Minimum Wage Challenge week 2 – sống bằng 2 triệu 20 ngày tuần 2

March 18th 2012

Second week, first week spending was 646.000vnd, mainly food from home and some occasion and events that cover  a few food cost. Actually when I think about it, might not be the food cost but the drinks and all.

Second week was tougher for a simple reason. I really need to get back on my normal lifestyle, well at least the minimum: my regular decaf late, lunches with friends, colleagues at cafe, dinner out and about. In total I spent in the second week at a whopping 900.000vnd. Midway of the first 2 weeks, I also get some cash in the celebration of Women’s Day and admittedly had to tab into the li xi money . Thomas M, a friend of mine was jokingly commenting that I was such a freeloader during  my challenge. Well that is part of our I survived. Of course I dont purposely say to my friends hey you need to shout me but I just refuse to enjoy my normal lifestyles which lend lead to the ‘shout’ factor.

There were days when I didn” spend a penny trying to save for my coffee treats or actually covering a takeaway lunch for me and my colleagues. Being on a challenge doesnt mean you have to be stingy.  Here are some observations:

1. Food source come from home this mean I can save money for coffee, a decaf late with 5% discount cost me 57.000vnd, half of the average 100.o00vnd spend per day

2. Gas ab out 100.00vnd for the week given the condition that I dont go to d.7 and back all the time to my second ‘home’. Otherwise from my house in Binh Thanh to work d.3 and back for a week is just enough, vespa vehicle eats more fuel. I do have the alternative of driving the Future Honda.

3. Eating out becomes really tough if you’re in a big group and have to share everything, I stayed on a non alcohol option instead, so just coke and I ordered 1 big noodle dish to fill me up.

4. This week has been tough coz I had parties to attend, while the food and drink were covered, afterwards food is usually the norm. I had to spend 170.000vnd as part of the group shared meal at Hoang Long Chinese Restaurant.

5. It is actually difficult to eat healthy even in Vietnam for me although last week I carried and consumed 3 bags of fresh herbs straight from my garden. My staple breakfast place is Nhu Lan bakery where I would also buy my lunch, normally xoi (stick rice) to have with my food from home. So a lot of carb. If I dont eat food from home, the girls at work get food for 25.000vnd, cheap but would normally be noodle soup, minimal meat and mostly noodle.

Cheats? I would say partially yes since I received cash for the Women’s Day from work plus the xi li money so that added up to 800.00vnd and I spent that on ‘fancy’ coffee and dining out dinner. And when I set out to say 2mill for food, drinks, gas and no expenses for my lifestyle was truly tough. I realised I spent half of my salary on those, not to mention drinking! This has not counted clothes.

Today is Sunday and since yesterday I’ve spent around 400.00vnd already, this mean the coming week, I really cant spend any money at all. Should be interesting to see even it’s possible or not!

 

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Minimum Wage Challenge – sống bằng 2 triệu 20 ngày

March 6th 2012

20 days since yesterday until March 25 to live on Vietnam national minimum wage of 2.00 million according to official record but my tea lady at work said realistically abound 3.5 mil expenses is my challenge of the month to myself. This is not a contest by any brands or organisation.

To aid my survival, I have now return to street food and home grown produce, it’s good to have a garden full of chicken, herbs, veg and fruits. My rule is simple: I keep my spending until that day, I dont deny sponsored food or drink or invites from friends or workmates.Anything food or items bought prior to Monday can be used. Donated items are also ok.

I record my spending and upload to share with others. Why 20 days? because on 25th March, I’ll get paid plus I might be able to loose a few pounds after this. All round beneficial in all aspect.

TEST 1 Minimum Wage Challenge sống bằng 2 triệu 20 ngày

A lot of my friends were concern whether I would make it, declare it’s not possible for my lifestyle to live on such thing, I need encouragement, little that I know, another friend picked up the challenge too, hope she is serious enough. :-)

TEST 2 700x263 Minimum Wage Challenge sống bằng 2 triệu 20 ngày

Challenge of biggest spending would be gas cost, my  Vespa drinks so much fuel and distance from home to work or other regular location of mine is far. No xe om or taxi.

So, the journey just starting, I will report regularly.

Day 1: 55,000 VND on breakfast & lunch include: Banh Day, Cha Muc, Banh Mi Thit at Nhu lan. Dinner at home costs 0.00 VND

Day 2: 56,000 VND on breakfast, lunch & dinner including sharing the food with my workmates, I wont stay ‘cheap’ even if I’m on the challenge. Include: Banh Mi không, 2 bánh giò, brought from home fresh herbs and tomatoes, sausage (chả lụa), and 30.000VND worth of xôi (sticky rice). Gas: 50,000VND = total 106,000VND

Wish me luck!

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Circus of show, fashion miss hit

August 20th 2011

I was invited to the join the in-store show celebrating 1 year in operation of Vietnam Designers House on Hai Ba Trung – where I’m a frequent customer. In my previous posting, I made some criticism about the store, now not because I dont like the clothes and the intention behind, just want to repeat myself in this and my points of view: I totally support the local designers of Vietnam. So judging the show yesterday is a bit unfair and harsh but I dont think it was a good show as a show, minus the design itself.

In-store fashion show are normally ready to wear and not be treated as a proper show esp in Vietnam, apart from the luxury ones who can afford to hire an entourage. Even then, the night Christian L. launch party at Park Hyatt also received much horror from my friend who attended. It was, she said, cheap – which I think a pity since the brand is not esp at a whopping prize of 17mil plus prize tag. I often ask myself how are these brands when they come to Vietnam get away with doing stupid silly disgraceful thing?

(Photo: courtesy of E.N)

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What on earth is this? Whore house of Christian Louboutin launch Vietnam? Oh my. This new concept of C.L needs to be done properly or it will just look cheap. And it did.

So when it comes to the local brands – dont expect much ‘class’. I’ve never been to a show, even in-store one, that has so many guys sitting a the front row, sitting next to a girl who wore a FLIP FLOP, in her old crinkly shirt and jeans. Her hands keep on the shutter of her camera and the mouth is non stop gagging with the neighbour. And yes there were children involved. People in the kind of attire where you feel like you’re at a super market parade. The MC was carrying and speaking from a pink plastic cover, couldnt be bothered with a proper branded card so that it looks presentable. She obviously just got the script a few hours before the show.

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Among all the  most ‘ok’ designers, there are some obviously I dont know what the heck they’re doing. Here are some of the most confuse outfits. Some are worse but I didnt dare to click. For the good ones – read my previous article.

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Honestly, yes, the trend said go a bit wild but with taste. Mixing these strong zebra with the glossy of a dress. Who wears this stuff? For these jackets to work, the material better be high end. Is it PVC? This is just wrong.

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To wed in these gowns, I will probably faint. The drape one on the left was the least eye-sore. Too much beading I think, make it all complicated. These gowns dont showcase the curves or what’s best of the bride body shape. And all it’s too busy in the wrong places.

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Last time  check, summer is pretty much over. Basket of florals is old. And that poor girl with the string cuts across half of her breast?

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This one I have a mixed feeling about. It’s from Thien Toan and Ngoc Diep. The first lot seems to ties up with the next one with stripes dont seem to match very well as a cohesive 2 collections.

Having a beauty at the show helps, but I dont think Mai Phuong Thuy was very serious. Often she dropped many props, half laughing half looking serious. Did she get pay? She might be tall and pretty but her bottoms are a bit flat. It’s not flattering to invite such a star and she didnt seem to perform. Kindly disrespectful.

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While laces continues to be in trend from summer to winter 2011 that exudes the so eternal, ultimate in feminine fabrics and almost a bit dreamy. I’m yet shocked by this interpretation again.

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As for this dress, the model walked so slow holding the dress up and I was thinking what if? what if it falls!

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A few last gags – anything wearable?

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Some of other collections were pretty average and not hitting the mark for me. Enough bad for a while. Now, here are some of the shots I like. Would be interesting to visit the store after to see how the clothes are holding up.

Mixed feeling about those

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I want those shoes. Clothes by The Line, shoes by Dieu Anh

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At around 9ish, the show ends. Sales up to 40% is available to all customers for today only. Do rush in to get the bargain. For a more positive read on the same topic. Read Here.

 

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