Living in JB

[aangsc]

I have to agree with this. Have been staying here for a few months now and love the space here. Food is cheap and plenty, electricity much cheaper and water is damn bloody cheap! But I still need adjusting to the travelling time with school going children. But my children are not complaining though.

Envy your lifestyle ! Do your kids have tuition in SG ?

 

[cathylmg]

Hi Cathy, yes usually include TV and cabinet. However, as long as the tenant is agreeable, no need also can. For TV breakdown, usually there is a clause in tenancy agreement (in Singapore) for tenant to pay minor repairs up to $150.

Thanks for the advise ginfreely. Points noted.

Now I'm hunting high and low for a tutor in JB. My son's Singapore tutor just resigned and disappeared. Then SMS me to transfer money into her account. Very irresponsible.

 

[Xisiqomelir]

Just looked up Denyse Tessensohn online and found her website about living in JB: http://www.puterim.com/

 

[Analytical Professor]

Beautiful website

Nicely done up and well presented information.

A must read for newbies and a good read for everyone else.

Thank you Xisiqomelir

Just looked up Denyse Tessensohn online and found her website about living in JB: http://www.puterim.com/

 

[Analytical Professor]

Talking about tuition, my kids have mandarin tuition every single night from mon-thursday. So it makes it next to impossible for me to think of relocating them unless i can do something about their lessons.

Envy your lifestyle ! Do your kids have tuition in SG ?

 

[Analytical Professor]

Sshhh.... dun say it out loudly k? later people hear...

Actually you are right. I waste electricity like nobodys business during the weekends and public hols i am there.

And now i have gotten my kids one of those toy swimming pools but quite big in size and i fill it up with gallons of water and get them to play in it. Would i dare do it in Spore with the water conservancy tax and stuff?

And when i water the plants and my garden i water for ever like its raining. So far the bill has not shocked me.

Food is cheap and plenty, electricity much cheaper and water is damn bloody cheap!

 

[Analytical Professor]

I dun think Singaporeans can get credit cards in Malaysia.

Debit cards are pretty safe especially the new ones that have a chip embedded in for additional security.

What happens here is that when you make a purchase there is a text sent to your hp immediately to inform you that a purchase has been made. The POSB-VISA debit card is what i am talking off. Many other banks in Spore too have the same service.

Ofcourse some banks have a small charge for the card. But the additional safety is worth it especially if you are frequently travelling and lose ur card somewhere.

Thanks AP, Damsell and contra for your advice on debit cards. Looks like debit card got risk. I understand from the credit card sales promoters in the malls that Singaporean cannot apply for credit card in Malaysia. Anyone knows how to get credit card in Malaysia?

 

[Analytical Professor]

Hi Cathy, tutors can resign for several reasons:
1) Child not cooperating
2) Got better pay elsewhere
3) Got a more convenient assignment
4) Assignment too stressful

and the list goes on. Since there is no contract they can quit at any time. Its hard to enforce a contract too cause once the tutor is not interested in teaching your child you might as well have him quit immediately rather than waste your money and your childs time.

I had a tutor from china teaching my kids mandarin. She had lost interest in teaching my kids as she suddenly found my house too far for her (why then did she accept the assignment in the first place?) and wasted 6 months of my childrens time.

Now i am not worried about the money wasted as i can always earn money. But when 6 months of your childs time is lost its hard to catch up and put them up and ahead in the rat race.

But luckily for me i always have 2 tutors teaching my kids mandarin. So on mondays and thursdays its tutor 1. On tues and thursdays its tutor 2. So if one quits i still have the other to fall back on and it gives me time to find a replacement.

In addition my son who is slightly weaker in Mandarin has afternoon tuitions on Mondays/Wed/Fri.

Thanks for the advise ginfreely. Points noted.

Now I'm hunting high and low for a tutor in JB. My son's Singapore tutor just resigned and disappeared. Then SMS me to transfer money into her account. Very irresponsible.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Yeah i wonder why the price is so high and who wants to pay that kind of a price apart from foreigners.

I baulked when i even read the Semi D price at Setia Eco (where my wifes supplier bought a unit) to be Rm 1.5 million. I read the price on an advt somewhere around Nusa Bestari.

I then told my wife... Wah so exp....

Do you know they are selling the new cluster houses at ST pricing from 750k to 900k+? I don't suppose they are so stupid to price themselves out of the market right.

 

[Analytical Professor]

Well said.

Correct what? They interviewed 2 Ang Mohs (Ledang Heights & EL in the older days) and Wuqi. The ang mohs got robbed . 2 out of 3 is still = "most"

But ya lah the reporters always look for sensations and then exaggerate.

 

[Analytical Professor]

It would definitely be easier with the Malaysian pay slip

If you are working in Malaysia, you may apply with the Malaysian company payslip.

 

[cathylmg]

Sshhh.... dun say it out loudly k? later people hear...

Actually you are right. I waste electricity like nobodys business during the weekends and public hols i am there.

And now i have gotten my kids one of those toy swimming pools but quite big in size and i fill it up with gallons of water and get them to play in it. Would i dare do it in Spore with the water conservancy tax and stuff?

And when i water the plants and my garden i water for ever like its raining. So far the bill has not shocked me.

I already brought my toy swimming pool to my house in ST. My daughter has been pushing me to let her use it. Will let her use right after I have the water filter installed. Btw, what water filter are you using and where did you get it?

You are right about the water. It fill so nice to wash to toilets and the car pouch plus the car itself by spraying lotsa water on it. I wouldn do it in Singapore.

 

[cathylmg]

You sound like a tyipcal kiasu parent to me. keke!

I got this tutor sometime around Dec last year. She was teaching fulltime. During the holidays it was ok. Then after school reopen, she gave lotsa excuses for not coming. Sometimes stopping for 1 lesson then come, sometime 2 lesson every alternate week. Then it gets longger and longger. The reasons she gave was grandma pass away, fever, diarhea, outstations, blah, blah....Now she finally said that she could not concentrate on her business so she have to resign. I suspect she is choosing between students who are easier to teach lah. Nowadays tuition fees have shoot up so high, its so difficult to get a responsible teacher with a reasonable fee here.

Was hoping that I can get one in JB instead.

Hi Cathy, tutors can resign for several reasons:
1) Child not cooperating
2) Got better pay elsewhere
3) Got a more convenient assignment
4) Assignment too stressful

and the list goes on. Since there is no contract they can quit at any time. Its hard to enforce a contract too cause once the tutor is not interested in teaching your child you might as well have him quit immediately rather than waste your money and your childs time.

I had a tutor from china teaching my kids mandarin. She had lost interest in teaching my kids as she suddenly found my house too far for her (why then did she accept the assignment in the first place?) and wasted 6 months of my childrens time.

Now i am not worried about the money wasted as i can always earn money. But when 6 months of your childs time is lost its hard to catch up and put them up and ahead in the rat race.

But luckily for me i always have 2 tutors teaching my kids mandarin. So on mondays and thursdays its tutor 1. On tues and thursdays its tutor 2. So if one quits i still have the other to fall back on and it gives me time to find a replacement.

In addition my son who is slightly weaker in Mandarin has afternoon tuitions on Mondays/Wed/Fri.

 

[cathylmg]

Yeah i wonder why the price is so high and who wants to pay that kind of a price apart from foreigners.

I baulked when i even read the Semi D price at Setia Eco (where my wifes supplier bought a unit) to be Rm 1.5 million. I read the price on an advt somewhere around Nusa Bestari.

I then told my wife... Wah so exp....

Its very simple. They have an office in Singapore, they are the first batch of developers who do monthly fetching to see the site on a comfortable coach from Harbourfront in Singapore to their various projects. Buffet lunch included. They even arrange vegetarian food for me. No obligations at all. They seem very sincere and helpful to me. And the way presents their project is very professional. They really use a company car to fetch you to the actual site to let you have a look at the unit that you are about o commit. They also organise many activites around the show house so that those who come and join in the fun may go around seeing their show house too. And the interior deco they showcase is really very nice. If I had the money, I will also buy the 2 1/2story cluster house.
:P

 

[aangsc]

Sshhh.... dun say it out loudly k? later people hear...

Actually you are right. I waste electricity like nobodys business during the weekends and public hols i am there.

And now i have gotten my kids one of those toy swimming pools but quite big in size and i fill it up with gallons of water and get them to play in it. Would i dare do it in Spore with the water conservancy tax and stuff?

And when i water the plants and my garden i water for ever like its raining. So far the bill has not shocked me.

Oh please ! don't bring the bad habits over and make a nuisance of singaporean. One day, they may start charging singapore owner non-subsidised price just like the petrol. Then we start complaining like a typical spoil brat ! When is that going to end ? is this the true colour of typical singaporean ? Doesn't it bother you that oil may one day depleted because of wastage ? Who will be suffering ? Your kids and their off-spring in future.

 

[Jogs1]

I believe now more Japanese will come in to seek for safe place for their family....maybe investment as well

 

[toyohon]

For those who are "feeling" around ....

http://www.iproperty.com.my/property/newpropertybyarea.aspx?c=Johor+Bahru&s=Johor&sc=JO

 

[winners]

Oh please ! don't bring the bad habits over and make a nuisance of singaporean. One day, they may start charging singapore owner non-subsidised price just like the petrol. Then we start complaining like a typical spoil brat ! When is that going to end ? is this the true colour of typical singaporean ? Doesn't it bother you that oil may one day depleted because of wastage ? Who will be suffering ? Your kids and their off-spring in future.

Oh yes, I do agree with aangsc. We still practice the same water and electricity saving habits in JB as had been doing so in Singapore. That was why when my stupid contractor wasted RM100.00 worth of water (from my water bill) after 3 days of continuous running from the tap, I told them that I will definitely charge to them. It's not really the money that matters, but the waste of natural resources. I told them that when the day comes when Johor starts water rationing, they will then realize the importance of water conservation. I'd still retain and use the other 50% of the acidic water generated from my water ionizer unit to water my plants instead of discarding it away.

My 3 fencing lights at the main entrance had been changed from 60-watt incandescent lamps to 3 x 1-watt LED bulbs. Of course they are not even 25% of the previous brightness, but the objective is really just to let potential thieves to know that the house is not empty nor vacant. And in case we do go for holidays, I have installed light sensors to turn at least 1 fluorescent lamp (selectable) at both the front and back areas of my house during the evenings. Being technically inclined, I had these modified by myself.

Just heard over the radio that electricity tariff in Singapore will increase by 6.1% come April 2011. An average 4-room household is expected to pay up to S$4.85 more per month. The Singapore government is really a blood sucker.

 

[euphony]

whoa what's with the recent spike in temperature here in this forum. I think we're all aware and also mindful of maintaining a green livelihood as well as a harmonious forum be it nusajaya or kempas or the greater JB area. Perhaps words are misconstrued or worded wrongly. at the end of the day we all need each other just as much whether to add valuable experience or gain them or band together to form a 'support' group here because where else could we turn to looking back at those naysayers who'd love to pick at every little choices we make & say that dreaded 'see i told you so'.

anyway, just to divert the discussion a bit. i have to lament that i love love those houses I saw in HH, EL and ST. I began looking at bigger developments recently because of some internal family struggles and I swore to bring my mum out and give her a nice comfy retirement as we come from very very humble beginnings. but i have previously bought small condo apartments and will be tied down financially. So now I am at a juncture where i want to buy but cannot afford (I am also stuck at the 3 house loan penalty on top of that) and see the prices of these dream homes climb higher and higher as the months pass by. I am working hard and am trying to my best but it is out of reach for now so count all of you lucky for already owning and living the life you want! =)

One way I learn to save (however insignificant it is) electricity especially applicable to those using electric stoves when cooking is to switch it off towards the last bit of cooking perhaps about 2-3 minutes ahead and let the remaining heat from the stove work itself into your pan to finish it off. and another one: this may sound crazy but even food especially the gravy coating the pan as you pour the dish out, i'll wipe it off using a piece of bread, tasty stuff! Means you can eat less rice/pasta well not a lot less... but i don't waste anything there. hurhur.

have a great time living in JB all of you bros and sis!!

 

[LeMans2011]

Haha the discussion on water bills is timely. I am a heavy user as i:
1) hose my car everyday
2) water my grass everyday if it does not rain
3) wash the exterior of the house at least once a week
4) run my washing machine alternate days as i perspire easily and heavily + active lifestyle.

Despite all these, my water bills were running at < MYR50 per month until recently... MYR110 boommzzzzz

Pressed panic button and started suspecting could there be piping leakage? I have since slowed down my usage and be a bit more conscious. Hopefully it comes down to below MYR50 per month...