My last posts of 2009.:)<\/p>\n
Exactly a year ago<\/a> I did a post on a resolution I had \u2013 and that was to do a refinancing arrangement of our DBS Loan for our apartment.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, while the collective funds we\u2019ve got in our little piggy banks now are sufficient enough to proceed with a refinancing plan, we\u2019ve decided not to go ahead with it after all \u2013 on account that it\u2019s been a crazily busy end-of-year, what with the Japan trip, Hannah, and also the other projects I have at work that\u2019s going to run till August next year.<\/p>\n So, we\u2019ve decided to go back to the first and original plan \u2013 which is to clear the loan altogether <\/em>in Dec 2010. We\u2019ll be paying a few thousand in excess compared to the refinancing arrangement, but what the heck \u2013 might as well just bite the bullet, and a year from now, we\u2019ll no longer be working for DBS.<\/p>\n I was also looking through the rest of our financial spreadsheets again, and lots of little interesting (at least to me!) factoids show up.<\/p>\n In 2009, our utility usage remained semi-consistent at $135 +\/- $20 per month, even despite the fluctuating electricity tariffs.<\/p>\n In 2009, $1,900 was spent on camera equipment and accessories, compared to the $7,300 that was spent in 2008.<\/p>\n In 2009, we spent about $22,500 on capital purchases. Capital purchases in my spreadsheet denote anything that\u2019s one-time and that we buy that\u2019s in excess of $100. Does not include items considered under daily expenses, donations, the costs associated with the two big work-related overseas trips I had, insurance and investment premiums etc.<\/p>\n Of that $22,500, approximately $13,200 was on Hannah\u2019s delivery and hospital fees, vaccination fees, baby equipment, confinement assistance and events. The expenses associated with nutrition, feeds, diapers, medical appointments etc. wasn\u2019t included \u2013 but works out to another $4,000 or so.<\/p>\n Of the remaining sum of about $9,000\u2026<\/p>\n $4,000 was on home items \u2013 the iEcologi<\/a> we didn\u2019t use, the Panasonic HDC-SD20<\/a>, home connectivity<\/a>, a new home laser printer, the <\/a>IKEA<\/a> sofa etc.<\/p>\n $3,500 was on personal equipment \u2013 the Apple iPhone<\/a>, the MacBook Pro<\/a>, Ling\u2019s new handphone<\/a>, my titanium plated replacement spectacles (love them) etc.<\/p>\n The \u0394<\/strong> Deltas in our CPFs, personal savings, joint savings, and investments as revealed in my spreadsheet were lower than originally projected in Dec 2008, and only on account that 2009\u2019s bonus payouts for those of us in the public and civil service weren\u2019t good \u2013 but that\u2019s in view of the global recession. Things should look more favorably next year, what with the economy recovering.<\/p>\n Next post will be looking ahead into the new year.:)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My last posts of 2009.:) Exactly a year ago I did a post on a resolution I had \u2013 and that was to do a refinancing arrangement of our DBS Loan for our apartment. Unfortunately, while the collective funds we\u2019ve<\/p>\n