Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by abcn1n

Need to buy good modem

abcn1n — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 03:50:23 +0800

Can anyone suggest a good modem preferably under RM1k? Thanks

Good modem suggestion

abcn1n — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 03:49:05 +0800

Can anyone suggest a good modem for home use. Price preferably under RM1k. Thanks

Poco X3 GT

abcn1n — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 16:26:36 +0800

Thinking of getting poco x3 gt (256GB/8GB). Currently on offer at $1299. Should I buy now or see whether 11//11 sale. Wonder whether it will be cheaper then.

Phone not recognizing my pattern lock

abcn1n — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 13:26:07 +0800

Have redmi 5 pro. Phone is not recognizing my pattern lock. How to unlock phone or get back my data. If I do factory reset, I will lose all my information,

Contacts cannot be saved in sim card or phone

abcn1n — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 22:07:19 +0800

Phone is redmi. Had to erase all my data (I logged into mi account in laptop and erase data from there), so I guess its considered a factory reset. After that, when I try to add contacts, I can only either save it to my google account or mi account. I do not have the choice of saving into my sim card or phone anymore.

How to save my contacts in sim card?

Insurance--some good information

abcn1n — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 03:13:56 +0800

Well, was trying to find some information on insurance (as I bought some last time) and stumbled across this. It is with regards to Singapore insurance and the real gem/knowledge is not so much in the article(although there are some useful bits) but in some of the comments at the bottom of the article regardless of which country you buy insurance from. Look for comments by 'brendan yong', 'justin for example. I will paste some of the comments.

(Disclaimer : I am not an insurance agent, not earning anything here and still reading the comments. Just wished I knew all this before I bought insurance last time like the rate shown in the insurance illustration is NOT the investor's rate of return but rather the insurer's par-funds rate of return)

https://investmentmoats.com/budgeting/do-yo...3-to-5-returns/

Some of the comments that I really liked

Brendan Yong says

June 26, 2014 at 6:36 pm

To clarify:

The usual 5.25% and 3.75% (in the past, now 4.75% and 3.25%), PIROR (Projected Investment Rate of Return) on the Benefit Illustration refers to the Insurer’s par-funds rate of return NOT the Investor’s rate of return. Thus the XIRR method is the right way to calculate the actual Investor’s return. This is something many insurance agents fail to grasp. Or worse mis-selling.

Returns of endowment and whole life policies (participating) are based on contractual values: (1) $1 per $1,000 sum insured PLUS (2) compounding bonus (CRB) of 1% PLUS (3) loyalty bonuses at certain intervals PLUS (4) maturity bonus.

For the $1 per thousand sum insured and CRB, the contract value can be reduced subject to par-fund performance by the insurer. Example: $0.70 per $1,000 and 0.75% CRB, when times are bad. Prudent insurers practice “smoothing”, so that they can maintain the payout.

In extreme cases, insurers can also change the loyalty and maturity bonus (these bonuses account for a large portion of the total payout). Some insurers have cut these before, resulting in a VERY poor return for investors.

Only Tokio Marine Asia claims to have NEVER cut bonuses. NTUC is known to have high returns FOR older policies (not the newer ones).

This is where the NON-GUARANTEED portion of the policy is derived.

In general, even without any cuts, returns is typically 2-3% for “cash-back” policies, 4-5% for long term (25-30 year) “no-cash-back” policies, and very low 1-2% for single premium 3-8 year policies.

......... (I did not paste parts of it as too long)

In my opinion and as far as my practice is concerned, usually endowments are a bad idea.

{Disclosure: I’m a licensed Financial Adviser in a fee-based financial planning firm}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

justin says

March 31, 2015 at 8:28 pm

At the end of the day, the big part of the costs go to advertising and the commissions for insurance agents. For a regular premium endowment plan, the agent could be getting 30%-50% of the first year premiums paid, and less in the 2nd year. This is a huge cost for the company. Since the commissions paid out to the agents are already lost, the company then has to spend the next two decades painstakingly adding back to the cash value of the policy.

It is great that MAS is starting to embark on educating the public to buy their own term insurance online as well as introduce the SSB in Q3 this year. Both the end user and the company will enjoy significant cost reductions once commissions are taken away or greatly reduced.

Moreover, the guaranteed cash value for any endowment plan is always less than premiums paid. They can engineer the product in creative ways, but it still doesnt hide the fact that capital is almost never guaranteed, which leaves you at the mercy of reversionary bonuses etc. To me, if you are looking for a safe haven for your money, this does not seem to be a good deal at all.

---------------------------
XIRR calculation worksheet (which is the correct way of determining the investor's return)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OJc...tB1f9hVtuysh7B-
RWg/edit#gid=1825538620

Matthew says

January 10, 2016 at 10:12 pm

Dear Kyith, if its not too much trouble, could you please share the link to the google sheet on which you did the calculation? I’m not sure how to use the formulas for XIRR. The google sheets template will really help. many thanks.

Kyith says

January 11, 2016 at 8:49 pm

hi Matthew, you can make a copy at File > Make a copy. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1OJc...#gid=1825538620

Singtel Hi Apps

abcn1n — Mon, 23 Dec 2019 23:02:13 +0800

Anyone uses Singtel Hi Apps ? As I have extra $ in my Singtel Hi Apps account, I tried topping up for my Malaysian number but every time gets rejected? (Initially will say successful, but then later the $ is refunded to my Singtel Hi Apps account) Is it not possible to do so despite I am able to choose Malaysia country code and Malaysia number?

Redone app

abcn1n — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:31:36 +0800

Can't open my redone app today. Keep closing down the moment I clicked on it. Anybody facing this problem?

How is Skynet's delivery service like?

abcn1n — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 21:49:55 +0800

Am thinking of giving Skynet a try when buying from overseas. So far has anyone use Skynet when buying from overseas. How's the delivery service like? Safe? Very slow? Will they call you if can't get you?

mi message-miui users

abcn1n — Sat, 06 Jul 2019 14:19:25 +0800

Anyone uses mi message here. How is it like? Any problems faced?

Registering for Xiaomi phone warranty?

abcn1n — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:19:23 +0800

Need help on a couple of stuff:

1) Do I need to register for Xiaomi phone in order to activate the warranty?

2) Also, is there a website that I can check when my Xiaomi phone warranty starts and ends?
[I remembered ever checking on this but now I cannot recall the site. Now only can find site on whether imei is valid]

Thanks

Post deleted

abcn1n — Sun, 05 May 2019 00:35:54 +0800

Post deleted as problem solved.

Is it better to switch off your phone at night

abcn1n — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:30:07 +0800

Used to switch off my phone every night but have received conflicting information on which is better for the phone. Some say its better never to switch off phone, while some says to do it several times a year or once a day. Am wondering what's the best for the phone to last longest (want the phone to last as many years as possible)

Help: how to remove sim card from TP-link mr400

abcn1n — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 18:29:05 +0800

Help. Am afraid to insert sim card into my TP-Link MR400 as I do not see any hole or button to eject the SIM card. As I'm trying out between 2 different network provider sim cards, I will need to be able to remove them. Thanks.

Lenovo P2 online seller--is this genuine or fake?

abcn1n — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 01:58:30 +0800

Am considering 2 phones (ie Xiaomi redmi 5 plus and Lenovo P2).

Understand that Lenovo P2 is >$1k+ but there have been people buying it for around $400-$500+.

I have found 2 sellers at cheap price and wondering are these scams or can they be trusted.

The cheapest I could find is at $599 (4GB/32GB ROM) from elite mobile at Lazada
https://www.lazada.com.my/products/original...db1d7mks520lc71

There's a cheaper one with 64GB ROM from Mudah (from All iN Mobile) at $499 (4GB/64GB ROM) but kind of afraid to trust it as its not from Lazada
https://www.mudah.my/Lenovo+P2+Ori+Malaysia...920205.htm#show

Do anyone know whether any of these 2 are ok?

Xiaomi redmi 5 plus global imported

abcn1n — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 01:49:56 +0800

Am considering between 2 phones, one of which is xiaomi redmi 5 plus. Thinking of buying online but it says global imported.

Am wondering if I were to buy the global imported, do I have to do anything to the phone or can I just insert sim card and it will work (ie work like a normal Malaysian set for xiaomi redmi 5 plus).

Prefer to buy online as its about $200 cheaper than buying Malaysian set but I need to know the answer to my question first. Thanks.

WTA price for normal green fence

abcn1n — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 11:07:52 +0800

Revised: actual measurement is closer to 30 feet and not 15 feet.

Need help. Initially agreed with contractor to tear down old fence and install normal green fence. However, due to contractor problems decide not to do so. So want to minus off the price for green fence. Anybody have any idea how much does green fence cost (height around 5 feet and length 15 feet). You can quote it by $/feet or $/ roll or other measurements etc.

Contractor trying to say that he initally only quoted me $300 for length of 15 feet for which I know he's trying to bluff me so that I can reduce payment for him by $300 only. I believe its much higher as who will tear down and install a 15 feet length fence for $300 (fence cost and workmanship).

Thanks

Advise on SST (sales and services tax)

abcn1n — Sun, 28 Oct 2018 01:32:15 +0800

Sifus, please help.
Planning to buy some vitamin supplements (for my own use) from overseas.

1) Do I have to pay SST (if so 6% or 10%)?
2) Any forms need to fill and if so will the shipping agents fill for me first?
3) If have to pay SST, will the shipping agent (eg: DHL/FedEx) pay the SST first and later collect from me? If not, then how is the procedure like?

Thanks