i lied...back into trading indices :p

Well I've been back into trading indices but this time, i'm into the FTSE and been making enough out of it so i'm happy to just master FTSE and I guess thats all I need isn't it? Still staying away from DOW since its so volatile and my weak heart can't handle the excitement that comes with it.

I'm glad that I've been very rationale and use my head instead of my heart when trading. Today I wasn't very sure where the FTSE was heading and so I open and closed my position within 2mins and made my money and that's it. Still made a few hundred within that 2 mins and its keeping me happy knowing that I am not taking any risk that i'm not comfortable with. I'm hoping that this goes on and I might have to start thinking about how much tax I have to pay since profits might be taxed at 46.5% by Mr John Howard...grr..Don't see why I should surrender close to half my profits to the government!!!!

So well, since i've been spending so much time trading the FTSE, I've neglected my ebay business so no new listings at all and my assignment is still incomplete. I've got another 3 sections to go so I'll get down to it on Saturday since there's no trading involve over the weekend!

been checking out CFDs

I've opened a new CFD account last week. CFD means contract for difference. You trade in most financial instruments from forex to indices to shares. As for shares, you only need 5-10% deposit for the amount you purchased and well, close it as and when you are ready to. As for binary indices, you can buy those that close at different times and you basically bet on whether the market's going up or down.

Today's my first day..been watching the ASX, FTSE and then DOW at night. I regret trading the DOW!!! Its just so volatile and I basically just spent the night staring at my computer screen with the prices refreshing. Its just so stressful and well..i have to say tonight is the first and last night i'm trading indices. I guess in a way, investment should be long term and not determined within a few hours. Felt as though I was gambling more than investing.

So thats it...NO MORE BINARY INDICES. Gambling and investing is such a fine line but well, i should focus on investing than gambling.

Another week has passed....

This week has been a roller coaster ride! Time went by so quickly! I've been so busy watching the stock market. A$ has fallen way too much for my liking! Now its gonna cost a fair bit more when I order my stock in..not happy!!! Been thinking of going short on one of the bank stock and I didn't do it and missed my chance..and now, I don't dare to do it anymore. Just not too sure where the market's heading now.

Most people from work are heading to phuket for a conference so I'm hoping that I'll have nice and quiet time for the next few days. ekk...

Time's flying by way too quick for my liking!

I'm scared...weeks are just passing by just like that. I seem to have so many things to do but there's never enough time. I know its not a time management issue but more of taking on way too much...priorities in my life now..Besides having to work, deal with business when I get home, i've been trying to study/do my assignment but there's never time. And on top of that, go out for drinks with friends.

Maybe cos my birthday's 3 weeks away, I feel as though I'm getting another year older and i'm officially moving into late 20s and I've achieved nothing. Or well, maybe nothing in my own terms. I've always wanted to start my own business but with $50-100K sitting in my bank account, i don't dare to take that risk. And i'm not getting younger and the older I get, there's more responsibilities....is that dream just going to vanish into thin air just like that? I hope not...ekk....

i'm so proud of myself!

I made such a yummy meal today that my sister reckon I can sell it for $25 a plate at the italian restaurant! I've never really liked cooking but somehow, for survival sake, i have to cook as eating out everyday is just way too expensive. So well, went to the supermarket today and saw a marinara mix on special. Thought i'll buy it and make pasta with it. The marinara mix had salmon, squid rings and mussels in it. On the way back..came up with a few ideas and i started cooking once i got back! and the final decision was -

Linguine tossed in olive oil and italian herbs with white wine marinara mix

Sounds good eh! But definitely a meal that anyone can make! Well basically, heated the pan up and cooked the marinara mix and poured some white wine in it. Cooked some linguine at the same time and once its done, toss it with olive oil and italian herbs.

was having it half way before i realised that i forgot to add some mushroom in...grr...oh well..i'll remember it the next time since i'll be cooking this at least once a fortnight!

We want to stay but you're making it hard...

Baby boomers or basically, my parents, have the mentality that people should be loyal and stay with the company for a long period of time. I agree that employees shouldn't job-hop too much and it doesn't look good on your resume and I would prefer to stay with a company for a few years before considering any better opportunities. However, I feel that my mindset has changed. Friends who have jobhopped constantly within the past few years are earning more. Simply because, when you stay with a company, you only get 1 pay review a year. If you job hop within 6 months of the pay review, you will get a payrise instead of having to wait a full year and with every new job, its an increase in salary. So compared to someone who is loyal and stay with the same company, you are about $10K worst off within a 2-3 years and well, $10K isn't a huge sum but is a significant figure, especially when you are trying to get that home loan to buy a dream house or car.

So bottomline, instead of blaming employees, why not blame the company for not being able to come up with salary that will match their competitors constantly instead of waiting for a yearly review and then at board meetings, wonder why there's a high turnover? There's major resource company thats willing to do that and they are happy to give you $5K on top of other competitor's pay just to keep their employees because they rather do that as it cost more to retrain someone. Why can't all companies have that mentality as well? Maybe that will lower a company's turnover? With inflation and rising cost of living, you can't blame employees for wanting more.