No More Car Loan Installment Payment of RM820 from August, 2010 Onwards!

I had been waiting, waiting, waiting and finally the buyer deposited the money into our auto loan account to settle the remaining loan balance of RM12,000 this morning. Phew, what a relief!

According to the bank officer, we will get the release letter by Friday afternoon. This means the transfer of title and registration can only be done on Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

From next week onwards, our car (1996 2.2 Toyota Camry) will belong to hubby’s buddy while his car (1995 1.5 Proton Wira) will be ours. He sold his car to us for RM8,000 while we sold ours to him for RM20,000.

Starting next month, there will be no more car loan monthly installment of RM820 and yearly road tax renewal charge of RM560. It’s really a burden lifted from our shoulders.

I am so grateful to have sold the car at a reasonable price successfully. Now I am waiting to receive good news from the school for a full time job employment.

If I am employed, there will be extra RM1,000 every month to be saved as emergency fund.

While digging out some old blog posts of mine, I came across this blog post titled: Set Up an Emergency Fund for Financial Security.

It was written in February 2008, a few months before I joined AKPK free debt management program. I blogged about why there was a need to set up an emergency fund and how I saved up for the fund.

I did start saving up for emergency fund at that time, but it didn’t last long. I dug out the money after having not enough money to pay the bills and daily expenses.

Fast forward to today, I am glad that I have some savings in my personal saving account that I can fall back on should there be an unexpected home repair like leaking toilets and clogged water pipes that cost me more than RM1,000 last month and a sharp drop of online income in June.

I have God to thank for putting me in AKPK’s debt management program in October 2008. Since joining the program, there has always been extra money left to be saved in my saving account.

Implementing the ‘Pay Yourself First’ method is also easier when hubby has a steady monthly income together with my online income. Each month on his payday, I will online transfer RM100 into my secret savings account from his account. Similarly, I will transfer RM50 or RM100 from my biweekly pay into the secret account.

I expect more savings on the second half of year 2010 provided (1) I am employed as an account clerk in hubby’s school. I am still waiting for a job interview. Hopefully the principal sees that I am cut out for the job; (2) My online income bounces back to between RM1,500 and RM2,000.

In brief, I would not have been able to save some money as emergency fund if I hadn’t been in AKPK debt management plan that helps restructures my multiple credit card and personal loan payments (more than RM1,500) to ONE small monthly repayment (RM320).

It’s been two weeks since I started looking for a part/full time job and I am still waiting for God’s new plan to unfold in front of me.

There are two full time jobs that are in need of me urgently, but I am waiting for a better job offer at hubby’s school. His school is in need of an account clerk who can do some accounting work as well as teach a few classes.

It’s funny, right? Why does an account clerk need to teach a few classes? Apparently it’s because there isn’t much accounting work for me to do at this time.

I am fine if it’s a class (4 lessons/week) or two classes (8 lessons/week). However, I will think twice if I have to teach more than 10 lessons a week while doing accounting cum general work. I tell you, the clerical work the existing clerk is doing is simply a never-ending routine.

The first time hubby asked the principal whether the school was still in need of an account clerk, the principal said yes. When hubby told him that I was interested to work in the school, he was glad and asked hubby to show him my paper qualifications.

A few days after submitting my paper qualifications, there was no news at all. Last Saturday, hubby asked the principal to confirm whether he was interested to arrange an interview for me.

Well, the principal said it’s for sure he wanted to hire me. But as he was in a hurry to go out with his wife, he told hubby that they would talk again.

I know the whole school is busy with a campaign this week, so I guess the principal may/might only interview me next week. Since there is some kind of assurance that I will be hired, what I can do now is waiting patiently.

You know, I am not as desperate as last week or two weeks ago when it comes to looking for a job. Why? Good news! My paid review earnings has bounced back a bit. From less than RM600 in June to more than RM700 for the 1st week of July! Phew, what a relief!

As for my Google AdSense earnings, it’s still between $1 and $3/day. Don’t give up, keep trying!

Will I still work full time if my online biz income goes back to its previous amount? Yes, I will. I will work full/part time unless my online income consists of multiple income streams. It’s just too risky to depend on Google AdSense, Amazon Associates Program and paid review earnings only.

Dear God, what’s your new plan for the AKPK debt management program blogger? I am still waiting for Your plan, and perhaps some miracles …

It’s the end of the 4th week and my paid review earnings so far has been less than RM600. As for my Google AdSense earnings, it’s still hovering between $1 and $3 a day. All in all, less than RM1,000 a month!

This week I summed up my courage, stepped into a few gift stores and boutiques nearby my rented flat and inquired about the vacant jobs available.

What a small town in Perak! You know how much a promoter’s pay here? Very low. I almost fainted when I heard the amount of the salary.

1. Promoter at a Gift Store. I like the first gift store I went to very much because it seems to be a good place for me to get contacts of suppliers and learn gift wrapping and decoration. However, its pay is only RM2/hour, that is only RM400 a month! Working hours are from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm.

You know, if I hadn’t been in need of money, I would have said yes to the gift store.

2. Promoter at a Boutique. I quite like one of the boutiques I went to because of the boutique manager. She seems to be a frank lady. However, the pay there is only RM500 a month. Working hours are from 10 am to 7 pm.

3. Promoter at a Pharmacy. I frequent this pharmacy a lot because of its courteous staff and greetings. You know, they greet every customer that walks in and out of the outlet. This makes customers feel close to the staff.

The pay is much higher, at RM3.50/hour. As it’s a part time post, there is only 5 working hours per day. I submitted my application form last week, but there has been no call from the person-in-charge. I guess my qualifications make them feel that I am not cut out for a promoter post.

4. Clerk at a School. Now I am waiting for a job interview for a clerk post. It pays higher, that is between RM800 and RM1,000, depending on working experience. Working hours are from 8 am to 4pm or 5 pm.

The only plus point for the above mentioned stores and companies is that they are all within 5 minutes’ walking distance.

Wow, what an exciting roller coaster ride I have had these past few weeks! From making $1,000 (RM3,200) to less than $300 (RM1,000).

Exciting? Actually I am worried … worried not being able to find the right job in time to stop my personal savings from running dry. Wow, wow, wait, leave it to God! He will take care of it. Have faith in Him.

Finished attending your briefing/taklimat and ready to meet an AKPK counselor? Good. You have completed your very first step.

Now you are ready to finish your second step/phase. Have you gotten ready with all the documents required by AKPK?

Not sure what documents to bring when meeting an AKPK counselor? Watch the video below made by me and you’ll know.

If I left out mentioning any important document/statement, please drop me a comment so that I can update my video. Thanks.

What’s God’s New Plan For AKPK Debt Management Programme Blogger?

God has to be kidding with me. Just as I was so blessed with my personal savings, rental income and increasing online income (AKPK DMP Blogger is Back to Financial Track Slowly and Steadily) , boom, my Google AdSense and paid review earnings dropped tremendously.

Yes, a sharp decline in my online income! From making around $1,000 a month to less than $300 now! Boo hoo hoo. This is totally unacceptable as it came out of no where and caught me off guard.

All of a sudden, the online assignments given by an advertising network dropped by 70% starting 3 weeks ago. And then my Google AdSense earnings began to see a decline from more than $10/day to $5 a day to, oh my God, less than $1 today!

If there still aren’t many online assignments this week, it’s for sure that I must look for a full time job to supplement my online income that falls to less than $300 or RM1,000 a month.

This RM1,000, plus hubby’s RM2,000 ++ income, is simply not enough to pay our AKPK debt repayments (RM680), auto loan (RM820), home loan installment and bank overdraft charge (RM525), flat rental (RM270), internet connection fee (RM110), utility and cell phone bills. Besides, there are still meal expenses and groceries.

A cut of 70% on my online income! Is it temporary because of the 2010 FIFA World Cup fever? I don’t know.

If the advertising network I am working for still gives out very few online assignments this week, I think I will have to start making appointments for job interviews.

God, are you showing me your new plan? If so, it has got to be a better plan than the one I am having now, okay? Have faith in You.

I almost fainted when I heard the quote for the 2 leaking toilets in my vacant house in Ipoh. It’s RM800! Oh, God!

Initially hubby and I thought the leaking toilets would cost RM300 the most. Little did we know the leaking problem was so extensive that there was a must to have the 2nd floor’s toilet bowl torn apart and the waste pipe leading to the basement toilet replaced with a new one.

The plumber showed us some cracks on the old waste pipe that had caused the leaking problem. It’s an iron waste toilet pipe that had rotten away.

Well, what to do? They had to be fixed so that the tenants could move in this week.

Just as I thought everything would be fine after the plumber replaced the toilet bowl and waste pipe with new ones, the plumber said we had another problem.

Oh, no! Another problem? So far, we had forked out a total of RM1,390 for the fixes and repairs.

What’s the problem? The waste pipe of the basement toilet leading to the manhole was clogged. The plumber lifted the manhole cover and then asked me to turn on the sink faucet and flush a few times. True enough, there was no water flowing out!

The plumber said we needed an expert to have the toilet and drain pipe unblocked. Another expert? Okay, okay, so how much? RM250!

According to my tenants who were there cleaning the house, it took the guy more than 4 hours to unblock the toilet and pipe. Apparently, it’s the rusty, broken pieces of the waste pipe that brought about the blockage.

So, a total of RM1,640 had been spent on the repairs for the vacant house in Ipoh. Thank God that I have some savings to help pay the fixes and repairs.

AKPK DMP Blogger is Back to Financial Track Slowly and Steadily.

How much has been spent on fixing the vacant house in Ipoh before it can be occupied by the tenants? Phew, RM590!

May 13th – Water and electricity departments – RM231
May 20th – Kitchen faucets and water pipes – RM70
May 27th – Fluorescent light replacements – RM119
May 28th – Leaking water tank and water pipes – RM170

Wait, RM590 is not the total yet! There are still leaking toilets and air-conditioner installation that will be done this coming Saturday or/and Sunday.

We estimate the leaking toilets (3 toilets now!) to cost between RM250 and RM400 and the air-conditioner installation between RM1,400 and RM1,550.

Since the air-conditioner can be paid in two installments, I don’t have to dig out all of my personal savings. Boohoo, there will be a dent in my personal savings!

Anyway, I think it’s worth paying for all the fixes and repairs since:

a) The house will not be left vacant to rot again;

b) There will be monthly rental of RM400 to cover some of the home loan installment or to be saved as emergency fund;

c) It’s easier to sell the house in future, either to the tenants or neighbors whose family members or relatives are interested.

As a matter of fact, a neighbor who lives two houses away came to have a look of the inside of our house when hubby and I were in the house last Saturday. He said his brother was also thinking of buying one nearby his.

Thanks to new developments around my housing area that the price for my 22 x 75 double-storey house has gone up to nearly RM150,000 these few years.

A friend who is a pro construction worker said we can sell our house in Ipoh easily if we are willing to sell it at RM135,000. Wow, it’s for sure hubby and I will sell the house and be mortgage free if there is a buyer now!

At this point of my life, I am so grateful to God for leading me and hubby back on financial track slowly and steadily.

First, being approved of the AKPK debt management program applications. Next, steady online income from me and full time teaching income from hubby. Then, having extra money to be saved as emergency fund. Later, renting out the house in Ipoh.

All this came one by one. This made me realize that, “When I am ready to make a change financially, God will help.“

30-Day Challenge of Tracking Every Dollar & Cent – Day 1 – RM32.60, Day 2 – RM31.10, Day 3 – RM41.25, Day 4 – RM341.60, Day 5 – RM47.70, Day 6 – RM110.60, Day 7 – RM14.60, Day 8 – RM20.05, Day 9 – RM6.50, Day 10 – RM101.45, Day 11 – RM17, Day 12 – RM89.70, Day 13 – RM58.20, Day 14 – RM13.90, Day 15 – RM26.60, Day 16 – RM268.15, Day 17 – RM15.90, Day 18 – RM61.70, Day 19 – RM47.70, Day 20 – RM17.70, Day 21 – RM47.90, Day 22 – RM69.20, Day 23 – RM120.10, Day 24 – RM22.90, Day 25 – RM16.40, Day 26 – RM81.70.

Day 27 of 30-Day Challenge of Tracking Every Dollar & Cent:

Breakfast – RM2.50
Lunch – RM8.40
Dinner – RM7.80
Total Spent: RM18.70

Day 28 of 30-Day Challenge of Tracking Every Dollar & Cent:

Breakfast – RM3.20
Lunch – RM7.90
Dinner – RM7.50
Total Spent: RM18.60

Day 29 of 30-Day Challenge of Tracking Every Dollar & Cent:

Breakfast – RM2.50
Lunch – RM11.50
Weight Loss Powder – RM39.90
Chicken Essence – RM64.90
Dinner – RM9
Total Spent: RM127.80

Day 30 of 30-Day Challenge of Tracking Every Dollar & Cent:

Breakfast – RM7
Lunch – RM5.90
Fruits – RM4
Dinner – RM8.20
Fluorescent Lights – RM119 (for house in Ipoh)
Total Spent: RM144.10

* AKPK debt repayments of RM680, car loan installment of RM400 and Streamyx broadband access service bill of RM112 are fixed payments.

My plan of turning my house in Ipoh into a homestay resort/house has to be put off! You may have known by now that the vacant house has already been rented out to some young fellows.

We gave them the spare keys on Saturday night and if I am not mistaken, they went to do some cleaning yesterday.

This coming Friday, hubby and I will have to go to the house in Ipoh again. There are still a few furniture pieces and clothes that need to be moved away.

It’s my hope the plumber and electrician can make it on Friday to have the leaking pipes and faulty lights fixed.

If everything goes on smoothly, my house in Ipoh will be occupied for a year or two. This means my plan of turning the house into a homestay resort/house will be put off for a while until the tenants move out or permanently if the tenants are interested to buy it over.

Turning it into a homestay house or selling it? Well, both are outcomes that hubby and I love!