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Friday, March 02, 2007

The Coffers Are Full


Oh my, what a good week this has turned into money-wise.

Our Finance Chief yesterday announced a HK$55billion (US$7billion) surplus, 10 times the forecast, and they are handing out a HK$20billion package including tax rebates. I was very excited when I read it will be 50 percent of taxes paid for 2006-07, until I got to the part where it said "up to HK$15,000" which, trust me, is an extremely long way from 50 percent of my tax bill. But still, any free money is not to be sniffed at. And right there is the funding for one trip across the Pacific to start with.

Additionally, with changes to tax brackets for the tax year 2007-08, and hopefully beyond if we keep doing well here, for me that means an approximate saving of eight percent on future taxation rates. Our GDP leapt by 6.8 percent in 2006 and is forecast to grow by 4.5-5.5 percent in 2007. Lets hope we can maintain the growth and keep adding to the budget surplus in years to come.

The next piece of good news came from work. As I am involved in calculations of bonuses as part of my job, I'm privy to the crucial numbers before just about anyone else knows what they will be. We pay our bonuses in March of the following year as they are based on GOP growth and share price growth and we have to wait for our final audited accounts before releasing such information. Well, suffice to say we have had an excellent year in 2006 and this is reflected in our bonuses. Plus, my boss just advised me that I am getting the second-to-highest-possible rating for my performance and that means a 20% uplift on an already good bonus.

Sighs contentedly, with great satisfaction. All those hours at work have paid off. All the extra effort I've put in, rewarded. Suddenly, I feel like going shopping. Ka-ching!!!



But all that aside, what really made my day was the surprise delivery of a beautiful bunch of flowers from a wonderful friend, an amazing woman. Someone I have grown close to, thanks to this world of blogging. Someone who's opinion I value and seek out. Sunny, thank you for making me feel so very special. You really did put an incredible spin on my day!

11 comments:

Sunny Delight said...

You deserve so much more! Just my way of saying thank you to an AWESOME woman and friend from afar.

BBGR!!! HUGS!

Oh,and oolala at the "performance rating!" See, you are wonderful! And extra dollars for very important trips too!

(I got my 90 day today! All excellents! BustyGurlz do Rule!)

Fiona said...

People continue to come to my desk and oooh and aaah at these really beautiful blooms!!!!!

Yesssssssssss trips galore now!!!

oooooh grabs you and dances round the room...yesssssssssss we BustyGurlz sure do rule. My goodness is it really 90 days already!!!!

Jonas said...

I think you are both wonderful and deserve to be showered with blessings great and small.

Fiona said...

Sunny - I think Jonas likes watching us dancing together ;)

Sally-Sal said...

Hooray for kick-ass friends!

I have one friend like that. She's called Nish :P

Having friends like that is having everything :)

Enjoy your day!!!

Fiona said...

Amen to that Sally!!

Friendship is a true blessing in life. Especially the 4 a.m. friends.

"It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter." Marlene Dietrich

Hugs

Don said...

Congrats on the good news. Hey - maybe you can even visit waaaay out where I live! ;-)

Fiona said...

Thank you Matt :)

Well you never know where my travels will take me. Hell I don't even know :)

Anonymous said...

Free money is always a nice thing.

And it's so wonderful to have friends that take a moment and do something as sweet as sunny did.

Have a great weekend :)

Ob

Fusion said...

Great news and flowers, what more could you ask for? (ya ya I know who you'd want!)
Congrats Fiona, you deserve it all!

Fiona said...

Tis true Ob, there's nothing like 'free money'. Don't you love it, too, when you find some you'd forgotten about!!! :)

Fusion, you're on the money so to speak...I like to believe in wishes, to dreams, to reality!!!

 

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