestone in your CPF agenda.  2 things occurs:

[1]  RETIREMENT ACCOUNT (RA) CREATED

This sets aside your CPF Minimum Sum.

RA is created by transfer from-
    •  Special Account (SA)
    •  Ordinary Account (OA)
    •  Medisave Minimum Sum excess balance
    •  In case savings are insufficient, property bought with CPF savings will be pledged.
   
Suggestion
There is a lot of confusion over:
    1) Medisave Minimum Sum (MMS), and
    2) Medisave Required Amount (MRA) 

Even the w.e.f. dates aren't streamlined:
    • Since 1 July 2013, the MMS is $40,500.
    • Since 1 January 2013, the MRA is $38,500.

It is better if these 2 confusing requirements be merged into one - in favour of the public of course.


The RA is then committed to CPF LIFE annuity scheme.
In case you outlive your CPF savings, an annuity provides lifelong income.
CPF LIFE's monthly payouts commence from 65 to as long as you live.

Choose from 2 CPF LIFE plans:
    • Standard Plan (the default if you do not choose)
       Higher monthly payout / Lesser bequest
    • Basic Plan
       Lower monthly payout / Higher bequest

Key Concerns

One is the low bequest amount even taking into account over-compensating for those who may live beyond 90. 

The other is that since CPF LIFE is a long-term savings, it should be inflation-indexed.  As long as it is not inflation-linked, there would always be a certain level of shakiness perceived to a product which to all intents and purpose was supposed to be credible in carrying out its objective.

The objective of the monthly pay-out is to sustain a reasonably basic living. This is at risk if the annuity doesn't grow enough to keep up with the incessant rise in the cost of living.

There is also no bonus add-on mechanism which would help offset sudden deflationary factors.

[2]  WITHDRAWAL

You can choose to withdraw the withdrawable portion of your CPF.

Or you can choose to let the funds enjoy the following interest, currently:
    OA interest rate = 2.5% per annum.
    1% extra for first $60,000 of combined balances (OA $20,000 cap)


You'd think it's your own money and withdrawal should be relatively free and easy.
But as with all red tapes in life, not so fast!

Up pops ambiguity in CPF's FAQ listed under the heading of:
(A)  When can I withdraw?
Reply Line (1)  
You can apply to withdraw your CPF savings two months before your 55th birthday or anytime thereafter.  After you have withdrawn your CPF savings at 55, you can make yearly withdrawals on or after your 56th birthday, 57th birthday and so on.
Reply Line (2)
If you are 55 and above, you can also apply to withdraw your CPF savings anytime if:
(i)  you have been unemployed; or
(ii) you are a self-employed,
      and have not been continuously working,
      nor receiving income in any business or trade,
      throughout the period of six months before the date of your CPF withdrawal application.
Reply Line (3)
If you have made a partial withdrawal of your CPF savings, you will be eligible to withdraw the remaining balances when you meet conditions (1) or (2) above.

We get a sense of what CPF Board is trying to say, but somehow it's all in bits and pieces, that don't seem to add together.  So a call to the hotline to clarify is due, and that's always a sign that the literatures aren't speaking plain English.

From the call to the CPF Hotline, it appears that what Reply Line (1) to (3) is trying to say is this:-

First, pay attention to the words 'First" and all subsequent withdrawal terminology.

It appears that you can make your first CPF upon-reaching-55 withdrawal, at anytime upon reaching 55 or any years after.  As long as this is the first time you activate this entitled withdrawal, the other conditions of having to be unemployed or having to be receiving no income for a set period of time will not apply.

It is only if you have activated this first withdrawal, that the eligibility restrictions set in.  If we understand correctly, CPF Board is not to be taken as a bank where folks go in freely to withdraw in portions.  Therefore the regiment.

If you do not withdrawal at 55, the minimum sum may be increased, so your withdrawal sum may be reduced.

However, further contributions into CPF after 55 would likewise increased the withdrawal sum if you have never withdrawn it since reaching 55.


Suggestion
We still don't like that after a first withdrawal is effected, we cannot withdraw any further balance in the OA funds in CPF, unless:

    (i)   unemployed, or
    (ii)  self-employed, with no continuous work nor income in any business or trade.

This actually discourages folks from working! 

There are multitude reasons why someone at, for example, age 56, 57 or 60 may be working yet need to withdraw subsequent amounts that remains in their CPF.

It would be good if this eligibility condition be made more owner-friendly, after all you're talking about folks who have already cross 55!

Socks, at last!

For Bigfoots in Singapore, it can be ridiculously difficult to find big socks, especially ankle-lengths. 

We recall running around Robinsons, Bata, John Little and other stores in vain for black or white ankle-length socks for size 13 shoes, finally settling for the pricey ones at Timberland, which often run out of stock. 

We even cause a change in a school's compulsory rule to wear school-issued socks which has the school name embroidered all around the rim.  The school vendor appointed to issue it simply couldn't cater to those who wears shoes of size 12 and upwards and many of the growing teenage students were struggling to put on 'free-size' socks which was in effect baby-size when placed next to a large foot. 

The stretch elasticity of many brands are also often not generous enough to accommodate bigger foot, resulting in holes, adding to the frustration.

It was therefore a big surprise to find what we wanted for so long right there on the street at the pasar malam near the HDB Hub, Toa Payoh.  Low ankle, high ankle - it's all right there in plain black or white.  Disbelieving, we bought only a set of 3 pairs at S$10, wore it, and then went back for more.  The thread count and stretch-ability is in top form.  Various material mix ranging from 100% cotton, 80% cotton 20% spandex, etc. are available!

For those in the mood for fancy, there's a wide array of colours and patterns.


Photo: kawata.com.sg

Photo: kawata.com.sg

Wisely, the saleslady pointed to the contact printed on every plastic bag, in case we run out of socks:

Kawata House of Socks
Retail Outlet:
•  Chinatown Point  #81-09
    Tel: (65) 6538 2009
•  People's Park Plaza  #02-1092/1094
    Tel: (65) 6532 1002
•  Office: 9002 Tampines Street 93  #03-46/50  Singapore 528836
    Tel: (65) 6786 4568  Fax: (65) 6787 4568
Online:
• www.kawata.com.sg