Goede Vrijdag

We finally got around to cleaning out the rabbit cage. In the meantime Scruffy and Muffy had a free run of the front yard. Only thing was that we started at around 5+, so the sun was really beating down hard making it really hot. Needless to say we both ended up sweating our asses off. Had dinner at Romano's. Was great as usual.

Initially we were planning to pay a visit to IKEA at Tampines today. But the place was so darn crowded today. Do not know why all these morons love to flood these places with their presence. Makes me sick. Maybe next time we go on a weekday or go earlier if we decide to go on a weekend...

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4- room or 5- Room?

As you all well know we applied for a 4 room flat at Bedok. When we viewed the flat we found it more on the small side as most newer flats are wont to be. So naturally the question came up why we did not consider a 5-room flat instead.
The main reason for my choice was that we are just starting out as a family. So for the most part it will be just me and Agnes in the flat until the baby comes along. Of course there will be a room for Agnes's beloved piano. And there will be an area for the pets, the rabbits and hamsters. But I figure even then that there would be space enough for all of us. In a way our flat would be cosy rather than empty.
A 4-roomer of course costs less than a five room one. The money we save there could be used for renovations, furniture and stuff.I would consider that a case of a beter investment in our future than jumping straight into a bigger flat which at the moment is still at the upper limit of our budget.
In due time, 5 to 6 years we still have the option to sell the Bedok flat and to perhaps upgrade to a 5 room one or better.
As the home grows, so does the house. A house does not a home make.

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i still think u should start ur own business and also not quit ava..this is my view all along. will be tough intitally, but once tings are on track, it will be easier. cos i tink ava pay alone is too little for the future.

The idea here is to run a business and at the same time keep my current stable job. The business I want to start is a pet shop business. This would mean I would require a physical shop ultimately. In the meantime I would need at least a storage place such as a warehouse or a small office space for all my stocks.The nature of the business then entails that I be able to facilitate retail transactions in the day and maybe deliveries in the evenings(if needed). If I am still in AVA at the time, then I would be only be able to do the above after I knock off at 6 in the evening each day. I am not sure how many customers would be interested in buying my stuff in the evening and night. There is also the issue of stretching myself too thin. Besides the retail aspect of it, there is also the sourcing for items to be sold and all the various miscellaneous things that constitute the day to day running of a business such as mine. Just do not think I have it within me to be working 20 hours a day 7 days a week.

Now u just got promoted, it will be a waste to just quit like that. U can start up ur own business and work in ava at the same time, at least for the start. After the business is more stable, then you can quit. We can manage the business together. It will be tough and our leisure and relaxation time will be very much lesser, but I really dun mind. Owning a business is my dream too.I'm willing to work hard for the future. How about you? What are your views and plans?

It would indeed be a waste to quit just like that. So I will definitely be staying for a while more. Anyway with all the bonuses,pay increments and such that I have going forward, the money will really come in handy when I do actually set up our business. Actually, realistically speaking, next year when Agnes graduates then we will have a clearer picture of how things will go. By then she will have a proper job and we may have our new flat. Starting out a business requires time, hard work and planning.
The initial idea was to have an online business not unlike eBay. But in that business model my clientele would consist of net savvy consumers and people who happen to stumble upon my site for one reason or another. This kind of business type is non sustainable unless I am able to tap into the international market.The international market offers different challenges and added costs such as tax, insurance and postage. I seriously doubt the local pool of customers would be enough by itself to be profitable, especially in the light of other bigger and more established pet related businesses also offering online purchasing.
There is also the option of doing some thing more broadbased for my business. A pet shop is more of a niche business than most. It is not as viable in the local context as it is a very competitive field with a limited customer pool from which to draw. As it stands now Singapore has yet to mature as a society to the point where animals and their care takes it rightful place. Due to the nature of public housing and daily living most people find it a hassle to invest too much time and money on their pets, hence the popularity of pets that do not require as much care like fish,birds and small animals like hamsters. All this means that there are more than enough pet shops and online shops to cater to most needs. To stand out one has to be able to offer convenience, cheap pricing and a good product range.
For convenience, I have to be able to maintain a shop in a central location.This together with a 24 hours online ordering service . Then there is the dilemma of balancing between profits and competitive pricing. If you price too high you might very well price yourself out of the market. Likewise if you price too low you may be able to generate higher output volume but relatively lower profit margins. As far as product sourcing goes you should be able to cater to the mainstream market with popular brands of products as well as cater to niche market of lesser known brands and items to stand out from others in the industry. It may prove to be quite a task to balance between placating the general market needs as well as carving out our own niche clientele.