New Year 2013

Another year has passed. 2013 is coming.

I hope and pray that we may all have another good year and that we can focus on our goals even more. Let not the lime light and the glitz and glamour ruin our focus. Let our burdens from the past be put to rest and have a fresh start this coming 2013.

I also hope that our friends remain our friends and the friendship bond become stronger each year. Let not our differences hinder us from sharing love to everybody but rather let it be the way to make us more involved and concerned.

Let us all focus on what is important to us. Let’s all look forward and not dwell on the past. Let us all be courageous to face challenges and be brave to make necessary changes.

Wish you all a great year!

Green is in

I remember when I was a kid I used to plant in our little garden. I like flowering plants and those that have different colored leaves.

So when we decided to purchase our own house I specifically requested that it has a garden. Even just a small garden.

Today I’m happy to say that I have the small garden I requested. I initially planned to plant some flowering ornaments but I decided to plant some herbs for the mean time.

I planted some pandan first.  When they have grown enough I will transfer them to their pots.

Sorry no picture for now. I’ll just update this blog when I got a nicer picture from our yard.:D

~Till then.

Living in One Income

We have been contemplating on the idea of living in one income and we would like to make some radical changes in our lifestyles to make this happen.

According to the books and blogs I have read, there are three basic things a couple must do if they want to live in one income.

1. Sit down and talk about the idea. – This idea is great for starting couples. Since [it is assumed that] there are only two of you, basic needs are easy to cover with just one income. Determine also whose income it will be. Books tell me that couples have to live with the lower income but that is not an absolute rule.

2. Determine expenses of each. – The couple’s expenses are different from each other. They need to know what is important and what is not through a thorough assessment of each purchase. Give it a month or two to determine the expenses by listing each purchase and analyzing them at the end of the month. It is important that both parties agree on one simple goal - and that is to minimize expenses.

3. Devise a plan and implement it. – This is the most important thing among the three. After the couple has determined what are important and what are not, they can now devise a plan on how to minimize their expense and live in one income. It is also important to update the plan accordingly and counter check or sustain every quarter to make sure that the plan is implemented and the goal is achieved.

So where are we right now?

We are currently at Item number 2 right now. We agreed to make a list on all our expenses so that we can track where our money goes. We also agreed to ask each other’s opinions before a big purchase. It is easier when both of us are on the same page when it comes to money management techniques and investment strategies.

We are just on our first quarter and I hope we can make it through.

~Till then.

Commuting in the Philippines

Ever since I started working, I always choose to live near my workplace to save on fare, time and energy. But since we already bought a house that is located outside the busy streets of Metro Manila I have no choice but to wake up early in the morning and commute from house to work.

I am now experiencing my worst nightmare and so far I think I am doing well. It is taking me almost 2 hours from our house to my workplace and that translates to four hours of wasted time per day. I’m glad the radio in the jeepney and the television in the bus are there to lessen the stress.

I have to come up with a few tasks during my commute so that my four hours will not be wasted. I think I can do the following while commuting:

a. Send and delete messages from my Jurassic cell phone.

b. Plan my work load.

c. Prepare a meal plan.

d. Compute expenses.

e. Think of something to write.

I hope and pray that I can stick to this plan. It’s very hard to stay focused when you feel tired and sleepy.

~Till next time.

Move and Step Forward, No Turn Around

So this is it!

Boyfriend and I moved to our house. (Still paying for it though.)

No it’s not new and nope it’s not in an upscale neighborhood. We saved for a few years for this and I think we made the best decision ever. We are hurting a little because a big portion of our savings is lost and will be lost. But nevertheless, we are happy we saved money for this BIG purchase.

We were constantly saving and investing money for the future. This is one of the things we are saving up and it’s about time we use our investments for their purpose. As Rex Mendoza said a few years ago, “Dreams have deadlines.” And I know the biggest deadline has come.

I’d like to thank my bff/bf for initiating this decision.

Now I can really have my own garden.

~Till then.

Sunday Night

Sunday night was another tiring night. We went to University of the Philippines for our weekly training. Running is definitely an IN thing here in the Philippines.

After the training, Paul and I decided to eat something for afternoon snack. We were abstaining on meat so we decided to eat fish ball instead. We had loads of fish ball in our system right now and a great amount of oil that came with it.

While waiting for Paul to finish his 10K run practice, I decided to take some pictures of the university. Not much because I just had my camera phone. Sometime soon we will be shooting in UP. Just for fun.

~Till then

My Own Hanging Garden

I’ve always wanted to start a garden here in the city to relax myself from the stress of the hyper world. The problem is, I don’t have a land to start with and the building I am living right now does not allow potted plants on the window. It would have been nice if we could grow some basil or rosemary.

Since my Paul and I just recently bought something to accommodate some plants, I think it’s the proper time to prepare for a mini garden. 

To start with, I have been reading blogs and articles about gardening and composting. A few of my resources are as follows:

• About
• Frugalpinoy
• Wikihow

I want to start my own with just a few plants. I’ll try planting my own basil, rosemary and bell pepper. I also want to grow some flowering plants so I will experiment on a few first.

We don’t have a yard so I’ll have some plants hanging. I’ll show you some pictures once I am done setting up.

Why do I want to plant?

• I need to see some greenery to ease the stress from work.
• I want to have fresh basil for my pasta recipe.
• I want to be able to have variety of vegetables that I can cook when I’m hungry.
• I want to decorate with fresh ornaments.
• I just want something to do when I’m not in the mountain with Paul.
• And of course, keep our food expenses low.

~Till then.

A lesson in life

Note: This entry is not for the old and filthy rich.

Have you seen an old person (I really mean old) waking up early morning, dressing up and going to work? 

I just saw one this morning. 

I didn’t see him wake up, dress up and go to work but I see him in front of the condominium unit where I stay waiting for the go signal of the guard for them (he was with 2 young men) to go up and start their work. I usually go to the office around 7:30AM to 8:00AM. So imagine how early he prepared for work?

He sat in front of the condominium building beside the flower pots. I mean, how can you let someone so old sit in the flower pot waiting for somebody when a couch is provided inside the lobby? Tsk. That is rude I guess.

At the back of mind, I can do nothing to change the fate of this old guy. Earlier in his life he chose to be someone like this. He was given chances and opportunities but his decisions led him to become the person he is now. Even if I write to the TV program “Wish Ko Lang”, it would not matter that much.

Am I mean by saying that? I don’t think so. That’s the reality of life. And we have to face that reality. Once in our lives we were given chances to go up the ladder and explore different things. But be sure to be uber responsible about the decisions and the actions that you make because it will surely have an impact on your future life.

As for now, all I can do is to offer a prayer for the old guy that he may find joy and gratefulness in his work. 

Thanks for letting me spill a bit of negativity.

~Till ext time.

How to Purchase FAMI Mutual Fund Shares through Metrobank direct?

I love online banking because it makes my life easier and it saves me a lot of time and energy in monitoring my finances.
 

I’d like to share one way to automatically purchase FAMI Mutual Fund Accounts via online banking. Just take note that you have to have a Metrobank account to do so.
 

1. Login to your metrobank direct account.
2. To your left is the eBanking Solutions panel. Just click the “Pay Bills” link to go to the page shown below above.
3. Select your Mutual Fund from the Special Bill Dropdown list.
4. Fill up form fields in the page. Take note that the fields with asterisk (*) are required fields.
5. Choose an Account to withdraw from.
6. Enter how much money you wish to invest.
7. Select payment date.
8. Click Continue.

~Till next time

How to link your FirstMetrosec account to your FAMI account (ONLINE)

I’ve been using post-dated checks to make my transactions faster and make my investments compulsory. I’ve recently discovered that I can actually link my FirstMetroSec account to fund your FAMI Mutual Funds. And also, I can use Metrobank direct to buy shares on the day itself.

For FirstMetroSec, here’s how.

FirstMetroSec account to FAMI account.

1. Open your FirstMetroSec account and go to Forms tab.

2. Click Existing FAMI Account link. (from the list)

3. Fill up the form and send via fax to FAMI 816-0467 copy FMSBC 859-0699 or Email a scanned copy with signature to fami@firstmetro.com.ph copy customerservice@firstmetrosec.com.ph

By doing this, you can check your account anytime of the day 24/7.

How to purchase Mutual Fund shares using FirstMetroSec account?

1. Login to your FirstMetroSec account.
2. Go to FAMI tab and you will be directed to a new window.

3. Click the Buy tab. Fill up the fields in the Buy/Sell Mutual Funds. Click Review Order and Submit. Rest assured that your placement is booked on the same day if and only if you placed before 1:30pm (Manila Time). Transactions after the cut-off time will be booked the following day.

Pag-Ibig Chat Facility

I was asked by my current employer about my Pag-Ibig Registration Tracking Number (RTN) for the verification of my contributions in the agency.
 

I didn’t want to go home and gag over my things just to locate my RTN so I googled the contact number of the agency to ask for my details. The voice prompt told me that I can connect with Pag-Ibig through online chat. So I tried.
 

Here’s my conversation with the representative:

Impression: They speak in Tagalog. (Wow!)
 

I just gave him my full name (including my middle name) and my birthday and he gave me my Pagi-Ibig Permanent number and my Pag-Ibig RTN.
 

That’s what you call “in the service of the Filipino People.”
 

Thank you Pag-Ibig. Keep it up!

Official chat of Pag-Ibig: pagibigchat@yahoo.com and pagibigchat1@yahoo.com
 

This was the message after I answered their survey:
Maraming salamat po sa inyong kasagutan.  Ito po ay makakatulong upang lalong mapaganda ang aming paglilingkod sa mga miyembro.

Two thumbs up!=)

Getting Most Out of Life

I think I am getting most of life has to offer. I don’t know if it’s just my positivity. I just thought I do get more than what I deserve.

Is this what they call “aging with wisdom”?

I hope my friends (of the same age) are experiencing the same.

Thank You Lord!

~Till then

Setting Up Priorities

Doing personal finance is a tough task. You have to practice what you preach because people will watch you closely. 

Before telling the whole world you are doing personal finance you have to set up your priorities first. 

What do I mean? 

People will ask you why you are doing what you are doing right now. If you don’t have a solid foundation you will actually doubt yourself and go back to the usual you. And that’s called a financial suicide.

When someone asks you, “Why are you saving and investing?”, don’t just tell them “Because someone told me to do so.” Rather go back to your values and priorities in life and tell him how much they mean to you.

People have different priorities. Some prioritize saving for retirement, some save for a house and lot or a car and others save for travel. Whatever reason we have, we need to learn how to respect each other and look at our priorities only and not compare it with anyone else. 

~Till then

How to have a healthy sleep?

My boyfriend taught me that in order for a person to have a good night sleep, he/she should fix his/her bed before and after sleeping. 

I am living with my condo mates and it’s a bit distracting seeing everything cluttered on our bed. I see used clothes, books, pens and gadgets everywhere. Sometimes I thought, is this a house of six ladies? 

So I started cleaning the house last night. I cannot sleep with this kind of clutter. 

I made my bed, put away all the books and hid my laptop. 

I hope my housemates will notice the difference and start to implement it on their bed also.

~Till then

Owning a Car

People at my age are now considering buying their own car rather than taking the public transport. Of course it is understandable that we want a comfortable life. Who wouldn’t want to be on time at work or at other appointments? 

I was thinking of buying my own car also but the expenses after the ticket price are disappointing me. The price of gasoline keeps on rising. The maintenance cost is too expensive. The parking fee is also high. And I don’t have my own house yet. Moreover, the Philippine traffic is extremely stressful for me to handle aside from the fact that MMDA personnel are NOT honest sometimes. (Should I say most of the times?)

Anyway, Paul and I decided to delay the car purchase until we have enough cash to pay for it. And we don’t see it as a need since our respective offices are just near where we live. I just suggested buying a car so that we can go to any place we want at any given time. I realized if that thing happens I will be spending more money on travel. That’s the least thing I want to do today.

I guess this is not yet the proper time. Maybe next year or the year after.

~Till then.

Running Today

I had been addicted to running lately. I joined a lot of fun runs and run almost every day to practice. My longest run was a half-marathon (can you consider it?) trail run in Kitanglad, Bukidnon. (FYI: Kitanglad is the 4^th highest mountain in the Philippines.)

What does running do to the body? Why are so many addicted to it?

For me running is a basic form of exercise that promotes balance in the body. This is also a good way of toning the body as well as making one fit. 

Why is it addictive?

First and foremost it is the least expensive exercise I know. You just need a good pair of shoes and you’re good to go. Second, you don’t need to go to a court. Any neighborhood will do. Third, it makes you perspire in just about 10 minutes. Fourth, it feels great after the run. 

Our body needs at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Let’s all make it a habit to run even for just 30 minutes and do some core exercise after.

PS: I am a part of a “bootcamp” called adination. We meet every Thursday either in Ultra or Tiendesitas to train together. Everyone is invited to join the running community.

~Till then.

You Don’t have to be Rich to Travel the Philippines

I am a blogger and a traveler and I know most of my friends would consider me as an expensive junkie who lurks in the depths of the mountain spending my hard-earned moolah for nothing but the pleasure of lying under the trees, sipping coffee and eating roasted marshmallow for midnight snack.

Well part of the statement above was true but not all. 

I am not as expensive as what they think.

My travels and adventures are pocket-friendly. They don’t require my whole bank account. They just get a portion of my travel fund. =)

Let me share to you what we do in order to have the best and most affordable travel experience.

1. Plan ahead

It’s always great to plan ahead. You will have time to research about the place and set a reasonable budget for the trip. 

2. Travel with a group

Greatest advice ever! (Well unless you really love traveling alone.) If you travel with a group of people the cost will be spread out and will be divided among the participants. Hence it becomes cheaper for everybody. Note: We always travel with no less than 20 people. Pretty large I know.

3. Have a budget and stick to it

If you plan to spend a thousand for your food then better stick to it. Buy your miriendas at the grocery stores even before going on a trip. If it is the fare that concerns you, better research on how much the base fare in the area first and decide whether to commute or hire a vehicle to tour you around. (Sometimes we prefer to walk to save money.)

4. Never underestimate a seat sale

Its fun booking seat sales especially during holidays and weekends. As long as my year is not yet full, I book seat sales for me and my friends. As of today I allow myself to travel to three local destinations via plane (everything via seat sale).

5. Gather information about the place for your itinerary

I am always tasked to research about the next destination and arrange several things before disclosing to my friends where the next destination is. I usually visit a few sites, do a few calls and set the budget for it. Then we publish the event together with the itinerary and the budget and everything follows. (Thanks to social media.)

~Till then.

My Own Money Machine

Have you read the book of Bro Bo Sanchez’s Choose to be Wealthy? If not well better grab a copy and read it. It’s a good investment.

I learned from the book about the so called money machine. It’s all about the goose that lay the golden eggs. Instead of killing the goose, you take care of it until it lays golden eggs. Nope, you’re not going to sell nor eat the eggs. You let it hatch and grow and let them lay their own golden eggs.

I hope in the future all of us will have our own goose that lays golden eggs. Nice idea right?

For now I am contented with my little goose. No golden eggs yet but I know time will come my goose will have its gosling. And the story goes on and on.

~Till then.

How I made my first 100 Thousand Pesos?

I was searching for some files in my laptop when suddenly I encountered a list of blog articles that I should do (in the future.)

The title above caught my attention so I decided to do it right away.

At my age (I’m already 27), a woman who has not yet reached this stage (having 100k) is surely going through some struggle with her finances. Shoot! Compare yourselves to me because I am just an average lady who works for an average company that gives an average salary. I have not gone abroad to work (nor was sent by the company for an onshore task.)

Fortunately, with my passion to become a winner, I strived hard to achieve where I am today in terms of finances. 

My first hundred thousand was a no joke. I had to follow a lot of rules, curb my longing for fabulous things and incline on simpler so as not to stress me to my road to true riches. 

How I did it?

1. I first implanted a vision that I am holding a hundred thousand pesos. I pictured myself smiling while holding the money. (Of course you should be happy.) 
2. Then I drew out a plan together with my mentors. They showed me how to do it the right way. Slowly but surely they said.
3. After planning, I needed to execute it. I needed to save a constant amount each month. And so I did.
4. Then sustaining it is the most crucial thing. You have to be addicted to the feeling that it’s good saving money. You have to feel the pleasure in between the pain. You have to know that sacrificing at an early age will yield a better result in the future.

After a few months I realized I was rhythmically in sync with the habit. And then a few months later I already have a few thousands. The story goes until I had my first hundred thousand. 

Was it hard? Yes, at first. But you’ll get there in no time. It’s never too late. Start saving and investing today!

I am now looking at my first million. Hmmm.. Sounds great isn't it?:)

~Till then.

If They Can, Why Can’t You?

This post is inspired by Bro Bo Sanchez’s book My Maid Invests in the Stock Market. 

I read the book many times already and it always struck me why a simple kasambahay (house maid) can invest in a sophisticated manner while other employees who earn more has nothing to put aside?

This one is a true story. I know a kasambahay who is very young but knows how to handle her money. Her monthly income is below the minimum wage bracket. She takes care of the laundry of the family as well as maintaining the cleanliness of the house. She lives simply, spends simply, eats simply and maintains a very simple life style. A part of her salary goes to the family in the province and is used for their business. The other part she saves for her future studies. 

Although this kasambahay is not yet investing in the stock market, she knows and defines what part of her salary stays and what part goes to the business. She can compute how much her money has grown over a period of time given that the circumstances favor her. Likewise, she knows how much she will lose if fortune is not on her side.

The maid in the book and the maid in my story are alike in many ways. 

1. They both send money to their families.
2. They have the discipline to save a constant amount each month.
3. They are both business minded.
4. They have a vision in life.

How many of us send money to our families? Almost all I guess.

But how many of us are saving a constant amount each month?

How many of us are business minded?

And how many of us have a vision in life?

Our only difference from the two maids are our mindset. They want to get out of the lower class that’s why they strive hard to earn and invest (in their own simple ways.)

I hope we all do what the two maids are doing. And I hope we can all have a vision in life, before it’s too late.

~Till then.

Simplify Life

I have always been a fan of simplicity. I have never wanted complex thing nor appreciated clutter in my life.

Today I would like to share 52 things that I learned on simplification. This article is based on the book 52 Ways to Simplify your Life by Steve Woodworth.

And here it goes:

1. Get enough sleep

2. Have a rest day

3. Get away from it all

4. Take mini retreats

5. Stop the newspaper

6. Turn off the television

7. Limit magazine and read great books instead

8. Stop the noise

9. Experiment with Peace

10. Know where your time goes

11. Accept yourself

12. Know your values

13. Set a clear goal

14. Learn to say No

15. Plan ahead

16. Start every day with God

17. Practice awareness of God

18. Turn off the adrenaline

19. Advance with a retreat

20. Forgive

21. Channel your anger

22. Seek help for difficult relationships

23. Use a budget

24. Pay off your mortgage early

25. Fast from buying

26. Save 10 percent for yourself

27. Have fun saving money

28. Avoid debt

29. Ignore fads and fashion

30. Don't compete with the Joneses

31. Invest simply

32. Give it away

33. Enjoy manual labor

34. Plant a garden

35. Find a hobby

36. Do simple repairs and maintenance

37. Hire someone for difficult jobs

38. Don't accumulate expensive tools

39. ind the right person to help

40. Recycle

41. Buy with sensitivity to the rest of the world

42. Get outside

43. Watch for beauty

44. Put your family first

45. Become an encourager

46. Invest in edifying relationship

47. Love the unlovable

48. Invite a friend to join you on a pilgrimage

49. Stop seeking perfection

50. Go with the flow

51. Keep simplicity simple

52. ollow your bliss

There are 52 weeks in a year. If we could practice one in each week then by the end of the year we will be one step closer to simplifying our lives.

~Till then

No Expense Week

I did not spend anything for five days straight. (Monday-Friday). Not even a single peso went out of my pocket.

I shared this with my office mates and they were surprised about the possibility of not spending anything in a week.

How did I do that?

Simple. I live near the office so I just walk from our house to the office. I go home every lunch time and bring my mirienda from the leftover desserts. We contribute approximately 350Php every week for our food and it's anough to feed us three times a day, five times a week.

I hope I can do this every week.

~Till next week.

Valuing Time

More and more of my friends are becoming interested in the numbers game. They ask questions like: "What's the best interest rate you ever had?", "How much did you make last year?" and "What's the projection this year?"

First of all I do not have the power to foresee what's going to happen this year. Actually nobody can. The market is not a science. It is an art. How many times will an author need to post this in twitter so that followers can understand?

I feel frustrated every time questions like this arise. I was thinking, so are you only going to save money when some prophet told you to do so because it’s the greatest time to save and invest? Is it not a part of your life still?

For readers to understand here is an illustration.

We have here Saver A and Procrastinator B.

Age	Saver A	Procrastinator B
20	20000
21	20000
22	20000
23	20000
24	20000
25	100000	20000
26	112000	20000
27	125440	20000
28	140493	20000
29	157352	20000
30	176234	100000
31	197382	112000
32	221068	125440
33	247596	140493
34	277308	157352
35	310585	176234
36	347855	197382
37	389598	221068
38	436349	247596
39	488711	277308
40	547357	310585
41	613039	347855
42	686604	389598
43	768997	436349
44	861276	488711
45	964629	547357
46	1080385	613039
47	1210031	686604
48	1355235	768997
49	1517863	861276
50	1700006	964629
51	1904007	1080385
52	2132488	1210031
53	2388387	1355235
54	2674993	1517863
55	2995992	1700006
56	3355511	1904007
57	3758173	2132488
58	4209153	2388387
59	4714252	2674993
60	5279962	2995992

The illustration tells that while Saver A is diligently saving and investing for his future, Procrastinator B is waiting for his prophet to tell him to save and invest.

Five years later, the prophet came.

Notice that although they saved same amount each year for five years, the end result is different. Saver A ended up richer than Procrastinator B. This illustration easily translates the saying TIME IS GOLD.

Looking at our world right now, how many people are procrastinating? How many people are blinded by the glitz and glamour of life forgetting about saving and investing for their future?

I hope you are not one of them.

~Till then.