Parenting

LCentral Teachers No Show

My wife send my children to the LCentral for their lessons. But my daughter Amelia lesson was supposed to be at 430PM but it happen the teacher did not show up. The reception was really not well prepare and they call to inform my wife at 420PM. That is 10 minutes before the lesson was about to start.

The LCentral Reception must inform the parents at least 2 hours before the lesson starts. They should know that the teacher have not turn up for the day and prepare the parents for it. In this way, parents will not made a unfruitful trip to the Centre. This is an oversight by the staff of LCentral at the Woodlands.

LCentral staff at Woodlands should reflect on themselves and come out an countermeasure to ensure that it does not happen again. It inconvenient both the students and the parents.

Leaving for Japan

The day has finally come for me to depart to Japan together with my colleagues.My family did not sent me to the airport as the flight was next day morning 1am to Japan.I really cannot bare myself to leave my wife and my children.But technology has improve and therefore I can see them on Skype everyday. Use Skype for video call as it is much clearer and sharp while MSN quality will be bad unless u want to message only.

The SIA Flight to Japan, Fukuoka was quite full with only 6 seats left unfilled. The managers from our company was there to sent us off.

We bought some presents for our Japanese Colleagues in the duty free shopping centre in Terminal 3. Here we are awaiting for the gate to open to board the flight to Japan.

How to tie a tie

Most of us would only tie a tie during certain functions or event. We tend to forget as we do not do it everyday as office staff or sales people would do. The Windsor Knot is the most popular Tie people like to tie.

Visit the website for a detail step by step picture guide on how to tie the Windsor Knot.
Click here to the picture guide>>> 

Japan Trip Day 1

We reach Fukuoka International Airport in the morning at 8am. Breezing through the customs is a breeze but u need to have your photo taken and 2 finger prints on each arm scan into the system. The international airport looks quite small when compared with Changi Airport Terminal 1. There is no train services at the airport and u need to take a free ferry service to the domestic airport terminal for your trains.

We took a train to Hakata and transfer to the Shinkansen to Okayama. The Shinkansen is a high speed bullet train and its speed is more than 300km/h. After alighting at Okayama, we transfer to the JR Line to travel to Osafune where our accommodation for our training trip awaits us. Travelling in Japan is not cheap and especially if u made use of Shinkansen. This trip cost us around 11,000Yen which is more than S$160. 

Check out the Shinkansen Route Map>>>

After settling into the accommodation, our Japanese Colleagues took us for lunch and to get to know the small town which we were staying in. There isn't much eateries in Osafune  where we stay. We also purchase some grocery at the supermarket for our daily breakfast and others. It is a quiet town when compared to the bustling Singapore City Life.

LCentral Success program

I wanted to improve my daughter English Literacy Skills which she was lacking in this area. After much research, I decided to bring her to the LCentral to try their program. You can book a free assessment where the teacher will access which program she can join. There are many ANG MOH's teachers in the Woodland branch and my daughter love the foreign teachers. The teacher assigned her to join the Success Program in LCentral.

All parents, you can book a free assessment for your child by calling the respective centres.
LCentral>>> 

Costs
This is one of the factors where many parents mind when looking for a program to improve their children education. If you are a Popular Card member, you will enjoy 10% discount off the course fees. But the discount will only be apply on the next term and not for the initial registration(current 1st term). The school charges by term which is 11 lessons.

The registration fee was S$40 but was waived off as I was recommended by my friend whose child was studying here also. I only need to paid S$504.85(with S$30 voucher) which include the term fees, deposit and material fees. 

Success Program
Term Fees: S$399.85(Weekdays)
Deposit:$100
Book Deposit:S$20
Success Material Fee:S$15 

Red and White Car Park Lot

Red and White Combination(RWC) Car Park Lot has been in the news and also discussed by Net Citizens on the internet. These RWC are not available at all car parks but at certain car parks where short term parking is highly sought after.

RWC Car Park Lot allowed you to park at the lot during non Season Car Parking Hours. This is usually 7AM to 7PM but the rules for season parking hours  for some car parks may be different. Please check up the parking sign board before you park your car at the RWC Lot.

HDB Customer Officers and HDB Car Park Offices are also not very clear about this special car park lots. Once you ask them about these RWC, they will still thought you are referring to the Red and White Parking Lot. I guess the HDB Staffs are not yet align to the rules. This worry me as I and other car users may be fine by the parking warden if they are unclear about the ruling and find us parking in the RWC lot.

I will update my blog if I find any parking warden fine our cars for parking in a RWC outside season parking hours. Subscribers may send me an email with your parking fine ticket no if this happens to you also.

Please take note HDB has not updated their website with this info at the time of the publishing of my post.

References: HDB Car Parks>>>

NTUC Food Fare Rental Rises #1

NTUC Food Fare@Admiralty has seen a few new stalls again. Out of interests I ask my favourite stalls why the previous owners want to give up their store. Is it beacause of bad business or venturing into new grounds? I found out that NTUC Food Fare has risen the stall rentals once again and some stall holders has chosen to give up their business due to the high rental.

There are a few stores who now charges 20 cents for package food. This includes the Chicken Rice Store, Wan Tun Noodle Store and the Fish Soup Store. These costs are pass to the consumers and I think that 20 cents for packaging is just too expensive. If you happen to be in Toa Payoh Industrial area, a piece of these packaging is less than 10 cents. Furthermore if you buy in bulk, the cost may be even lower.

NTUC Food Fare is actually giving discount to NTUC Members, this looks encouraging. Some stores will offer a 20 cents discount on a promotion dish for NTUC Members only. But on the other end, NTUC Food Fare is also driving the food costs up by rising the stall rentals.

Best Bargains at NTUC FoodFare@Admiralty

Deluxe Breakfast comprising coffee,2 eggs and a slice of bread for S$1.20 for NTUC Members only

Genneva Gold Review

I was approached by Genneva Gold Agent and ask me to join Genneva Gold Singapore due to its great potential. Previously, I have heard about it from my subscribers who has been earning a interest of 2% monthly from the reward program offered by Genneva Gold.

Genneva Gold will sell you Gold Bullion at a 2% discount on the company Gold Spot Price with a buy back guarantee price. 

At the end of the one month, the buyer can

1. Sell the Gold back to the Genneva at the Buy Back Price(2% Profit)
2. Keep the Gold Bullion
3. Rollover. Perform step one and buy Gold Bullion at a 2% discount.

The deal seems to be a win win situation for both Genneva and the buyer itself.

An example on how this works:

The company sells you Gold at $60 per g. If you purchase 1000g of Gold;

Cost of Gold= $60,000 (Buy Back Price)
2% Discount=  $1200
Net Cost of Gold= $58 800 

The buyer will pay $58 800 for the Gold and at the end of the one month, the buyer will get back $60 000. This is an immediate 2% profit or rollover to the next contract. Individual customers do not need to pay for GST while Corporate Clients will be liable for the GST.

Marina Bay Sands Opening

Marina Bay Sands is officially open today at 1518HRS on 27 April 2010. This will be the second Casino after the Genting Casinos on Sentosa.

Casino Entrance Tax
This is applicable to Singapore Citizens and Singapore PRs only. It cos S$100 for the whole day(24 hours). You will only be allowed to stay in the Casino for 24 hours from the time you enter the Casino.
Payment can be made at AXS Stations and you need to enter the Casino within 30 days after making the payment. It is highly recommended you pay the Casino Entrance Tax before visiting the Casino.

Oversea Visitor just need to show their passport to gain free entry to the Casino. You must also be at least 21 years of age. Other terms and conditions may apply.

Getting there

Taxi
You can alight at the Casino four alighting Taxi Stands.

Buses
Service 97, 97e, 106, 133, 502 and 518 will bring you to the Casino directly.

Trains
Alight at Marina Station for the North South line and take buses or walk to the Casino.

Visit Marina Bay Sands for more info>>>
 

Rental of Safe Deposit Boxes in Singapore

You may wish to rent bank safe deposit boxes to keep your jewellery, important documents and other valuable stuffs. The Safe Deposit Box is strictly confidential and only accessible by you and no other people.Protect your most precious possessions by using a Safe Deposit Box.

Rentals of Safe Deposit Boxes

HSBC Bank
Three of the HSBC branches in Singapore provide Safe Deposit Box facilities. The branches with this facility are Jurong, Serangoon Garden and Tanglin.
Visit HSBC for more details>>>
Call 1800-HSBC NOW(4722 669) (Singapore) or (65)64722 669 (overseas)
Note: Not able to contact Customer Service Officer through phone if you are not a HSBC Customer

OCBC Bank
Safe Deposit Boxes can be rented for a minimum period of one year. The locations available are at OCBC Centre, OCBC Orchard, OCBC Ang Mo Kio, OCBC Bedok North, OCBC Joo Chiat and OCBC Tampines South. 
Please check eligibility for rental of Safe Deposit Boxes on OCBC Website. Price range from S$221 to S$329 depending on size and location.
Visit OCBC for more details

DBS Bank
Safe Deposit Boxes available for rental also but must also be a DBS or POSB Customers. Price Range from S$125 to S$400 depending on size. The Safe Deposit Boxes are available at Bedok, Raffles Place, Bukit Timah,Rochor,Choa Chu Kang,Shenton Way*,Clementi, South Bridge*, Parkway Parade,Thomson, Plaza Singapura, Towner Road and Queensway.
*Currently only Shenton Way and South Bridge are available for rent as other locations are fully booked.
Visit DBS Bank for more details>>> 

RHB Bank
Safe Deposit Boxes is available for rental at five locations with seven different box sizes. Price Range form S$90 to S$450.
Call 1800 323 0100 (Singapore) or 6225 3111 (Overseas)
Visit RHB Bank for more details>>>

UOB Bank
UOB has many branches with Safe Deposit Boxes and the price range from $180 onwards depending on the size and the location of the branches.
Call 1800 222 2121
UOB Branches with Safe Deposit Boxes>>>