Great Event, Gone Very Well :)

This last Saturday, 35 Indonesian's people who lived in Malaysia, were having a great time. We're spending half day attending the Financial Planning Talk with Ligwina Hananto.

Ligwina Hananto is one of the popular Independent Financial Planner from Jakarta, Indonesia. She's the one with the strong word about financial planning. That day, she did an excellence job by sharing the reality about what we have to face in terms of family financial planning, to all of my friends here. A big thanks to her.

I actually came up with the idea to invite her to come to talk here on end of last year. 

I just feel that maybe I also need a refreshment and of course I really wants to help my friends to go through the right path about this financial planning thingy. 

Living abroad sometimes it is not as easy as it seems, in terms of financial. Great if we are hired by a huge company, and treated as an expat, but sometimes financial planning is not only about financial problem, but more to understanding. But hopefully every single person who attend the talk, not only having fun here, but get a clear idea about how should we manage our financial planning in a correct way. 

The talk was covering the financial planning process, from start preparing the Emergency Fund until how to get to the Financial Freedom. 4 hours interactive talk, long enough actually, but still people keep coming in person to ask for their own questions to Wina after the talk. See the crowd..

Lining up for the personal questions..

After the talk, I received lots of positive feedback from my friends. Ooooh I am so proud of myself hehe..I think I deserved it :p 

Just never imagine that I can make something like this happen. 

Malaysia Science Centre

Few weeks ago, Saturday morning we are planning to walk to the park, just as usual. Wearing our walking-to-park outfit, me, my husband and my son, of course, planning to go to the Titi Wangsa Park. That day was just sooo hot, and we already late for the morning walk. Suddenly the idea appears, we totally change our destination. Instead of going to the park, we visit the Malaysian Science Centre or in Bahasa Melayu they call it Pusat Sains Negara.

This place is located at Persiaran Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. It is nearby Royal Selangor Club Bukit Kiara. If your coming from Damansara Area, just follow the LebuhRaya Sprint and take the exit toward Persiaran Bukit Kiara, the place will be on your right.

Arrived in this place, we found out that they are having the StarTrek Exhibition. Actually we are not the fan of it, but we do want to see what's inside the exhibition. We can feel the ambience of the StarTrek start from the door. 

-Step Aboard-

-Sign Sticker-

The fee to enter the Science Centre is only RM 6 per person, but if you want to enter  the StarTrek Exhibition it is RM 20 per person. The Science Centre it self is not too big, and not too complete also if we compare to Singapore Science Centre. 

Entered the main door, we will find the big Aquarium with many kind of fishes. My son is just so happy to see the fishes flying above him. Go through inside we can find lots of scientific tools, but presented in an attractive way.  I would not mention each of the gallery, you can find in this link. Please don't be too excited by looking to the web, because from what I found the picture at the web is way too good compare to the original look. Hehe.. I think ya..most of the website is like that of course. It is worth seeing though, but maybe one time is enough for me.

This are several pictures taken from the site.. Ohya..we are allowed to take pictures inside the science centre but not at the StarTrek Exhibition area. Food and Drinks is not allowed right after entering the main door of the science centre. But don't worry they have a cafe inside the place. 

GPS Coordinate : N 3° 8′ 58″, E 101° 38′ 41″

-Wall of Inventors and Scientists-

-The Crane Man-

Opening Bank Account - Dependent Pass

Opening Bank Account using a single name with a Dependent Pass is not so easy here. I actually don't know what's the main reason, but some of my friends is having that difficulties. So most of my friends here only have the joint account with their husband. 

Unlike them, I only spend half hour in opening the Bank account process. Now, I have two accounts, from 2 two different banks. Maybe I can share some tips for you, so that you will not have any difficulties to do the process :

1. First, read about the account that you needed, whether it's the local currency account only, or the one that also have the foreign currency. Read all the terms and condition carefully, because it might be totally different with your origin country rules. 
2. Before come to the respective Bank, please contact them and explain the conditions. They will required you to submit several documents. So better prepare the documents before you reach the Bank.
3. I opened my account in CIMB Bank and MayBank. Both of this Bank need the prove that you're staying here, they will required you to submit the : 

• Copy of your Passport + the Pass 
• Copy of your Husband Passport includes the EP 
• Copy of your Husband Offer Letter from the Company
• Copy of your Marriage Certificate
• Prove that you're paying bills here (that time I gave them copy of our condo rent agreement

For Indonesian's no need to worry if you want to send your money using RM to your local Bank in Indonesia. Since there're lots of Indonesian's worker here, our local Bank such as Bank Mandiri, Bank Muamalat, and BNI have their remittance services here. We can send the money, directly to our Bank Account or someone else's in Indonesia and in a same day service. Only, you have to follow the Bank Notes Exchange Rate, sometimes good but sometimes will be lower than the market. Don't forget they will be the charge for this services ya..

Mandiri International Remittance Sdn. Bhd.
Wisma MEPRO
Ground & Mezzanine Floor
29 & 31 Jalan Ipoh Chow Kit
51200 Kuala Lumpur
Phone : +603-4045 4988, +603-4045 8988
Facsimilie : +603-4043 7988
Email address : mandiri4u@mandiriremittance.com.my

PT. Bank Muamalat Indonesia TBK  G23, Ground Floor, Kompleks Antarabangsa

Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. 
Phone : +603-2711 0807

Living Cost in KL - 2013

Before we decided to move to Kuala Lumpur, we did do a lot of research. One of it is the living cost in Kuala Lumpur. I search thru Google and found some websites that is writing about the living cost.
Here is some updates from what I have to pay in average per month, while living in Kuala Lumpur :

personal finance - funtimeguids prop

Rental Fee
The rental fee is very various, and depend on the area that we choose. If you are about to choose a nice Condo in KL nearby the KLCC area or Mont Kiara area, it will be around RM 2,500 to RM 4,000. 
Damansara, where I live now, the Condo Rent slightly cheaper than all of that area, around RM 2,000 to RM 3,500, but still it depends on the type of the condo itself, fully furnished, partly furnished or non furnished.

Electricity
The average bills that I paid is around RM 200 - RM 300 per month. Electricity usage in this country is still subsidized by the government. The biggest contributor for my electricity bill is the water heater, kettle and the vacuum cleaner. If using the dryer it will cost you more. 

Water
The water bill is very cheap, the highest that I paid is RM 50 for 2 months bill. So, it is only around RM 25 per month. This water usage also still subsidized by the government, even in some area, the government do  not charge for the water.

Internet
This service is the one that I loved the most, RM 150 for an unlimited services internet 24 hours using wifi, with a very fast and good connection. I never had this kind of connection before in Jakarta. I use the services from TM, the UNIFI one. Actually Unifi is a package of internet connection, phone and tv cable. But the internet is the best, the channel of the TV cable is not that much. 

TV Cable
TV Cable provider here is monopoly by Astro company. I just tried Astro this month, so I don't have the exact information about it. The rate that you have to pay is depend on the channel that you subscribe. Go to Astro.

Mobile Phone
This one is also very cheap. Me and My husband only spend RM 100 for both of our Blackberry, RM 50 each. So the complete Blackberry Services is RM 25, and the rest is for the calling purpose. There are lots of providers here, such as Digi, Celcom, Maxis, U-Mobile and Tune Card.

Groceries
This one must be different for each person. For my little family I usually spend around RM 500 - RM 600 for monthly groceries shopping. Please note that I am still buying the expensive milk for my son, the Pediasure 1.9 kg here is RM 160 something, so the rest is for family purpose. Other than that, I still spend around RM 150 for weekly groceries, contains of fruit, fish and vegetables.

Parking and Toll Fee  
In some area like KLCC or the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the parking fee is very expensive. RM 4 hourly !! I, once paid RM 22 only for parking..Hahaha.. But like Damansara area, RM 2 for the first 4 hours Totally different right.
Then the toll fee is still reasonable, RM 1 - RM 2,5. Sometimes the toll gave discount for the public holiday.

Petrol
Here the petrol price is controlled by the government, also still subsidized. The retail price for RON 97 is RM 2.60 per liter and the one that being subsidized RON 95 is RM 1.90 per liter. For my Petrol expense, I usually paid around RM 250 per month.

I think that's all that you need to know about the living cost in Kuala Lumpur. I may add some details if you needed more.