Nadlique is blogging from Sydney!
Just some quick updates.
You may have noticed that I have been missing in action for quite some time. Apologies for that.
I have actually been busy with a lot of things these past few weeks.
Filed under Daily Thoughts/Observations | Comment (1)Fareed Zakaria (CNN) talks to Michael Lewis (Liar’s Poker) about the economic crisis and Wall Street’s future
Have a look at this video:
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Blogging as a Business? What’s a blog anyway?
Blogging is one of the things that I actually enjoy doing. It has been an interesting journey so far. Apart from sharing ideas and thoughts, I also hope to earn some side income from my blog to keep me going. I treat my blog as a business.
Anyway, what’s a blog?
A blog, or a weblog is a website maintained by a person called the blogger. He/she posts interesting materials, his/her journal entries, pictures, videos, and more. Visitors are also usually able to leave comments and share their thoughts on the blog. I guess I can say that a blog is a more humanised version of a website. You are able to interact with people on a blog.
How to blog?
A blogger uses a blogging platform to maintain his/her blog. He uploads posts, materials, pictures, videos, musics and loads more through the blogging platform.
Blogging Platforms available out there?
There are many out there but I think the two common ones are Wordpress and Blogger (Blogspot).
A wordpress blog’s URL is usually in the format of NAME.wordpress.com while a blogspot’s blog is in the form of NAME.blogspot.com.
Sometimes, people use either one of this blogging platforms and couple them with their own domain names. That’’s when you are able to get something like www.nadlique.com to go with your blog. Unfortunately, this costs money. You’ll be spending on domain names as well as web hosting.
Recommended Reading(s)
A really good book that I’d recommend is Start Your Own Blogging Business by Entrepreneur Press and J.S. McDougall . This is the book that got me going the first time around.
In the future, we’ll look at things like how to profit from your blog and how to market your blog.
Filed under Biz Talk, Blogging | Comments (3)Treading the walk of financial freedom alone
The journey of wealth creation can be fascinating and exhilarating, though sometimes it can be tiring and frustrating. Being alone in the journey can sometimes be rather de-motivating. Let’s face it, we’re human beings. It can be hard at times to keep us focussed on our objectives.
If one has a partner or partners to share the journey with, the journey itself would be more interesting. They can learn from each other and they can even motivate each other.
Even better, in that journey, you have formed yourself a husband-and-wife team (or boyfriend-and-girlfriend team for that matter). You now have a full-time partner to assist you in your investments and businesses. Things will be much easier.
Filed under Rationale of Investing | Comment (1)Once an aviator, forever an aviator… (Three inspiring videos)
Aviators and future aviators, have a look at the videos below.
1. Etihad commercial. Been watching this pretty much every day for quite some time. Truly “Inspirational”.
Filed under Flying | Comments (4)How to accumulate capital for business or investments
Everybody knows that to start a business or to start investing, you need capital (in Bahasa Melayu, modal). This issue of finding capital to start with is also one of the reasons why many people do not invest nor save nor start a business.
Do these excuses apply to you:
1. “I have no savings at all to buy unit trusts”
2. “What’s left over from my salary at the end of the month is so meagre that I shouldn’t be bothering about investing.”
3. “Invest? Business? Are you kidding me? I barely have enough money to keep myself going.”
To start, let’s make it clear. There will never be enough money to invest or even form a business. However, we, humans, the breadwinner, have the power. We are the decision-makers. The issue of “not having enough money” is only in our minds.
The solution is simple. Make sure there’s enough money to plow into investments/businesses. How? Use the thing that sits between the tight few inches between our ears, my dad says. In other words, use our brain. Be creative.
If you are working and rely on your salary, try working out your budget. Try cutting down things that are unnecessary. Make sure your inflows are much more than your outflows. Don’t even be tempted to load up your credit cards. Bad debts are bad. Money will be enough if you make it enough. Cut down on those luxuries. Hey, who said journey of wealth creation is easy?
If it’s still not enough, then it’s time to get creative!
Filed under Biz Talk, Investment Knowledge, Personal Finance | Comment (1)The more you give, the more you get back in return (philanthropic and charitable efforts)
The more you give, the more you get back in return.
Aiming for wealth is good but in my honest opinion, utilising the wealth for the good of others is also respectable, no?
We hear in the press about rich folks giving millions away for philanthropic and charitable efforts. Even Warren Buffett gave away a mighty proportion of his wealth to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Very admirable.
Perhaps it’s time for us to do the same as well? Granted, we don’t have as much wealth as these guys do, but giving little by little will certainly make a difference in the long run, wouldn’t you agree?
For the past couple of weeks, I have been promoting 5 charity organisations that I currently support. I’m not able to give much financial support just yet but hopefully by advertising them on my blog, I’ll be able to give them some extra exposure. Anyway, to recap, here they are again:
1. PLAN Australia
2. Fred Hollows Foundation
3. Operation Smile Australia
4. Muslim Aid Australia
5. Human Appeal International
I’ve always been thinking to myself about giving back when I’m a bit well off. Often, when we are indeed “well off”, we always have excuses not to give back. So, instead of allowing myself to do that, I’m forcing myself to do my part. It’s not much, but at least it’s something. I urge all of you to do the same. It doesn’t have to be the organisations I’ve listed above. You can support any organisations that you feel comfortable with.
On top of having an investment portfolio, how about having a charity portfolio as well? Sounds fair? After all, the more you give, the more you’ll get back.
Do share in the comments section below of the charity organisations that you support.
Filed under Charity/Philanthropy | Comments (2)It’s official! Nadlique is now financially free!
With an investment of only AUD15, I am now officially a ten trillionaire! Look at the picture below as a proof.
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An Interesting Experience with a Malaysian Insurance Company
A few years ago, my parents and I went to the office of a Malaysian insurance company for a renewal.
Let’s start with why we went in the first place. It started when I asked my mum a few nights earlier about insurance. She then went to check the insurance policies and found out that they had expired. The thing is, this insurance company did not even bother to send renewal reminders. I mean, what sort of business are they running? Not bothering to send renewal reminders to customers translate into people forgetting to renew their insurance which translates into no money going into the company’s bank account.
In our insurance policies also, there were some mistakes. Under the beneficiary section, there was some random dude listed there. Somebody that we don’t even know. My mum had in fact called the insurance company a long time ago and they said “yeah yeah, we’ll change it right away.” At the office, we found out, the random fellow’s name is still there. So, what happens then if something happened to one of us (i.e my parents and I) ? Who’ll be getting the payout?
Filed under Insurance, Personal Finance | Comments (4)Muslim Aid Australia & Human Appeal International: Giving with a Purpose
Muslims and non-muslims, if you like to help others, these two organisations are the ones to look out for. They are Muslim Aid Australia and Human Appeal International.
These folks have a range of charitable programs that you can donate to. Some of the programs deal with education & skills, orphans, health & medical, micro enterprises, and many more. Do visit their websites here and here for a full list of what they do.
You can even pay zakat over there too!
Do lend a hand folks. Who knows, maybe in the future we’ll be the ones needing help.
Filed under Charity/Philanthropy | Comment (0)Operation Smile Australia: Make the kids smile again
Shunned by their peers, depleting self-confidence, and dim future. Sounds horrible doesn’t it? Well, these kids are not lacking in their intelligence department. They were unfortunately born with a different physical appearance than most of us. All that can be corrected with just a simple corrective surgery though. Only if they were given the chance…
Operation Smile Australia is another organisation that I support. Basically, Operation Smile Australia sends volunteer doctors around the world to perform surgeries on kids with cleft lips.
These folks can’t do it on their own. They need funding!
Lend your hand by donating. Go to their website here.
The cost of a single surgery is around AUD360. However, any amount is more than appreciated.
Filed under Charity/Philanthropy | Comment (0)Pictures from the Sunday Market (17.05.2009)
As requested by Nazarios and Farahreen, here are some of the pictures from the Sunday Market. For more photos, go to here.
We are currently in the process of winding up our Sunday activity, so, not many items up for sale anymore.
Filed under Sunday Business | Comments (2)Thank you sir for giving me hope again
Sometimes, unexpected things may happen. Sometimes, the magnitude of a simple gesture is enough to inject motivation into my soul again.
A few days ago, something really great happened. A man from faraway land had given me hope again. You know who you are sir. I can’t thank you enough. It probably was nothing but it was indeed of value to me. Believe it or not, getting into that company is something that I have been aiming for.
Again, thanks for giving me the chance to at least try (I know I have repeated this many many times).
One thing for sure is that I’ll work bloody damn hard if I get in. If everything goes well and I’m able to join your ranks, who knows, I might be sitting to your right one day. It would truly be an honour sir. Thank you.
Filed under Flying | Comments (4)I want to be a pilot, thus the reason why I want to stay in Australia.
One of the deciding factors of whether I’ll be returning to Malaysia or staying in Australia is this. Which will give me a much better chance in pursuing my lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. This entry is with the assumption that I can’t get into any cadet pilot programs.
Here’s the situation. In Malaysia, it’ll cost me around RM250,000 for a 2-year-plus CPL + ATPL program. In Australia, it’ll cost me around AUD80,000 for the same program, plus the Flying Instructors’ course.
Imagine if I save a couple of thousand per month (if I’m lucky) in either countries and in their respective currencies, how long will it take? Earning AUD4,000 and save till AUD80,000 seems to be much closer than earning RM4,000 (again if I’m lucky) and saving for RM250,000.
If there’s a way for me to do my flying licence in Malaysia within the next couple of years, then I’ll gladly return to Malaysia, that’s for sure. However, I’m still figuring out that “one” way.
I’m still aiming for the cadet pilot programs though… God I hope I’ll get accepted into one. I don’t think anybody else is more obsessed (in a good way of course) about this than myself.
Filed under Australia or Malaysia?, Flying | Comments (17)Your life… Your choice… A meaningful video (Aqim Salatak)
I came across this video on Facebook and it really made me think… Have I done enough to tip over the scale in my favour?
Filed under Islam | Comment (0)
