I in no way feel that schools are over-regulated. Yeah, we have regulations we gotta follow, but not anything out of line.
“Extensive corruption”?..that’s so f@@king ridiculous I don’t even know how to respond to that.
[quote=“Bassman”]Ok, even if you are an MLM send me a PM, I’ll look at anything and count nothing out until I’ve done my homework on it.
Cheers.[/quote]
Bassman, what’s going on? :?: MLM? You sound desperate!
Have a look at J-List from Japan, maybe you could do a similar thing in Taiwan (sure, Taiwan is not as “hot” as Japan, but possibly you can figure something out). Or sell things over the internet that are in high demand but not legal in some countries, like radar warners or macrovision-free devices. If they are legal in Taiwan (which I don’t know), you could legally export them. It’s not your problem anymore if they get confiscated by the customs authorities of the country of destination (make sure you mention this somewhere on your website 
).
I in no way feel that schools are over-regulated. Yeah, we have regulations we gotta follow, but not anything out of line.
“Extensive corruption”?..that’s so f@@king ridiculous I don’t even know how to respond to that.[/quote]
DB is right. Although there is corruption, but show me a place where there isn’t any.
Corruption in Taiwan is common. You CAN choose though, follow the rules and do things right and no one will ask for kick backs. If you have “friends” in high places you may get advance warning of inspections or when foreign teachers should take a day off. Maybe the wheels can move a little faster. But “extensive corruption” is going a little far.
[quote]Bassman, what’s going on? MLM? You sound desperate!
Have a look at J-List from Japan, maybe you could do a similar thing in Taiwan (sure, Taiwan is not as “hot” as Japan, but possibly you can figure something out). Or sell things over the internet that are in high demand but not legal in some countries, like radar warners or macrovision-free devices. If they are legal in Taiwan (which I don’t know), you could legally export them. It’s not your problem anymore if they get confiscated by the customs authorities of the country of destination (make sure you mention this somewhere on your website ). [/quote]
Some MLM’s aren’t that bad you know. Scamway, that is an exception.
Some of my friends are doing very well in NZ and Auz with Omegatrend, a direct selling company, so I’d like to give everyone a fair shake of the stick.
My thing is this. What is important to me? Time I spend with my family. Still being able to live a comfortable lifestyle. Not working myself into an early grave. I have to change my lifestyle, more to the point, change my work style. This is why I am looking for the freedom that comes from being at the helm of something with a little less pressure.
Originally the buxiban business was a great idea, but since then my health has taken a turn for the worse. My diabetes isn’t under control and it is starting to make other areas of my health take a turn for the worse. Now, I give myself to the end of this year to find something to replace and perhaps build on that income. If not, well and early grave, hmmm… we all gotta go some time. That is unless I can make final arrangements for a job in NZ.
In other words, I have an open mind to consider anything, I have nothing to lose.
Bassman, please consider that - even with the “non-scam” MLMs - a small minority of participants makes almost all of the profits. Those are usually the early members (we are talking about pyramid schemes, after all).
Some suggested reading:
I know, those guys writing there are all losers and failed because they didn’t try hard enough. 
Is there no way you could reduce the pressure while continuing to do what you’re already doing (the buxiban)? Hire some more teachers, change the management method (delegation instead of micromanagement)? I mean, you wrote it yourself, you have to change your workstile. Does this necessarily mean you have to give up the buxiban business?
IMHO the most important question that you have to answer is: Where is this pressure coming from which is having these serious effects on your health? Self-inflicted (maybe because of unrealistic expectations)? Business partners? Financial issues?
Secondly, would there really be less pressure in this new business area you’re looking for?
BTW: What I meant by “radar warners” in my last posting are actually “radar (speedtrap) detectors”. This was a serious business idea from a friend of mine in Taiwan but I didn’t investigate this issue any further because those devices are absolutely illegal in Luxembourg.
Bassman,
Go back to being just a teacher. You can control your hours and when you punch out at the end of the day, you leave work at work. You will still be able to have a very nice life.
It sounds as if your quest for loot is hurting your health. Why compound that by trying to make even more money?
[quote=“Durins Bane”]Bassman,
Go back to being just a teacher. You can control your hours and when you punch out at the end of the day, you leave work at work. You will still be able to have a very nice life.
It sounds as if your quest for loot is hurting your health. Why compound that by trying to make even more money?[/quote]
I’d never go back to just being a teacher. I can control my hours as it is, being a teacher is not what I want.
It’s the extra stuff that I am doing to pay off bank loans quickly that is hurting my health. You see, when my son was born I lost my largest source of income, got diabetes, and as a result had to borrow a shite load of money to get by. It didn’t take long to get some more work going but the damage was already done to my finances. Uni loans, car payments, and all those other expenses put me on the brink of being bankrupt. I have since then clawed my way back and worked my way into the buxiban business and should be out of debt by October this year. Shhh about a million to go 
! And NO, I don’t piss my money away. Never have, never will. All through all the financial turbulence I managed to keep my investments going, esp. the retirement funds in NZ.
I don’t have a quest for loot. I could care less about having a huge bank account. What I need is to catch up to where I should be at this stage of my life. Do you understand what I mean? House - don’t have one, but need one because the rent trap is a terrible thing, it’s like throwing money down a huge hole.
I have taken steps this week to eliminate pressure from my life. I hired a new teacher on Friday, that will take some pressure off both my day and nightime schedule. It gives me much more time to do everything properly. You see, I am a perfectionist, if it isn’t going to be done right I don’t want it done. Not only will I make the buxiban the best one in town but I will make it the best one in my own mind.
Now, to eliminate the unwanted daytime pressure I need to get my wife going on something that can earn her somewhere over 50k a month. That is the reason for this post. Really, that is it. I’d like to open a store for my wife, but I don’t have ready cash for that. So, I am left to explore other options.
This is NOT for me to do. I like what I do. My work gives me great satisfaction in seeing a job well done. The fact is I am not like DB, the sole owner of an empire, I had to find another way. In a less than equal partnership you don’t rake it in as much as DB. I will one day, just not now.
Money in itself is not evil, the love of money is. I have a healthy like for money but don’t love it at the expense of everything else.
I consider being told to go back to being just a teacher as a bit of an insult. I worked way too hard to get to the position that I am in now to start taking backward steps.
I would recommend the buxiban business to anyone, it’s a great thing, it really is. My wife needs something to do though to pull in her end of the finances. I don’t need to be up in the morning in an endless eat, work, eat, work, eat, work, sleep, cycle and never get to spend quality time with my family. That is what I am talking about. I also don’t see why I should limit what my family does to the realm of “English”, an area where my wife has no interest whatsoever.
It would be silly to distract myself too much from what I am doing now, but I want to fill up my wifes time with something that has residual income potential.
I don’t think DB meant any insult… I read it as sincere concern for your well-being.
I don’t think DB meant any insult… I read it as sincere concern for your well-being.[/quote]
I know, seriously I do. But, just the thought of that makes me shiver. Ohhhhhh, there I go now. Not that being a teacher is bad, teachers are great, despite what others think on forumosa. I enjoy it but it is a big step back and quite frankly it would drive me mad. It’s what my wife tells me I should do at least twice a week and just the suggestion of going back to that gets me all defensive. If she only knew what that would mean for me. Perhaps it would hurt my ego more than anything but even before I got out of teaching so much I was pretty tired of just being a teacher. Teaching in itself is good but it needs to be motivating too.
[quote=“Bassman”][quote=“Durins Bane”]
I don’t have a quest for loot. I could care less about having a huge bank account. What I need is to catch up to where I should be at this stage of my life. Do you understand what I mean? House - don’t have one, but need one because the rent trap is a terrible thing, it’s like throwing money down a huge hole.
[/quote][/quote]
Most people believe that having a house is an asset but think about it for a sec. Buying a house means you are depleting all your liquid funds. Your money goes into paying off the mortgage and what happens when you are in dire need of money? You may end up losing and still have no house at all. Renting is not throwing money down the drain because you are freeing up funds that you can to invest- this is where the big money is.
Be dynamic and use your funds to invest in the stock market or have a security company help. Don’t put it all in one basket when you can’t afford to. Make money off your investments and then when you have enough high returns, throw down the money for a house on the spot.
I think maybe a few of us have read Rich Dad, Poor Dad…
Sorry wrong thread.
I have been looking at buying a house here for some time, but the same rules apply for owning a house as they do for owning my own school. Over regulation coupled with extensive corruption make it a much too risky proposition.
What are you talking about?
What are you talking about?[/quote]
obviously he is talking about possible serious moneymakers for people other than himself.
chou
Tried getting a bankloan for a house as a foreigner recently?
It’s got nothing to do with corruption. It’s more to do with stupidity really! I think I could get one, wait… my wife could get a loan, but because I am a foreigner I have been told that the deposit required would be higher.
Owning a house is high on my list right now.
I came from the poorest area in my town. Worked my way not only through Uni but through high school and junior high too. Everything I have ever needed I have had to work for. Some people use their background as an excuse to stay as they are, I never have.
I have always set goals for my life and of the list of 30 things to do before 30 years old I have done all but one. None of the things on the list were easy.
Bassman - you’re moving back to NZ some time and you’re thinking of putting a deposit down on a house? Doesn’t make sense.
Even if you can sell your house when the time comes, the way the housing market is right now, and for the forseeable future, you’re unlikely to get all your money back.
It
[quote=“Spack”]Bassman - you’re moving back to NZ some time and you’re thinking of putting a deposit down on a house? Doesn’t make sense.
Even if you can sell your house when the time comes, the way the housing market is right now, and for the forseeable future, you’re unlikely to get all your money back.[/quote]
ahhh, I didn’t say I’d buy a house here. I have tried though. Just saying that it’s not as easy as it sounds. I want to buy a house in NZ. I’ve picked out the neighbourhood, the style of house, and even the builder. I know the price and I have some people in mind to rent it out to if I don’t live there myself. The deposit for that is still a wee way away.
Keep the ideas coming though. There have been some great P.M’s.
Oh, My rich dad poor dad test results
[quote]Rich Dad’s FiQ Profile for:
Prepared on: 2/2/2004
Your Score: 87%
Financial Mindset:
Aspiring Advancing Established
Quarter of life:
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Your Rich Dad FiQ is calculated based on your answer to each question and your age range. Your age range helps us identify your understanding of money relative to the time you have to reach financial freedom.
YOUR PROFILE:
ESTABLISHED
FIRST QUARTER
Established:
You see that there are opportunities to successfully secure financial freedom in many areas, including real estate, paper and business investments. Your aptitude shows that you can choose from several paths depending on where you want to prioritize your resources and your energy. Because of your understanding of financial concepts, you are positioned to move forward quickly and put the knowledge you have to work for you. You already have the mindset, so achieving financial freedom now is a matter of choosing the “investments of choice” that you are interested in and the ones that make sense given the resources you have to work with. You also recognize the importance of giving back and embody the philosophy of “Teach and Grow Rich”.
The path to financial freedom involves many things; including changing your thinking and being mindful of your age. In the great game of life you are in an enviable place, the first quarter. Being in the first quarter means you have an extraordinary opportunity to seize the moment and define your game plan for attaining financial freedom. To begin your journey you should ask yourself when you want to be free from worrying about money.
Surround yourself with people who will support you in your financial goals. Who are you spending your time with? Do they encourage you or hold you back? Do you have money on your mind? It’s all about choices. You can choose to be rich.
[/quote]
Most people believe that having a house is an asset but think about it for a sec. Buying a house means you are depleting all your liquid funds. Your money goes into paying off the mortgage and what happens when you are in dire need of money? You may end up losing and still have no house at all. Renting is not throwing money down the drain because you are freeing up funds that you can to invest- this is where the big money is.[/quote]
There are other considerations, but I agree with your main point on not necessarily buying a house.
The “rent trap” is a silly way to look at buying a house. If your rent is cheaper than what the interest payments would cost you, and the space you are in suits your needs, and property values are declining anyway – why buy?? A friend of mine is doing exactly that right now on the coast, and I really don’t understand it. He says he just wants to, which I guess is fine if you have money to burn, but it makes no sense from a finance perspective.
I bought my house in Seattle at a time when I saw nothing but exploding values ahead – and sure enough, two years after I bought, the house was valued at 175% of my purchase price. I netted a small fortune from the sale. It was an investment, not a money sink. I sold at a time when I saw no reason to expect price appreciation for years ahead – as a friend put it, it was “dead money”. The mortgage interest and taxes were the “huge hole” – a gaping pit, really. My monthly rent is now (literally) less than my monthly winter heating bill used to be.
I may end up being wrong on the appreciation – the market seems to be flat, but not dropping like a rock yet. Maybe it will pick up again some day. But the point is, the decisions I made were grounded in what I perceived the market to be. Simply assuming that rent is a “trap” doesn’t cover the situation; there are taxes, upkeep, and market factors that you should consider when making such a large decision.
[quote=“EOD”]It