I haven't been posting much recently.
Some things have cropped up and I've been trying to settle them. Maybe I'll update everyone when things settle down.

Anyway, here's a good clip to watch.

Ever wondered why casinos want people to play using chips?
Or why some restaurants like Marche use a card to charge your purchases?
​Or how about online games where people buy "tokens"?

​It's all similar to what this talk is about. Financial abstraction. Making people less connected with their money so that they don't feel like they are spending money, so that it's just a number on a computer or handphone.
In this way, there's a good chance that people tend to spend more. Cos they don't feel like they are spending money.

Long time ago, I was happy living under other people's expectations. 
So I was pretty happy doing things that made them happy, until I realized that they only bothered that I made them happy and didn't bother whether I was happy whilst doing those things. 

That's when I realized that the idea of living for other people's expectations and putting up a false front, a very tiring and sad thing to do. 

Sometimes it seems like the right thing to do. Maybe some people may thing that they need to fulfill their parents' expectations so they try to hard to make their parents happy. 
But to me, I try to make them happy in other ways. Caring for them doesn't mean I need to fulfill their expectations. Taking care of their well-being is a different matter as living the life they hope that I will live. 

And I think a lot of people may not understand this. That being caring or taking care of their parents or dependents is not really the same as fulfilling their expectations. 
​
For example, someone may love scuba diving and decide to be a diving instructor. But may disappoint their parents, cos the parents want them to be a corporate worker. 
But that doesn't mean that this person doesn't care about his parents and wouldn't be able to take care of his parents whilst enjoying work as a dive instructor.  

So I think it's important to differentiate the difference between living someone else's expectations vs taking care and showing that you care for that person. 
It's really 2 different ideas but very often, they are seen as one, or they are confused to be the same thing. 


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Not going to say much about my expenses this month. 
It's pretty normal and expenses is around the same every month.

Gift ($155) is a bit high this month as my wife was buying lunch treats for her colleagues/staff/friends who have helped her through the past year. 
We also ordered a photobook ($15) cos we always do up a photobook for our trips so that we can capture our memories. (see previous post)

The end of Feb expense update will be more interesting as I have been tracking my expense for the past year. So I'll be showing a full 12 months with some good classification to distinguish what is my wife's work related expenses vs what is our true living expenses. 

So let's talk more about that in a month's time.


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It's the lunar new year period now and many people are done with their spring cleaning and rituals and what not. And everyone wishes and hopes the coming year will be prosperous and good.

And so, as usual, I wander around and look and see and observe. 
Since young, my mum always told me of things to do, things not to do during the CNY period.
She would make preparations, buy new stuff, etc... and as I grew older, I noticed this was the norm for most people. 

​And she told me not to say unlucky things during the CNY period, which I deemed "Ok fine, not too unreasonable, no point being rude or negative any day, so CNY period shouldn't be any different."

What really gets to me is the amount of wastage that I see every year, my mum included, but it's pretty much everyone else as well...

People do spring cleaning EVERY YEAR. They throw out stuff which they bought last time... Most of them are in good condition. This means that they previously bought it and didn't use it much and eventually threw them away. Making space for them to buy even more new things this coming year ahead. 

Then many people stock up their fridges. Food during this period is more expensive but yet people like the feeling of 满, or full, so they buy new rice to fill up their rice buckets, even people whom I know don't cook rice, they will buy rice to fill up their rice bucket, or buy groceries, or new sugar and salt and some people I know will throw away their old sugar and salt cos they haven't used all of what they bought for the whole of the previous year!
But why do they need to buy so much during this period? Food is more expensive so maybe it would actually be more prudent to buy just enough during this period and buy again once the festive season is over? 

Not to mention, most people buy and gift multiple containers of CNY tidbits/goodies.
People buy for their own consumption and gift to friends and family. Then they themselves receive so they have multiple containers of goodies. And many people aren't able to consume all of them. And very often, after 2-3 months, they realize they won't be able to finish all the food and throw them all away. 

And then CNY period gives people the excuse to buy new clothes. Long time ago, people didn't have much money, so they used the CNY period as an opportunity to buy their new clothes for the year. But now... People buy clothes all the time and they have new clothes every month. But still, they buy new CNY clothes just for visiting. Some tailor their clothes just for the first 2 days and never use them again. I know people who purchase clothes that they will only use for one time and not use it again. And they do it every year. 

Then some people buy CNY stickers or ornaments to place around their house, buy new plants to make the place look nicer, etc... and once again, all these will be thrown away in a couple of weeks.

I don't even want to talk about ang bao money, I don't know any parent who's happy to give away free money to other people for no other reason except for wishing them a happy new year and to remain prosperous in the up coming year. 
I'd rather BE prosperous by saving my money and not having to give it away. 

And the thing about all these practices... is... does it really promote prosperity? 
I suppose it shows that this person has been prosperous last year, cos it means they have money to waste during this CNY period. But it definitely isn't going to promote prosperity after the season. I mean... using more money to buy and throw away stuff isn't going to make anyone richer. Except the vendors. 

So the question is... do you want to be prosperous? OR just talk about it? OR try to show it? 

Cos... pretty much, actions speak louder than words. 
It's more likely that you'll remain prosperous by holding on to your money than by spending it on stuff and HOPING that you'll be prosperous in the coming year ahead.


HUAT AH!!! Wishing all my readers a HAPPY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR AND DON'T WASTE MONEY!!!


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