Review of the new Doughnut Macaroon bag

This is my first post for 2020 and one in a long time. I have decided to go back to something I have always loved - blogging.

Anyway, I bought this Doughnut Macaroon bag for my daughter. If you have never heard of this bag brand before, I don't blame you as I had never heard of the brand as well. However, this Korean brand is all the rage now apparently and it was my daughter who told me about the bag.

The bag cost me MYR347.77 on their Malaysian website, including MYR30.77 shipping - definitely not cheap. I had actually bought another one before from the Lazada site but my daughter was convinced that it was fake. I am still not sure and maybe I will do a review of that bag later.

The quality of the material is definitely good. One of the things I look for in a bag are the zippers and the zip on this bag does feel solid. It was available in a number of colours but my daughter liked this one called Wine (bo-he), which is a shade of dark red.

We have to wait and see if it lasts as well as some other famous brands such as Jansport. It is water-resistant as well.

Advice on buying watches below $500

As some of my close friends and family members are aware, I am a big fan of watches - mechanical or battery powered, analog or digital, it does not matter. A lot of people also come to me for advice on buying watches and most are interested in good quality affordable watches. And of course I depend on the various watch blogs and forums out there, besides advice from some knowledgeable friends who are also watch fanatics. Some of the sites I frequent includes the famous A blog to watch, Hodinkee and the Watchuseek forums.

Recently I found out about another watch blog called Watchjudge.com. Rob has written a post called 'Best Watch Brands under $500: Affordable Timepieces Made with Actual Craftsmanship'. I found the article to be well written and quite balanced. Some actual good advice. So if you are looking for an affordable watch, I suggest you go through the article before buying one. 

KLIA 2 vs Sydney airport

Just got back from Sydney. I had gone there to attend my youngest sister's wedding. It was a tiring but really fantastic experience and our family is now bigger. It was fantastic that our family was finally together again after decades literally.

Anyway, I was comparing my experience flying in and out of Sydney with that of KLIA 2 (I flew with Air Asia X) and I realised that Malaysian Airports delivered a much more satisfying experience.

Getting through customs and immigration was a breeze, not just because I have a Malaysian IC but queues were much less and the process was quite efficient. Maybe it was because I was flying in the evening when there are less flights. In Sydney, they require you to take off your jacket, belt and remove the laptop (if you have one). I am not sure but wonder whether Malaysia has better scanners.

Once I went through immigration controls, there were ample places to sit down comfortably and have an affordable bite. Duty free shopping is much more cheaper in KL as compared to Sydney on most of the items as well. Wifi signals are strong with relatively fast connections. The wifi in Sydney was dismal. I could not even surf the net properly let alone chat via Skype.

And then there is the paperwork. I had to fill in 2 documents when I flew into Sydney and one while flying out. There were none to and from KLIA2.

Overall, a lot of things that Sydney can learn from KLIA 2.

The bike wheels next

In the process of restoring my Falcon bike, I have picked up several skills along the way. Among the few things I needed to replace on the bike were the tyres.

As I wrote in one of my recent posts, there is no such thing as a 100% puncture proof tyres but you can get some tyres which are high puncture resistance.

After reading a few reviews, I finally decided on the Schwalbe HS159 27x 1 1/4 tyres. I found a great deal on eBay for a complete set of 2 Schwalbe tyres (with amber walls) and Impac tubes for just £24.99.



Will be putting everything together this weekend. Look out for the post.

Compare car insurance and make sure you get a better deal

Car insurance can be a pain in the proverbial. Third party only, or fully comprehensive? Limited mileage or windscreen excess? Roadside breakdown assistance or…you get the picture. In a world of endless possibilities, car insurance providers can baffle you with a mind-blowing array of choices, options and decisions to make. And you can’t escape it – car insurance is a legal requirement to drive on UK roads. It’s a criminal offence to drive whilst uninsured.

So we all have to bite the bullet and every year do the rounds of car insurance providers. If you already have insurance, the temptation can be to forgo all the hassle and simply stick with what you know. Your current insurance provider has looked after you for the past year at least, so why start swapping and changing just for the sake of it?

Consumer power – putting you in the driving seat
For years, the insurance companies had it all their own way. They knew that customer loyalty was practically guaranteed because the process of hunting around for a better deal was a time consuming and boring business. It meant hours on the phone, repeating your details ad infinitum to different call centres and all to find out that the first or second quote you got was the best one.

Today, things are different. Online comparison sites have made the process much easier. Now, to compare hundreds of car insurance quotes you simply have to type your details in once and an at-a-glance list of potential suppliers pops up instantly. For consumers who want to compare car insurance, online sites have been a revelation.

So how do I use a comparison site?
Once you’ve typed your details in (and remember not to leave any important details out as it could invalidate any policy you buy), you can then start to see what each provider offers. The simple choice first – what cover do you need? The obvious is to go for fully comprehensive cover, but that will cost more than third party or third party, fire and theft. However, it does provide the most comprehensive cover (hence the name).

Then there’s the excess to think about. The more you are prepared to pay, the cheaper your premiums. But remember that the excess will have to come out of your pocket, so consider carefully how much you could budget for in an emergency and put in a realistic amount. It’s better to pay a couple of pounds more and have a lower excess than to discover that you have to find the first £500 on a £600 claim out of your own pocket.

All those little ‘extras’
If you already have breakdown cover, do you really need to pay for it again? You would be surprised just how many people pay twice as much as they need to by including unnecessary additional breakdown cover on their insurance policy. A normal standard on all comprehensive policies is windscreen cover. A cracked or shattered windscreen can cost a small fortune to repair, especially if the windscreen is a non-standard size or shape as in some ‘panoramic windscreen’ style cars.

What about my no claims bonus?
Transferring your car insurance to a new provider does not necessarily mean that you lose your accumulated no claims bonus. Look for insurers who will allow you to transfer your bonus over to a new policy. Some will even offer a considerable discount for careful drivers with over five years’ worth of no claims.

By using an online comparison site to compare car insurance, not only could you save a considerable amount of money on your policy, but you could also end up with a tailor-made package that suits your requirements better than your existing provider. And never be afraid to haggle with your current insurer for a better deal. Comparison sites have given consumers back an element of control over their financial affairs, so use the information you can gather from a comparison site to your advantage.