Everything Exciting

Most Inspiring Women in Personal Finance

2012-02-04T20:49:00.000-08:00

In everything we do, there's always some sort of motivating force that helps us to keep on moving. The same is true when we're trying to save more money or invest. I am currently in the process of compiling a list of the most inspiring women in the personal finance field. These women are not only the light of their home but have also served as a great inspiration for many people especially in the personal finance field.

Photo Source: Allana Yao

May I invite my readers to share who do you think are the most inspiring women in the field of personal finance and how they were able to help you reach you financial goals through their blogs, their columns and other media that has not only inspired but also motivated you to do something towards reaching your goals.

Please use the comment section to post your suggestions, recommendations and reasons or you may send me your suggestions on Twitter and Facebook.

I look forward hearing from you!

Things that I'm Most Grateful for the Year 2011

2011-12-24T01:53:00.000-08:00

The year 2011 is about to close and it has been a bountiful and interesting year for me. The Lord has showered me with so much blessings that made my life even more meaningful. Instead of listing down any wishlist, I decided to reminisce some of the most wonderful events that transpired this year.

Though I am grateful for every single day that God has blessed me, there were some events that really made me feel so special and I'm most grateful of.

1. Taking Chances and Zorbing in Boracay

Last March, me and my highschool friends went to Boracay to shoot the Veet the Bad Guys video which became my winning entry to the Veet Me 2011 contest wherein I eventually won an iPad and Date with Daniel Matsunaga. You may view a copy of the video which won the said contest.

From our abrupt yet meaningful trip to Boracay, me and friends learned so much about the importance of making time and spend it with those whom you love and matters the most to you because you never know what tomorrow could bring. From that trip, I also learned the importance of believing in yourself and taking chances. You may view more photos of the said trip here.

2. Date with Daniel Matsunaga

Taking chances and trying my best have been paid off when I won the Veet Me 2011 contest wherein I got a chance to date with one of hottest and nicest celebrities in the Philippines - Daniel Matsunaga.

We rode a cute 1958 Volkswagen to our dating place at Chelsea in Serrendra. I got a chance to learn more that Daniel Matsunaga is not only blessed with good looks but he's got the pleasant personality and optimistic attitude to match it.

During the date, Daniel even offered to call one of my friends so he could greet them but I told him I could record him in a video wherein he could greet all of my friends instead. Below is a copy of the said video. You may view more photos of the said date here.

3. GMA News Think Before You Click Special Edition Interview

In a special edition of GMA News' ReelTime for Think Before you Click, I was interviewed to share my story of how the internet and social media has helped me find opportunities beyond the real world.

From a simple remark of "Get a life!", I have turned the said challenge as an opportunity to create a success for myself through the virtual world as a virtual assistant and eventually as a Social Media Strategist. Social networking has also helped me learn how to invest in the stock market and save for my dream house.

Below is a copy of the said interview. You may also view more Behind the Scenes photos here.

3. Yahoo! Philippines Mail Ambassador of Cool

Up to this time I still couldn't believe that I was chosen to be the winner for Yahoo! Philippines Mail Who Rules Cool? contest and got a chance to live like a royalty for a day.

The day started with me riding a Jaguar 2011 XF and once I arrived at Hotel Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, I was welcomed by their executives Resident Manager Carl Gagnon, General Manager Goran Aleks and Public Relations Manager Christina del Carmen.

Jaguar Experience

Makeover by a Hairstylist to the Stars

The pinch-me-moments continued with me getting a makeover done by the hairstylist to the celebrities, Philippe Tordjman. Philippe Tordjman is the man who has worked on the tresses of Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Rowland, Melanie Griffith and even Hillary Clinton.

Probably I was the last person whom he cut the hair before he cuts the hair of US Secretary Hilary Cliton the next day, so that made the whole experience way more awesome! ;) You may view more photos of the said makeover on Philippe page. You may also watch the whole makeover experience through the video below.

French Massage and Delightful Dinner

Another favorite of mine during the said Purple Royalty Experience was the French massage wherein I got to relax and enjoy the mango tea which they served prior to the massage. The dinner was delightful too!

To complete the Purple Royal Experience, I stayed in Sofitel's Opera Suite. It was quite such an elegant and huge room for just one person, really. Each room of the suite has a balcony, for a total of four, with a view overlooking the swimming pool and Manila Bay. There were also exquisite gifts from Jewelmer and from Yahoo which is a ToyWatch.

It was a day that I would forever cherish. Thank you so much Yahoo! Philippines, Sofitel Manila, Jewelmer and ToyWatch! You may view more photos of the said coolest experience here or simply watch the photo montage which I created below.

Those were just some of the most cherished moments which I am most grateful for the year 2011. Moments that help remind me of how beautiful the world is, and the life is better spent being thankful for the good things, great people we get to meet, learn from the lessons of the past so we could better be equipped for the present and the future and most importantly, finding ways to continue being a blessing to all the lives we're in contact with.

Do not think of the few things you did not get after praying. Think of the countless blessings that God gave you even without asking.

Cheers to a much more blessed year ahead! What about you, what are you most grateful for the year 2011? Share your thoughts below!

#ReaderAsks: What are Index Funds? Where can I Invest in the Philippines?

2011-12-24T00:57:00.000-08:00

What are Index Funds?

Image by FortuneWatch.com

Index funds are mutual funds that are intended to track the returns of a market index. An index is a group of securities that represents a particular segment of the market (stock market, bond market, etc.). It doesn't require an active manager (i.e. it is a passive investment). It simply tracks an index.

Where can I invest in Index Funds in the Philippines?

The Philippine Index Fund (PIF) is actually also a mutual fund that tracks the Phisix, QQQ or cubes, Spiders, Diamonds and the likes so it is priced just like the mutual funds. The article below provides more information about the Philippine Index fund also known as PIP.

Riding It High With Philippine Index Fund

By Vernadette Joven

Looking for a hassle-free, low-cost, flexible and diverse range investment? Philippine Index Fund (PIF) is just the answer for you. The country's first and only index tracker fund that aims to provide an alternative for investors who believe in the potential of the stock market while enjoying a risk diversity and low entry cost.

According to Philippine Stock Exchange Composite Index (PHISIX) officials, PIF sends a strong signal to the investing public that the stock market is really a worthy investment.

As a flexible, multipurpose investment, PIF creates a broader awareness on equity investing among small individual investors. These investors will be a large retail market of long-term equity investors that will help increase the savings rate of the country, if proper strategies are pursued and implemented.

With a minimum investment of only P50,000 during the initial offer period, investors are effectively investing in a diversified portfolio of 33 stocks comprising PHISIX. Aside from the minimum initial investment amount, investors also get to enjoy trading in the market without the hassle of daily individual stock monitoring.

Investment experts say that the general outlook on the stock market remains positive as long as the following indicators are followed: strong evidence of improved fiscal deficit management, stability in the local currency, stable interest rate environment, strong corporate earnings growth, resurgence of foreign funds inflow in the local bourse and the passage of revenue generating tax laws, which is expected to improve the government's fiscal position.

What companies are included in the Index Fund?

You may view the MSCI Philippines Investable Market Index Fund here.

Got any investment and saving questions? You may view related questions that were answered through #ReaderAsks. Feel free to get in touch with me on Facebook and post your questions on my Wall.

Reasons to Go Home in the Philippines for Christmas

2011-12-04T15:41:00.001-08:00

The celebration of Christmas in the Philippines is like no other. Both adults and children are looking forward to the longest of the Philippines festivities because it is the time of the year when families and relatives could enjoy time together and for the children to anxiously open their regalo or gifts from their Ninong and Ninangs (godparents).

The celebration of Christmas in the Philippines is considered to be the world's longest Christmas season with Christmas carols could be heard in as early as September and the season lasting up until Epiphany, the feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 or the Feast of the Santo Niño de Cebú held every third Sunday of January.

Filipinos have several traditions which makes the celebration in the Philippines unique. While one may not see the usual snows in the Philippines, it could be compensated with the bright lights and decorations found in parol or lanterns adorned in Filipinos houses offices, schools and even the streets. Some municipalities even award households with the best lantern and Christmas lights displays.

Photo Credit

Other fun traditions by Filipinos during the Christmas season is the Simbang Gabi which is a series of nine (9) dawn masses, the mass starts as early as 4:00 a.m. It is believed by many Christians that when you get to complete attending the mass beginning from December 16 until the midnight of the December 24th, one's wishes may be granted.

Photo Credit

There are really many reasons why our OFW relatives and friends should consider going home this coming Christmas, one of which is the opening of the Pinoy Homecoming hospitality center at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

Pinoy Homecoming Hospitality Center Opens at DMIA

Balikbayans arriving at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Pampanga, will experience their warmest welcome yet with the opening of the Pinoy Homecoming Hospitality Center at the airport on November 29.

Spearheaded by the Department of Tourism (DOT), the homecoming center is part of the government's ongoing efforts to boost visitor arrivals from the balikbayan market by 25 percent in the next five years. Dubbed as the Pinoy Homecoming campaign, it primarily targets Filipinos based overseas, not only in the United States and Canada but worldwide.

A result of Presidential Proclamation No. 181 “Declaring the Years 2011 to 2016 as the Pinoy Homecoming Years” signed on June 3, 2011, the campaign supports Republic Act No. 6768, as amended, or the “Balikbayan Program.” Under the Balikbayan Program, overseas Filipinos (OFs) are given special privileges and benefits in recognition of their contribution to the growth of the Philippine economy in terms of foreign exchange inflow and remittances.

“This is a campaign that recognizes three things: the invaluable contributions of Filipinos overseas, our urgent need to develop and promote Philippine tourism further and how much can be achieved when government agencies work together,” shares DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez. “We also have to tap into the market of second and third generation Filipinos abroad and encourage them to discover their roots.”

To reach this set of younger Filipinos abroad, the campaign also has a digital marketing component. Through the website www.pinoyhomecoming.ph, Pinoys abroad can easily access Philippine news portals, tourism products and services, practical balikbayan tips, Philippine holiday and festival calendars, as well as a directory of industry partners and the contact details of DOT’s international offices.

The campaign is supported by Globe Telecom, Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC)and the over 700 partner-merchants nationwide. For more information on the campaign and balikbayan benefits, contact the Pinoy Homecoming Secretariat at 632 525-1255, 632 525-9318 local 268 or 244; fax to (632) 521-6165, or e-mail at tts@dotpcvc.gov.ph.

So, will you come home this Christmas?

A REview of PPLIC: Is it Really a Scam?

2011-11-21T02:40:00.000-08:00

Is PPLIC Really a Scam?

Note: This is an update of my previous post about PPLIC being a scam insurance company. From what I've learned, they clearly are not a scam company. It's just that some agents used some deceptive marketing tactics in the past.

Perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions by people who read this blog is whether PPLIC or Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Company, Inc (not to be confused with Prudentiallife Plans Inc., a pre-need insurance company) is a scam insurance company or not.

What is a Scam?

Consumer Fraud Reporting defines a scam as a "confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain".

The insurance agent who approached me was clearly misleading with her marketing tactics. However, this does not mean that PPLIC in general is a scam company. Upon digging a few online documents in the Insurance Commission Official website, PPLIC is actually listed number 19th in their authorized and licensed insurance companies in the Philippines.

In a meeting with Rod Estrera, the Assistant Vice President & Head, Corporate Communication of PPLIC, he explained to me that these agents are actually constantly being evaluated by the company to see who among them actually adhere to the company's selling strategies as some of them try to mislead prospective clients. The company actually does not tolerate the misleading questions by its agents and he made it clear that agents should ask whether you are interested in insuring your family's future instead of the silly introductory question, "Do you have a credit card?".

Is it Secured to Insure with PPLIC?

When I first wrote about PPLIC being a scam insurance company, the assumption was based on the marketing approach which I experienced when I bought an insurance policy from them. I didn't know they were 48 years in the business already. I didn't know they were actually included in the list of authorized insurance companies by the Insurance Commission.

All I know was that I was tricked into listening for almost a couple of hours when it thought the presentation was only going to last 45 minutes.

I know that what concerns most policy owners is whether the company could truly deliver its promise.

1. 48 Years in Service

The company has been in the business since 1963, which makes it a 48-year-old insurance company.

2. True to its Promise

In their Philippine Prudential Times Special Anniversary issue, I've got to see several policyholders who actually claimed their benefits. I've included a copy of the said page so you may take a look at it for yourself.

3. Superbrands

PPLIC is actually one of the few companies awarded with the Superbrands recognition. These are the strongest brands in the Philippines and the world, augmented by the expert insights of the Philippines Superbrands Councils consisted of some of the most respected people in the Philippine media, marketing and communications industries.

I know, we've been told by the agents who approached us before but there it is, along with many other trusted brands in the Philippines and outside of the country. It's a seal which signifies its strength and dedication to its customers.

I want to keep my blog to be unbiased and open to both sides of those who are concerned. I want my readers to hear, or rather, read the company's side as well. From what I've learned during the meeting with the company's representative, the company actually has nothing but pure intent to serve its clients. It's just unfortunate that it's got some agents who tarnish its reputation and resort into deceptive or misleading marketing tactics and it is something that they do NOT tolerate.

If you're still experiencing any of these misleading approaches, you may get in touch with their Customer Service through the following contact information:

Customer Care Hotline: (02) 902-2300

E-Mail Address: mypolicy@philprudentiallife.com

Globe Mobile No.: 0917-57-PPLIC (77542)

Smart Mobile No.: 0908-88-PPLIC (77542)

Corporate Web Site: www.philprudentiallife.com

If you've got questions about your policy, you may also get in touch with them through Facebook and Twitter.

How to Add Facebook Comments without Disabling Blogger Comments on Blogspot

2011-10-30T06:39:00.000-07:00

Adding Facebook Comments on your blog could work wonders. With over 800 million users and counting, you will help increase the interaction and feedback on your blog. So I played around with my Blogger blogs today and decided to enable the Facebook comments without the need to disable the existing comments from Blogspot.

How to Create an App for the Facebook Comment Connect

You may skip this step and proceed to the next step if you've already created an app and have a unique app_ID for your blog.

1. In order for you to activate the Facebook comments on your blog, you would need to create a comments box with Facebook Connect. You may create the app here and get an APP_ID for your website. Once you've done an app for website, be sure to take note of the APP_ID.

Adding Facebook Comments Without Disabling the Blogger CommentsBefore you make the necessary changes on your blog, be sure to save a copy of your existing template by opening the following: Design ->Edit HTML and check Expand Widget Templates. At this time click on Download Full Template and save a copy of your template. It is best to save a copy of your existing template so you could easily revert the changes made.

Once you have a back-up of your existing template, you may now proceed to this blog for further steps.

Have fun with your Facebook and Blogger commenting system!

Think Before You Click - Finance Edition

2011-10-17T05:48:00.000-07:00

GMA's Think Before You Click campaign admonishes close to 30 million Filipinos online to think twice before posting anything on the internet. Just as character Erica Albright on The Social Network movie said, "Internet's not written in pencil, [Mark], it's written in ink", everything we post online are archived and could be used against us.

While it may take years to build a reputation online, it could only take a single tweet or blog post to ruin it. What we post could influence the way other people think and how they perceive us. The question is simple, "When potential employers search your name on Google, are they going to like what they will see?"

In support of the said campaign, I created a finance edition. May the following reminders help us to become more vigilant and more careful of what we post online or click online.

1. Online Scams and Get Rich Schemes

When something seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is. Before you sign up for any program, be sure to thoroughly research about it. Do not just take anyone's word about it. Testimonials from their website and even your own relatives could not save you once you realize that a program is a scam. You are solely reliable for your actions and purchases both online and offline. Before deciding on joining any program, do a background check. Think twice before you click on that Buy button. Since scammers are innovating and taking advantage of the advancements in the technology, you may want to take a look at how they use charities to scam people and the top 10 online scams and perhaps one of the most common scams that most people fall into is the au pair scam.

2. Online Purchases

Being causes when clicking and joining online schemes are not the only ones that we must be careful. We should be careful of the seemingly normal activities we do such as online games as we might become like the 12-year-old FarmVille user who runs up to £900 debt.

3. Links
The internet can become a great resource of various knowledge and studies. However, it can become a place wherein rumors spread so fast. It can become a place where viruses and harmful programs that aim to destroy a system and even a person's reputation can become easily spread. Be careful when clicking links as the next link that you may click may lead to getting your account or system hacked. It may cost you money, or even your reputation.

Below is an infographic of famous celebrities who accounts were hacked. Series of tweets and updates were sent out from their accounts which aim to tarnish their reputations. Practice precaution by being careful with what links you click and by regularly changing your password.

Scammers Using Charity to Fool You

2011-10-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

What are Charity Scams?

While people are becoming more vigilant and cautious these days just to avoid being fooled, scammers keep on revising their schemes and doing pretty good at adopting to these changes too. One of these schemes is using charity aka as charity scams. Banking on the generous human nature of many people, scammers use calamities and causes to extract donations from their victims when in fact, the funds don't proceed to causes that they promise.

How to Spot and Avoid Charity Scams?

Charity scammers' most commonly used approaches are by calling, emailing, mailing and even knocking on your doors. They often sprout and come out right after a calamity or disaster by taking advantage of people's sentiments towards the unfortunate event and solicit for donations. You may avoid getting duped by these charity scammers by verifying their identities and affiliations and double checking on their claims. Don't just easily believe in what the fundraisers say. You may also check other tips on how to avoid charity scams here.

Below is a classic example of a charity scam letter which I've just recently received and let's check the most commonly used methods and approaches by charity scammers.

1. Generic greeting

Since scammers simply blast emails to thousands of email addresses they've gotten their hands into, the greeting doesn't necessarily include your name which is the first giveaway that the email is obviously sent to thousands of many other email address.

2. Generic domain names for email address

The email is from rossellarites@excite.com. The domain name is a generic website for creating emails, much like Yahoo! which is an easy giveaway that the person is not really whom she claims to be.

3. Unverifiable identity

When you search on a person's name on Google, there are not much search results that support of the person's identity like social accounts of blog. Let's say the person is anti-social and doesn't blog, but in today's time when it looks like everyone's sharing, and sometimes over-sharing, I doubt it.

4. Providing another email address/number/address/phone number

Giving another contact channel is one of the most commonly-used tactic by scammers as it helps them to trim down or filter those who are receptive or interested with their approach. You will then be included in their next level of approach as you have just shown an interest in their introductory tactic. The first email is just a test to gauge your level of interest while the next email address is where "warm contacts" and by responding, you only prove to these scammers that their first approach is working on you.

Those are just some of the most commonly used tactics not only by charity scammers but by almost any other scammers. You may want to take a look at other examples of scams, au pair scams in particular on my previous blog post.

Top 10 Online Scams

BBB has just recently released an infographic of the Top 10 Online Scams to serve as a warning to everyone that there are many people out there who would use people's lack of information just to extract some funds so beware, be aware. You may also want to post other samples of scam emails so you may help warn others.

Modess Never Ceases to Impress - Modess UltraThin Experiment

2011-10-05T17:41:00.000-07:00

Modess, one of the leading feminine pads manufacturer in the Philippines, never ceases to amaze and impress me. The brand knows what every woman needs. It stays with its mantra that comfort doesn't have to cost a fortune. Modess feminine pads are affordable yet they won't let any woman down.

I was pleasantly surprised for a couple of times when Modess sent me a couple of tees with inspiring statements, "Di lang ako basta babae" and continues to inspire Filipinas through its daily empowering status updates on Facebook through its Modess Angels page.

Then several weeks ago, I was surprised to receive its newest pad, the Modess Ultra Thin which I got by signing up for a free sample in their Facebook page. Once done signing up, I didn't really expect them to send me a small package which contains the Modess Ultra Thin pads. I thought Modess wasted its money for the courier fee when they only sent me a couple of giant overnight feminine pad that I didn't bother to take a photo.

photo by Leizle Demaisip which she posted on Modess Period Partner's Facebook page

Back in my mind I thought the courier fee was more expensive than a couple of pads. Then the day of testing the said "two pads" came. I was, again, surprised. The small package doesn't only contain two giant overnight pads but 8 Modess Ultra Thin pads instead! I was dumbfounded. Yet I was skeptic and I didn't buy the idea of a thin pad being able to manage heavy periods. I didn't want to be embarrassed so I brought extra Modess regular pads which I used on the first day. Then on the second day which is usually the heaviest, I don't know what occurred to me but I decided to give the Modess UltraThin pad a try.It was inevitable. I figured the time would eventually come that I have to try it, might as well on the heaviest.

It was odd.

The pad was literally barely there to the point that I panicked I might get stains. Yet I had no other choice but just leave it there.

Alright, before I confuse guy readers of this blog, let me cut the chase. Modess really never ceases to amaze and impress me because a pad that I thought wouldn't handle the stress actually did to the point that my mom immediately looked for it in our local supermarket but was disappointed she couldn't find any. I've been using Modess and have tried other leading pads but I seriously don't have any idea how they came up with such a thin pad that what seems to me absorbing as they happen - so you don't have to worry. Then I learned it has Microprotect Crystals. I have no idea what it does. All I know is that it does what it promises. It's barely there yet it provides the maximum protection which I need during the period.

Modess Ultra Thin pads may be slick and thin but don't judge a feminine pad by its appearance but by its performance.

Note: I am not in any way paid to write this. I was just literally impressed by what the product does. You've seen me do it with Olay and Damires Hills Resort because I believe in the product and impressed with the place.

Don't take my words solely, it's best if you experience it yourself.

How to Hide the Facebook Ticker

2011-09-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

Facebook is known for making unnecessary changes - at least for the normal users. The most recent (and hopefully the last, at least let this year end without any more changes, please?) change that the social networking site has done is the Facebook Ticker which literally ticks people off. It's purpose is to simply tick you off. :) Seriously, the redesigned Facebook's Ticker

...lets you see all your friends' activity in real-time. When you hover over an item on ticker, you can see the full story and join the conversation as it happens. Ticker updates itself as stories happen. This gives you a more complete picture of what your friends are doing, right now.

There's no escaping from this feature. You may resize it but Facebook doesn't give you the liberty to minimize it.

You can't close ticker, but you can make it smaller by moving the horizontal bar between ticker and chat. Slide the bar up to hide ticker and make your chat list longer. Pull the bar down to show more of the ticker and hide chat.

You may, however, hide it.

Hiding the Facebook Ticker in Chrome and Firefox

In Chrome, all you need to do is install the Hide Facebook SideBar Ticker extension. Once installed, close your Chrome browser and login once again to your Facebook account and bam, no more annoying Facebook Ticker!

In Firefox, you will need to install a user script. To do so, first install the Greasemonkey add-on and then install this user script. When prompted, restart Firefox and the ticker will be gone. Do note that this user script removes the entire right column of Facebook, including the ticker, event invitations, ads, sponsored stories, friends' photos, and so on.

There you go, hope you enjoy a Facebook Ticker-less Facebook!

Being an Enemy of Debt

2011-09-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

“Promises make debt, and debt makes promises.”

-Dutch Proverb

Perhaps one of the most precious gifts one could ever give to oneself, his family and his posterity is to become debt-free. Every person's situation may be different from the others and some may find it a little more difficult than others. However, things will start to change as your perspective and decisions do.

If you and your family have been spending and borrowing money like crazy, perhaps give yourself a gift of being debt-free before the year ends. Instead of trying to scroll down a long list of gifts you wish to have or give your loved ones for Christmas or a very special occasion, why not give them and yourself a gift that is much more important - that is being debt free.

It may not be easy, but it's definitely worth it. It may not be fancy, but the happiness and peace that you will feel would definitely be priceless.

Now before I start sounding so idealistic, I admit we had a few share of debts in the past too. My father died at the age of 44 that we were left with debts and eventually a pile of a few more debts. It was difficult for us to pay those debts because my mom didn't really have a white-collar job or a stable income and I was studying during that time. Everyday was a struggle to survive and it seems like the only way to do so is to be in debt.

The feeling is depending so much in debt just to survive was killing me that I decided that once I get a job after college, I would work hard to paying them off. At first it was tempting not to pay them because the money I earned could have been spent on things I never had and always wanted in the past. But that is not the design that leads to guilt-free and happy life. Right there and then and decided that I want to be debt-free and that the priceless feeling it gives is much more important that the fleeting pleasure the material things I could buy with the money I should have spent paying my debts. Since we had a meager budget enough only for our daily expenses, we had little wants in life as well and that makes it much easier for us to pay off our debt. We're not the type of people who would pay off one debt with another. We didn't want to be in the same path again so as soon as I had enough money from my savings, me and my mom decided to pay off all of our debts. Below are just some of the steps you may want to consider following so you too can start living a debt and worry-free life.

1. Save. Save. Save

While it may sound basic, saving is still the first step that one should take to become debt-free. Where else would you expect to get the money to pay off your debts but in your savings? If you're still unsure on how you could save some money, my frugal mom has given me some tips on how to save effectively.

2. Set a goal daily, weekly, monthly and eventually debt-free.

The battle and struggle to become debt-free has never been so important than it is now. Even great countries such as Greece are struggling with their debts but this does not mean you cannot succeed in it. The journey towards becoming debt-free would not start unless you start making goals. I remember me and my mom would sit together and discuss as to which debt do we pay off first. Just because you have a lot debts doesn't mean you have to pay them all at once. You can start paying off the ones that have been long due or maybe the smallest ones first - you decide whichever do you think is much easier for you to pay.

3. Debt is your enemy

It is very important to abstain from any other debts during and even after paying your debts. Simple, consider debt as you enemy. Never has it become your ally. Its goal is to put you into a modern slavery that would forever put you into misery. Sell your assets if you must, reduce your expenses to cater to your basic needs and put off the wants. There are several ways to get to that road of debt-free life.

You just need to start it now.

Thank You EnemyofDebt.com for the Financial Peace University Kit (FPU)

Brad of EnemyofDebt.com celebrated his 3rd year anniversary last May 2011 with reader appreciation give-away and I was so blessed to be the Financial Peace University Kit Bundle Giveaway Winner and here's what I got on the package that I received last Friday!!!

Thank you so much Brad for the great books that will definitely become great resources as I live a debt-free life :) Thanks to Sir Remy Ocampo for sending it over and making sure it the package arrives safely to me, you both rock!

Financial Peace University Membership Kit by Dave Ramsey (lifetime membership to ANY FPU!)

The “I’m Debt Free” Game

More Than Enough – The 10 keys to changing your financial destiny by Dave Ramsey

The Money Answer Book – Quick Answers to your everyday financial questions by Dave Ramsey

Priceless – Straight-shooting, no-frills financial wisdom by Dave Ramsey

Do More While the Sun Shines DaveRamsey.com t-shirt

Lead Without Limits DaveRamsey.com t-shirt

and of course the IH8 DEBT Bumper Stickers!

IH8 DEBT Bumper Stickers

The Money Answer Book – Quick Answers to your everyday financial questions by Dave Ramsey

More Than Enough – The 10 keys to changing your financial destiny by Dave Ramsey

Priceless – Straight-shooting, no-frills financial wisdom by Dave Ramsey

Financial Peace University Membership Kit by Dave Ramsey

I hope that we could all live a debt-free life. It may not be easy, but nothing is too difficult either.

I will be sharing things that I will learn from Dave Ramsey soon!

Stop Planking, Start Plinking

2011-08-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

Just when you think planking is cool and fun...

Perhaps you haven't heard of Plinking yet.

Plink is Matchmove's innovative matching puzzle game. It is filled with exquisite and brightly colored pictures; easy-to-understand rules to get you quickly started; it cleverly combines the rules of matching games and puzzles to give the audience favorite a new luster!

The game is pretty much like the old school Pairs game which allows you to match two similar objects but unlike any other matching games, Plink actually has incorporated the fun of matching games with puzzles to give twist, socializing through the Friends and Chat features.

Socializing through Plink

Once logged in, you will be notified once other Plink users have sent you a Friend Request. You have the option to Accept or Reject the request but I suggest you choose the former.

Having friends on Plink has two main benefits. One is that you could easily socialize within the game - discuss about your latest achievements and of course, swap puzzles to help you complete your Jigsaw Puzzle! ;)

While enjoying the game, you could actually use the Chat box and converse with your Plink friends or other players within your country or Globally. Now that's a fun way not only to gain Gold Coins but also to network or make friends with other Plink lovers.

Socializing within Plink would not be complete without your own customizable Profile. Below is a screenshot of my Profile on Plink which is pretty much like your Facebook Profile, only in purple ;) You have the option to update your status, view your number of friends, a Wall wherein friends and visitors alike could leave a shoutout and of course, your Recent Achievements.

Recent Achievements actually is my favorite as it showcase my milestone within the community and makes me want to become more active so I could get to achieve more rewards or badges. Below is a list of some of the many Achievements that a Plink player could accumulate.

Ready to Start Plinking? Here's How

So if you're excited to get started and start plinking, below is a step-by-step presentation on how to play the fun and exciting game.

How to Play Plink - The Latest Craze in Town

Planking is so yesterday. So what are you waiting for? Stop planking or tarrying and start plinking! Much more fun and safer ;) Don't forget to connect with them on Facebook and Twitter too for latest updates of the game.

#ReaderAsks: Should I invest P5,000 of P25,000?

2011-08-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

Question:

Should I invest P5,000 of P25,000?

Answer:

When investing in the stock market, one of the several homeworks which you need to do is to determine your risk appetite whether you're a risk averse or risk taker type of person. Also, please do keep in mind that money that you invest shouldn't be your lifetime savings. You need to save a portion of your salary and make sure it's your spare fund or not the one that you would constantly or regularly need. Again, don't bet your whole life savings especially when you're just starting to invest and have little to no background of how the stock market works.

When I started, I invested P 25,000 through Citiseconline since it's their minimum opening balance requirement. I wish I've put in much more since you couldn't really buy a lot of stocks with such fund. However, if you're just starting and wish to observe the trend of the market, do not bet your whole savings. So again, when you are just starting, you may want to invest P5,000 just to kick start your investing journey and you could do that through First Metro Investment Corporation, a subsidiary of Metro Bank. Research on a single company and focus on its future plans and current standing. It's hard to diversify when you have such a limited fund so it's best to focus on a single company and when you think you could manage to invest in more companies, that's the time when you could try adding more.

If you are a risk taker, you may want to start investing with like P25,000 and check on various companies so if you are sure as to which do you wish to invest in, it's much easier to diversify.

For other questions that were previously asked and answered, feel free to read other #ReaderAsks.

#ReaderAsks: "How much percentage would I gain if I invest P25,000?"

2011-08-09T09:20:00.000-07:00

Question:
How much percentage would I gain if I invest P25,000?

Answer:
Perhaps the most commonly asked question both from my blog readers and colleagues at work is that how much would they gain if they invest a certain amount of money in the stock market.

By the way, if you're a newbie wanting to invest in the stock market and wish to know the basics, here's my attempt to put together a resource which could hopefully help you get started.

When you're investing in the stock market, you can't really measure as to how much you will earn in three days, two weeks, or two months. The price of the stock you've invested in to varies depending on various factors such as the most recent news and developments about the company, rumors by tsupiteros (yes, they still affect stock prices at some point), and the fundamentals of the company so there's not really a way to tell you as to how much you will gain with a definite time frame because no matter how much one would forecast, there are still a lot of factors which could change the stock price of the company you've invested in. The stock market is a place that doesn't guarantee anything. However, you could lessen the risks by doing your homework of researching about the company and its plans, attending seminars so you could listen to seasoned traders and investors, always be on the look out for the latest updates about the company you've put your money in and it also helps to get in touch with fellow traders so you could exchange updates.

If you wish to read previous questions asked by other readers, feel free to go to my #ReaderAsks.

How to Withdraw Money from PayPal to BDO Debit Card?

2011-08-06T23:44:00.000-07:00

Question:

How do I withdraw my money from Paypal to BDO (Banco de Oro)? How much is the withdrawal fee? How long does it take for the money to be transferred to my local bank account?

Answer:
When you're done signing up for Paypal (here's a quick tutorial if you still haven't) and you wish to withdraw your funds in a bank in the Philippines, two of proven successful ways are through Union Bank's EON Card and through Banco de Oro (BDO) Debit Card.

How to Withdraw your Paypal funds to Banco de Oro

In order for you to withdraw your money from Paypal to your BDO bank account or debit card, you need to add your bank account details. To do this, simply go to the My Account tab, Profile then Add/Edit Bank Account. You will then be require to provide the details such as the Country, Name on Account (make sure the name you provide matches that which is in your local bank account), Bank Name, Bank Code, Account Number and re-enter the latter. Please note that you have to enter the 10-digit account number (which is the same with your online banking account if you have one with BDO) and not the 16-digit numbers which you could see in your ATM card.

Below is a complete list of Paypal Bank Codes in the Philippines. For Banco de Oro, it is 010530667.

Official List of PayPal Philippines Bank Codes

BANK NAME	BANK CODE
ALLIED BANKING CORP	010320013
AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND	010700015
ASIA UNITED BANK	011020011
BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS	010030015
BANGKOK BANK	010670019
BANK OF AMERICA	010120019
BANK OF CHINA	011140014
BANK OF TOKYO	010460012
BANCO DE ORO (& EQUITABLE PCI BANK)	010530667
BANK OF COMMERCE	010440016
BANK OF THE PHIL ISLANDS (BPI)	010040018
CHINA BANKING CORP	010100013
CHINA TRUST COMML BANK	010690015
CITIBANK N.A.	010070017
DEVT BANK OF THE PHILS (DBP)	010590018
DEUTSCHE BANK	010650013
EAST WEST BANK	010620014
EXPORT & INDUSTRY BANK	010860010
FUJI BANK	010640010
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK (HSBC)	010060014
INTL COMML BANK OF CHINA	010560019
INTL EXCHANGE BANK	010680012
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK	010720011
KOREA EXCHANGE BANK	010710018
INTL NEDERLAND BANK	010660016
LANDBANK OF THE PHILS	010350025
MAYBANK OF THE PHILS	010220016
METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST CO	010269996
PHIL BANK OF COMMUNICATION	010110016
PHIL TRUST COMPANY	010090039
PHIL NATIONAL BANK (PNB)	010080010
PRUDENTIAL BANK	010150018
PHIL VETERANS BANK	010330016
RIZAL COMML BANKING CORP (RCBC)	010280014
SECURITY BANK & TRUST CO	010140015
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK	010050011
UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK	010299995
UNION BANK OF THE PHILS (UBP)	010419995
UNITED OVERSEAS BANK	010270189

Once done adding your bank details, go to My Account tab, Withdraw and click on the option Withdraw funds to your bank account. The second option which is to Withdraw funds to your card is used when withdrawing your funds to your Union Bank's EON card.

Type in the amount you wish to withdraw and since the option says Banco de Oro (Philippines), simply press Continue.

How much does it cost? How long does it for the fund to be transferred?

If you choose to Withdraw funds to your bank account (Banco de Oro), withdrawals from P7,000.00 PHP or more is free of charge while a fee of P50.00 will be automatically deducted for for P6,999.99 PHP or less withdrawal. It takes 2-4 business days (without holidays) for the money to be successfully transferred.

However, if you're going to Withdraw funds to your card, it would take 5-7 business days before the money is reflected to your local bank account (EON Card or Credit Card) and a fee of P250.00 PHP will be deducted.

Successful Withdrawal from my Paypal Account to my Local Bank Account

Below is a screenshot of how I was able to successfully withdraw my funds from Paypal to Banco de Oro. There will also an email which will be sent to your email associated with your Paypal to notify you of the completion of the transaction. Happy freelancing and withdrawing! ;)

15 Frugal Tips to Save Money from my Ilocana Mom

2011-08-03T09:44:00.000-07:00

Ilocanos are known to be frugal. They're like to local version of Chinese people whose religion is to save money for the rainy days. Moms frugality has helped me turn my P100 to 100,000 and she's a perfect example of someone knows what she wants and how to control them - not the other way around.

Below are 15 frugal ways of living that I learned from my Ilocana mom.

1. Buy only what you need

Mom believes that you can survive by getting only what you need while those you like will only complicate life whether you get them or not.

2. Don't keep a wallet

Never in my whole life did I see my mom with a wallet. She believes that once you lose your wallet with all your fortunes on it (identification documents, money, cards, etc), you will lose them all at once. It's like letting someone who finds it winning a lottery in a heartbeat.

3. Buy shorts with deep pockets

Since my mom doesn't have a wallet, she likes to buy shorts with really deep pockets. Deep enough for coins and a few bills that she would need when she buys the grocery or her fare but not too deep to take with her all her savings.

4. Prioritize needs before wants

When I ask for something from my mom, she would always ask me if I really need it. When I couldn't provide her with the right answer, she couldn't provide me with the item.

5. Don't eat in fastfood stores

Fastfood stores don't make you healthy. You only make the franchisee's pockets healthy.

6. Love vegetables

No, you don't have to be a vegetarian. You just need to be a self disciplinarian.

7. Don't go branded

Carry the clothes you wear, not the other way around.

8. Take short, quick local vacations

We all love to take vacations but if you love your life, why would you want a vacation away from it?

9. Eat before you go to the mall

Malls were designed to be wide to exhaust you and thefastfoods were designed to be to the "rescue". Go back to rule number 5.

10. Window shopping before you actually go shopping

Chances are, once you get tired walking and and looking at what you want to buy, you would realize that you don't really need to buy it. Try window shopping for like the whole day and once you get tired and go home, you will learn that satisfying your stomach is much more urgent than satisfying the whim for a pair of new shoes.

11. Don't be ashamed to walk

Those who don't pay their fare are the ones who should be ashamed.

12. Don't stress yourself to learn how to use a cellphone

People will still contact you anyway. As in any way.

13. Eat on time. Don't eat too much.

No extra meals. No extra expenses.

14. Save P1 per day

How many days in a week, in a month, in a year? One peso per day may sound ridiculous today but one day you'd be surprise once you break that piggy bank after several years of faithfully filling it daily.

15. Have more goals and fewer likes

Focus on the things that you wish to achieve rather than the ones you wish to have.

My mom has faithfully lived those frugal ways to save and her ways may seem impossible for some but her ways have helped us to do what seems to be impossible - to turn the P100 to P100,000 in 10 steps.

How about you? Are you living the frugality is sexy lifestyle?

#ReaderAsks: Investing Questions From Readers Will be Answered

2011-07-31T21:36:00.000-07:00

Every week, I try to give answers to #ReaderAsks or questions sent by my beloved readers through email, Twitter or Facebook. If you have questions of your own, feel free to send them through those media.

You might want to take a look at the questions from #ReaderAsks that were already answered:

#ReaderAsks: How Do I Get a Job Even if I Didn't Graduate from College ?

#ReaderAsks: What Should I Do to Marry a Rich Guy?

#ReaderAsks: How Much Is the Minimum Investment in the Stock Market?

#ReaderAsks: How Did You Learn About the Stock Market & Could You Suggest Books?

For this week, I got several questions from colleagues and readers alike. The following questions from readers will be answered:

Updated with Links:

1. "How much percent would I gain if I invest P25,000?"

2. "Should I invest P5,000 of P25,000?"

3. "What is index fund?"

4. "Should I invest in the stocks or mutual funds?"

5."Where can I find a list of traditional brokers?"

While I try to answer each question to the best that I can, I do not claim expertise in this field as I am a newbie myself that continues to learn from various people and mentors that I meet along the way through my investing journey. If you have been investing in the stock market and have quite an extensive knowledge regarding the subject or may have more details to share in regards to the questions, feel free to leave your comments below or contact me through the media mentioned above. Me and my readers would like to hear what you got to share so if you may have additional answers to the following questions, feel free to let us know.

The answers to the questions above-mentioned will be published each way so stay tuned or be the first to know as soon as they are published through the following social media sites Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus.

3 Main Reasons Why Chinese People Save

2011-07-30T22:03:00.000-07:00

He who does not economize will have to agonize. ~Confucius

Photo Credit: China Internet Watch

If you're dead serious about wanting to save some cash for your future, you might want to look at why and how Chinese do it. Chinese people save more than a third of their total incomes. When you come to think of it, it is way more than Americans, for example, who currently set aside just 5% of their incomes. Chinese have a personal savings rate of 25 percent and a national savings rate (which includes corporate savings) of 47 percent in 2005.

Growing up in a small town wherein most establishments are owned by Chinese people, I developed a notion that they are rich people. Later did I learn that not all Chinese are born with silver spoon in their mouth and most of them actually earned and saved their way to where they are now.

China ranks #53 worst worldwide in terms of income inequality, with a Gini index (measuring wealth inequality) of 41.5. In comparison, the U.S. ranks #40 worst with a Gini index of 40.
[ CIA World Factbook, accessed March 2011 ] via China-Mike.com

There were actually stories from my older colleagues that during the Marcos era, Chinese people actually moved in the Philippines to serve wealthy Filipinos. It's funny how the times and tables have turned today.

In 2008 a study by St.Louis, China’s saving rate is one of the highest in the world. The figure below shows that China’s personal saving rate is about 25 percent and national saving is roughly 47 percent of GDP (in 2005, compared with 0.5 percent personal saving and 12 percent national saving in the United States)—and these savings rates have increased in recent years.

Why Do Chinese People Save?

While there may be the usual social security reasons as to why Chinese people are saving more than they are spending caused by their dilapidated social welfare system causing fear and the need to save for their health care, social safety and private education and many other services that are supposed to be covered by the government, below are just 3 of the most intriguing reasons that affect their spending and investing habits.

1. Mortgage

Chinese men find mortgages a prerequisite for marriage which explains why China is currently facing a problem with having too many single men. Yang Jiah, along with other Chinese men, believe that their ticket to getting married to a decent Chinese girl is to own a nice property.

One of the strongest motivations why I currently save more than I spend is that I want to save for the rent-to-own house which we will hopefully move in on September this year. However, unlike those Chinese men, I am saving for this property because it has always been a dream since I was a kid. I grew up like an NPA (No Permanent Address) because me and my mom would always transfer from one place to another. Such situation has helped me to become inspired to really work hard and strive to change it.

2. Wedding

The first motivation for Chinese to save for a property is actually linked to their second strongest motivation which is in order to be married, they need to save enough money. According to BBC, "Every year in China more than ten million couples tie the knot. Weddings are a multi-billion-dollar business and expenses for the big day can quickly spiral out of control."

3. Luxury

China is world’s second largest consumer market for luxury goods, behind only Japan (after passing the U.S. in 2009) and expected to be bigger than that of Japan by 2014.

China's saving and spending habits are clearly being greatly affected by their being family-oriented. You can see that most of them save for the wedding, parents retirement and the kids education. May I encourage you to think of something you want to improve in your life and make it your biggest motivation and source of strength as you journey towards saving for your future so it will be easier for you to be focused in reaching such goal and would make the journey worthwhile.

How to Revert or Bring Back the Old Facebook Chat Box

2011-07-29T04:48:00.000-07:00

"Move fast and break things" is Mark's prime directive to his developers and team. "Unless you are breaking stuff," he says, "you are not moving fast enough."

Looks like Facebook has been fast in breaking things to the extent of breaking the chat box interface when they rolled out "something awesome" - Skype Video Calling and Group Chat, that is. Basically it's Skype on Facebook. So when they moved too fast, they ended up messing with chat box.

The New Facebook Chat Box Layout

This is how the new Facebook Chatbox layout looks like. You would have no idea as to the exact number of your friends are online and there's no way to scroll down or up. Also, it looks like my grouping doesn't work because it simply shows a limited view of a few friends online all at one view and I could not sort them in any way. It means I could no longer be offline to a specific group.

The Solution on How to Bring Back the Old Facebook Chat Box

The good news is that there's a get-around with it. If you're using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as your internet browser then you can simply download a script or add-on, respectively.

Solution to Mozilla Firefox

Install this Firefox Facebook Sidebar Chat Reversion Greasemonkey add-on. Once you're done downloading it, simply restart your browser and you will be greeted with the old Facebook chat box.

Solution to Google Chrome

Google Chrome users don’t need to download Greasemonkey since the Chrome browser natively supports the extension so all you need to do is install the Chrome / Firefox Facebook Sidebar Chat Reversion user script.

Google Chrome also allows you to get back the old Facebook chat interface while in Incognito Mode. To do that, just tick the box that says “Allow in Incognito” under “Facebook Sidebar Chat Reversion” in Extensions (Settings > Tools > Extensions).

Facebook Chat Pop Out

If you wish not to install any Greasemonkey user script, you can always opt to use the Facebook Chat Pop Out.

There you have it, there are several ways to fix the new Facebook Chat Box and easily revert or bring it back to its old form. You simply need to choose which one is being supported by your browser or whichever you prefer. Happy chatting! :)

When in Highschool - Reasons Why You Can't Invest While You're Under 18

2011-07-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like high school life. If ever I would be given the chance to live back to a certain point in my life, it would be the time in high school when everything seems to be simpler, happier and perhaps easier.

High school life, high school life when everything seems to be easier and happier

We were all so excited to graduate only to look back a few years after wishing we could go back to those moments again..one more time.

A few years after...and we're still carefree..or we seem like

Now that we're a bit more mature, or at least I'd like to believe we are

Yes, we have a serious and erm, mature photos too

Everyday we would group ourselves after school and ride the tricycle together with our barkada. Whenever the driver would ask us as to where we are going, we felt like the time would wait for us and our addresses changes everyday that we can't seem to decide right there and then where exactly do we want to go. We felt that being boisterous was fun and that everyone around us and their opinions don't really matter. Lunch time was the best part of the high school life because that's the time when we would take a break from our classes, talk about our crushes - whether he said hi or not earlier in the day, share our baon (packed lunch) and laugh about simple, random and sometimes stupid things. That's high school.

The inevitable reunion. Well, it looks like nothing has changed :)

So all in all - except for the research projects - high school is fun. And boisterous. And disastrous. And gorgeous. ;)

But the thing about high school students is that if you're not one of them, they can be pretty annoying. The other day I went to a fastfood chain and a group of high school students really took their time thinking about what should they order - what size, color, flavor like it's a multiple choice kind of test and as if no one's behind them queuing. It is during that time when I learned and understood why it is not advisable and not even legal to invest when you're in highs school - under 18, that is.

You Cannot Invest in the Stock Market When You're Under 18

1. When you're in your teenage years, you're often confused.
From freshmen year till I reached the senior year, our teacher in values class (yes, during my time we still had that in our curriculum), our teacher always tells us how she understand that we're in the stage of our lives when we're easily confused and we often make wavering decisions. When you're investing, you cannot make confused decisions as this will lead to losing your money. Real, hard-earned money, baby!

2. Easy Go Lucky. Easy Let Go of Money
High school students are notorious for having easy-go-lucky attitude when compared to college students. Perhaps it has got to do with the fact assurance that parents are still there to watch over and iron out whatever trouble or issues a high school student would have or because peers are there to comfort and influence. When a person seems to be easy to lucky, there's a higher tendency of not taking finance matters seriously.

3. More interested in gossip than news
I remember so vividly when we would spend the whole afternoon talking about random things when our teacher is absent or late. We would take on every opportunity to fix ourselves in front of the mirror that all classrooms have one installed so every girl could freshen up and fix herself after every subject break. Oh life just revolved around our assignments, crushes, snacks and gossip time then. While a high school student may be interested in news about a particular person, an investor needs to be vigilant and aware about political and world news that affect businesses and economy in general.

While I enjoy my high school life immensely, I understand now why one has to be at the legal age of 18 before he could invest or perform acts and decisions that would have a great impact in one's life. Investing needs careful researching, planning and decision making and it is something that should not be taken lightly. While I often refer to the act of investing as playing in the stock market, it's not like your usual high school tagu taguan or patitentero game wherein you could just say rush home when you lose and go back again when you want to. There's real hard-earned money involved when investing in the stock market and the easy-go-lucky, carefree high school attitude just won't work.

#ReaderAsks: How Do I Get a Job Even if I Didn't Graduate from College?

2011-07-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

Good question, I must say. Based on the 2006 to 2007 NSCB statistics, the dropout rate in the Philipines increased from 8.6 percent to 9 percent, far from the 2006 target of decreasing it to 5.5 percent and 2009 target of 4.3 percent. The data above is for the primary or elementary level alone.

With the increasing number of dropouts or people who could no longer afford to pay the tuition fees due to continuing tuition hikes more and more students enrolled in private colleges and universities find themselves either dropping out or forced to transfer to state institutions, we find more and more of our countrymen facing a much higher and direct problem of not getting hired in a country where educational background and status is very important. As of the latest data available in 2009, Philippines has an estimated unemployment rate of 7.3%.

Now, instead of going to the streets rallying and protesting because the government has not done enough in providing programs and projects that will help ensure that our countrymen would get at least secondary level of education and providing trainings that will assist them in getting employed, let us focus on the individual efforts that we can do to help ourselves. Let us not depend everything to the government because while our state may try to assist us in every way, our success still depends on our individual efforts.

In my previous post entitled, Don't Let Lack of Degree Get in The Way to Success, I provided a list of jobs that one could have even if he's an undergraduate. Also, you might want to develop certain qualities that could help you in Surviving the Recession by Quitting Your Job. Now once you're done learning those qualities, and having the right mind set, the following steps might be able to aid you in better understanding your skills and landing a job. While I may not guarantee you a managerial job, I would guarantee that once you have the right attitude and proper skills, you would get a job in one way or another.

1. Learn an Employable Skill

Take a look at a local classified ads or even online job boards and see which skills are the companies you would like to work for. It should give you an idea what is in demand and what specific skills are required to be able to employed in the said job.

There is a great difference between a hobby and an employable skill. Be sure to learn one that is both something you're passionate about and what companies would need.

2. Get Help from TESDA
The Philippines government has a specialized department in helping the less privileged in getting training and developing technical skills that would later help you getting employed. Browse their website and learn more about the programs that they offer and see which interests you the most.

When I graduated from high school, I was so confident that my aunt would help me out once I get to college since she has long been promising it to me only to be notified that she could no longer help us out. The notification came in late and I didn't really apply for any scholarship before so I sort of panicked that maybe I could no longer go to college. Luckily, our neighbor informed us that TESDA has a scholarship posting and that there will be an examination the week after. So we rushed in our local TESDA office and checked their requirements and the week after, I took their examinations. To make the long story short, I passed, finished college with a Diploma in Computer Studies while I was working part-time in Jollibee Foods Corporation and once I graduated, I took a chance in STI's E2E program and when Callbox went to our school after our graduation, I was interviewed and got hired the same day.

The government and even NGO's have a lot of programs and scholarships that are actually waiting for the right canditate. You just have to seek for it.

3. Start Low and Be Alert for Every Opportunity
Don't be afraid to take on an entry-level job, a part-time job because opportunities always come to the right person, with the right skills and attitude. While I was working with Jollibee, I knew I was destined for greater opportunities so I was always on the look out for one. Once people see your enthusiasm and dedication in what you do, the ladder of success will eventually be laid out for you.

4. Online Jobs
Since high school I was always looking for summer jobs and unfortunately, I found none. I felt really hopeless then because all I see are summer jobs for the US teens. I felt like there's not much opportunity for Filipinos at all. But then again, the internet proved me wrong, there are actually myriad of opportunities online and what they only need is your persistent attitude. Start with Bestjobs.ph or Onlinejobs.ph. I got my first ever online job as a virtual assistant through those sites. Be clear as to what skills or tasks you're willing to do and employers won't hesitate someone who doesn't have the previous work experience as long as you have the attitude that's willing to learn. Also, may this story of how a 17-year-old from India became a CEO.

First, you need to get rid of the thought that you will not find a job just because you are an undergraduate. Then, be willing to be trained and get the necessary skills to get you employed. Don't be afraid to start low and eventually work your way to the the top. Also, my uncle would always tell me to always be on the look out for trainings that will help you widen your skills, expertise and knowledge. I hope in one way or another, those tips would help you too as they have assisted me in finding my value and establishing attitude and skills that has helped me find a job and work my way to a better position. Oh, did I mention that the world's richest under 30, Mark Zuckerberg, is actually a dropout? So don't worry if you don't have a degree. After all, while a degree could help in preparing a person to a much more challenging real world tests - provided that you really learned from your classroom lessons and not just getting a diploma for an ornament - it is not a guarantee for success. Real success comes to those who know what they want and use whatever they got to reach their dreams - with or without a degree.

You might be interested to look at other #ReaderAsks:

#ReaderAsks: What Should I Do to Marry a Rich Guy?

#ReaderAsks: How Much Is the Minimum Investment in the Stock Market?

#ReaderAsks: How Did You Learn About the Stock Market & Could You Suggest Books?

#ReaderAsks: What Should I Do to Marry a Rich Guy?

2011-07-04T19:47:00.000-07:00

While this post may not be your usual #ReaderAsks, there had been a trending Note around Facebook about how a beautiful lady asked in a forum on how could she snatch rich guys. I'm pretty sure many singe ladies out there are often wondering with similar question too so here's an interesting response allegedly from the CEO of J.P Morgan. It's a perfect example of how one should stop looking for a rich partner and start being one.

Subject: Appropriate reply by J.P Morgan CEO to a Pretty girl seeking a rich husband..

To: A young and pretty lady posted this on a popular forum:

Title: What should I do to marry a rich guy?

I'm going to be honest of what I'm going to say here. I'm 25 this year. I'm very pretty, have style and good taste.

I wish to marry a guy with $500k annual salary or above.

You might say that I'm greedy, but an annual salary of $1M is considered only as middle class in New York ..

My requirement is not high.

Is there anyone in this forum who has an income of $500k annual salary? Are you all married?

I wanted to ask: what should I do to marry rich persons like you?

Among those I've dated, the richest is $250k annual income, and it seems that this is my upper limit.

If someone is going to move into high cost residential area on the west of New York City Garden ( ? ) , $250k annual income is not enough.

I'm here humbly to ask a few questions:

1) Where do most rich bachelors hang out? (Please list down the names and addresses of bars, restaurant, gym)

2) Which age group should I target?

3) Why most wives of the riches is only average-looking? I've met a few girls who doesn't have looks and are not interesting, but they are able to marry rich guys

4) How do you decide who can be your wife, and who can only be your girlfriend? (my target now is to get married)

Ms. Pretty

Awesome reply:

Dear Ms. Pretty,

I have read your post with great interest. Guess there are lots of girls out there who have similar questions like yours.

Please allow me to analyze your situation as a professional investor.

My annual income is more than $500k, which meets your requirement, so I hope everyone believes that I'm not wasting time here.

From the standpoint of a business person, it is a bad decision to marry you.. The answer is very simple, so let me explain.

Put the details aside, what you're trying to do is an exchange of 'beauty' and 'money':

Person A provides beauty, and Person B pays for it, fair and square.

However, there's a deadly problem here, your beauty will fade, but my money will not be gone without any good reason.

The fact is, my income might increase from year to year, but you can't be prettier year after year. Hence from the viewpoint of economics, I am an appreciation asset, and you are a depreciation asset. It's not just normal depreciation, but exponential depreciation. If that is your only asset, your value will be much worried 10 years later.

By the terms we use in Wall Street, every trading has a position, dating with you is also a 'trading position'.

If the trade value dropped we will sell it and it is not a good idea to keep it for long term - same goes with the marriage that you wanted.

It might be cruel to say this, but in order to make a wiser decision any assets with great depreciation value will be sold or 'leased'.

Anyone with over $500k annual income is not a fool; we would only date you, but will not marry you.

I would advice that you forget looking for any clues to marry a rich guy. And by the way, you could make yourself to become a rich person with $500k annual income.

This has better chance than finding a rich fool.

Hope this reply helps. If you are interested in 'leasing' services, do contact me..

signed,

CEO J.P. Morgan

For all the pretty ladies out there, if beauty is all asset you got, may you invest smartly and work your way up to your desired salary range instead of simply strutting your butt to any man who's got more money than brains. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being pretty, but it gets all wrong when that's all you have ;)

#ReaderAsks: How Much Is the Minimum Investment in the Stock Market?

2011-07-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Every week, I try to answer questions from readers about previous articles that I have written. If you missed our first #ReaderAsks, I answered the question: How Did You Learn About the Stock Market & Could You Suggest Books?

Now for our second #ReaderAsks, Joy Poh asked the following questions:

Do you usually attend seminars..? and how much was your 1st investment when you started..? (if you dont mind me asking:))... thanks so much...

Do You Need to Attend Seminars Just to Learn Investing?

While I started investing without attending seminars, I did all my homework by visiting blogs of investors that share their tips and ideas during their journey in investing in the Philippine Stock Market. So is attending seminars necessary? Not a requirement but definitely advisable so you could get to learn from more the experts.

In line with that, there will be a Money Summit & Wealth Expo 2011 which will be held in Cebu from August 12-13, 2011, 8:30am to 5:30pm at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino. Speakers include Tomasito Academia of PAREB, Jay Aldeguer of Island Souvenirs, Noli Alleje of The Property Forum, Jojy Azurin of BusinessSummaries.com, Conrado Bate of CitisecOnline, Ian del Carmen of Fireball, Eireen Diokno-Bernardo of Dekada Arts, Bonner Dytoc of Absolute Traders, Vince Golangco of WhenInManila.com, Prof. James Ryan Jonas of PinoyMoneyTalk, Cynthia Palad-Yap of Real Estate Movers, Ardy Roberto of Salt & Light Ventures, Jerome San of Laurus Enterprises, Mark So of Forex Club Asia and Trace Trajano of Think Rich Quick. For details, visit YouWantToBeRich's post about the said summit.

The fee, which is for the 2-day seminar and includes snacks, materials and some free items from sponsors, is P7,995 – but you get discounts through this site – especially for groups. Let me know if you're planning to attend so we could book together for a discount. :)

How Much is the Minimum Investment Required?

It varies depending on the broker that you are choosing. For Citiseconline, they require a minimum investment of Php25,000 while First Metro Investment Corporation only requires a minimum of Php5,000. Traditional Brokers like Angping Securities would require a minimum investment of at least Php50,000.

If you have any questions, feel free to join the #ReaderAsks session by following and asking me on Twitter.

photo by pfala

#ReaderAsks: How Did You Learn About the Stock Market & Could You Suggest Books?

2011-06-27T07:23:00.000-07:00

While I may not be an expert when it comes to investing in the stock market but I've been getting emails from some of my readers asking me on how they could start investing in the stock market, what books should they read so they could jump start into investing, what is a good online broker in the Philippines and the basic questions that someone who has just recently realized the value of investing in the stock market would ask.

Therefore, I would dedicate a blog post each week in trying to answer these questions. To ask questions, feel free to tweet me on Twitter using the hashtag: #ReaderAsks. I will try to answer each of them the best that I can based on my experience and from the tips of those who know better than I do. So without further ado, here's a question from Joann:

****

Hi,

I stumbled on your site while reading about mutual funds. Anyway, I've read that you're into stock market? How did you learn about it? Could you suggest sites or books? I'm really interested about PSE and investing.

Thank you so much

Joann

****

How Do You Learn to Invest in the Stock Market?

While there may be a lot of blogs and resources (here's a complete list of my resources and links to the blogs that I frequently visit for tips and updates) wherein you could read about firsthand experiences of people who have long been investing in the stock market, the first and most important step is to visit the official website of the Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. wherein you could learn about the commonly used terms, the risks of investing, the minimum amount required to invest, among others. Familiarize yourself with the website and the most commonly used terms so you will have an idea once you start investing.

What Are the Listed Companies in the PSE?

Since the listed companies are identified through their tickers, you can use this symbol look up tool in the PSE site so that by the time that you're investing, you will not have a hard time memorizing or looking the tickers and company names up. It would greatly help if you keep the said tool handy.

What Books Do You Suggest?

When I started investing, I didn't really had the chance to read a lot of books since I focused on the latest trends so I consulted my favorite blogs instead. I was also very fortunate to have found group mates who sent me e-books to read such as Security Analysis 2nd Edition, Stock Market Strategies That Work and Benjamin Graham's The Intelligent Investor. If you wish to have a copy of these ebooks, simply follow me on Twitter, use the hashtag #ReaderAsks and I'll send you a copy to your email for free. I don't want to give out my email address and I am always on Twitter so that's the best way to get in touch with me.

Should you have any questions about investing in the stock market, don't hesitate to send me a tweet and I will do my best to answer them here in my blog.

For the meantime, you might want to check out my other investment related posts. See you till our next #ReaderAsks session!

The Little Things Every Newbie Should Know About the Stock Market

How to Invest in the Stock Market for Your Retirement [Video]

Should You Invest in Your Kids' Education? A Journey to Financial Stability with Your Family

Surviving the Recession by Quitting Your Job

photo by pfala

How I Turned My 100 to 100,000 in 10 Steps

2011-06-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Importance of Saving

While there's no easy and quick way to turn your money into bigger amounts and longer digits, it is always possible to reach your goal once you put your dedication to it. There is no magic trick either. The way I turned my Php100 to Php100,000 is not from some get rich quick money investment scheme.

The journey to getting more than you currently have without sacrificing too much is both fun, challenging and fulfilling. The following tips which I will be giving to you are the steps which I took in order for me to turn my meager money into the amount that I wanted to have.

Everyone Can Have 100,000

The main purpose of this article is not to brag but to demonstrate that once you dedicate your mind and actions into something you want to accomplish, you would be able to do so. May it also serve as an inspiration to those my age that no matter in what situation you are, you would be able to reach your goal as long as you constantly work on it and believe in yourself.

1. Find someone who can inspire you to reach your goal

What drives a person to constantly work on his goal is to have someone inspire and constantly motivate them to keep doing and keep going where they want to. I have been working in a call center for over 6 months when a friend asked me how much money was I able to save. Since it was my first ever full-time job, I wanted to reward myself with various things that I want so I splurged my salary into various bags, shoes and dresses that I could lay my eyes on. Then the reality hit me when my friend asked me about my savings. I felt guilty that I haven't even taken any step or effort to try and save because I indulged into buying the things I thought I deserve.

From that time on, I was like a drug addict who decided to quit what I was addicted to. Trust me, it was difficult. Especially when I pass by boutiques that display the latest fashionable bags and shoes!

However, I have already decided. It may not be easy, but it IS possible.

Find someone who could push you to your limit and constantly motivate you to work out on your goal. Later on, it has also helped me when I added my mom to my inspirations since we live in the same house and she would always follow up on my goal. Think of someone whom you feel that inspires you to be better.

It could be your boyfriend, your best friend, your pet, your teacher. Just think of anyone. Do it. Now!

2. Opening a Bank Account - Not the ATM

Getting to my goal wouldn't be possible had it not been for the steps which I took after that single most important decision to save. Clutching my Php100, I opened a savings account with a local bank. Don't open an ATM account! You would be easily tempted to withdraw your savings with such an easy access. It would defeat the purpose of saving. Also, opening a regular savings account requires lower maintaining balance when compared to that of ATM account.

3. I Got a Savings Account...Now What?

Just like everyone else, I struggled keeping up with my goal. You know my story. I don't have rich mom and dad to turn to when I don't have money to put on my piggy bank. Just like you, I wondered if my savings account would survive.

4. Frugality goes a long way

Remember my addiction to shoes? I quit that. I also made sure that I differentiate the need from my wants. The needs needed to be taken cared of while the wants needed to be cut off. Everyday I would remind myself of the 6 digits of the money which I always wanted to get my hands on. Every day I would go to work with much clearer purpose that I want to save. When I got my salary the next month, I paid my tithing, paid my bills, bought my essentials and everything went straight to my savings account.

No more new shoes since I only have a couple of feet to wear them so why invest in twenty? No more new bags. I only have two shoulders that could carry them. With that thought in mind, it was much easier not to give in to the temptation of buying new things.

5. You can skip meals but not your savings

No, I don't really encourage skipping meals but you get the idea. Skip your favorite TV show if you must but never skip a month without putting a few bills on your savings account. Once you skip, you will be tempted to skip a few more, then a few more months until you get used to the habit of skipping to the point that you will no longer to dedicated to save. Trust me, skipping is just as addictive as shopping.

6. Monitor and compare

Do not be afraid nor be discouraged to monitor your savings. Sometimes the amount for a specific amount could be higher than the others but don't be sad. Instead be glad that you are able to save more in some months than the other but don't rest on your laurels either. Monitoring your savings will also help you to assess what extra mile have you done for a specific month why you were able to save much more than the others.

7. Let your inspiration be your constant motivation

Remember the inspiration I told you about? There would be times in your saving journey when you would constantly tempted to splurge into unnecessary things again. However, you could bank on your inspiration and turn it into your constant motivate to battle those temptations. Since my mom is one of my inspirations, I would always talk to her about my goals and being ever supportive that she is, she would always remind me when I tend to forget. Talk with your inspiration and let them know about your plans so they could assist in reminding or helping you reach your goal.

To give you an inspiration on how one could constantly be motivated, kindly watch the video of how a young man rose above all the trials in his life and eventually became an inspiration to millions. Despite how difficult the goal may be, you are given the ability to be able to get through all the challenges and eventually reach your goal.

8. Get a job and a second job

In my article 3 Effective and Practical Ways of Saving Money, I emphasized the importance of having a job and a second job. There is no way I would be able to reach my goal of turning my 100 into 100,000 if I didn't have the income to eventually save. Think of a hobby or skill that you have which you could eventually monetize on such as cooking, writing, sewing or just about any skill that you could make money from. Don't waste time, be sure to get a job that requires such skill.

9. Invest in the stock market

I only learned about how investing in the stock market while you are young in the latter part of my journey. I wish I knew about it sooner so I could have turned my 100 to 200,000 or maybe 500,000 - the possibilities are endless. (The greater the risk too, I must say ;) Investing in the stock will not only help you increase your money but it will also help boost your country's economy. It will teach many principles on how to better manage your finances and will also teach you on how to better disciple yourself, develop entrepreneurial mindset and of course, be able to gain more returns on your investment (ROI).

10. There's no magic trick

I told you, there's no magic trick in turning your 100 to 100,000. You just need to have that goal and constantly work on it. Last year, I was able to withdraw P110,000.00 from my savings from my savings account in order to pay for my rent-to-own townhouse's down payment.

May this inspire you to make the most of what you have - whether it be talent, trust or money. Be sure to make it a goal to double, triple or to multiply what you have by deciding what you want, identify steps on how to achieve them and be undaunted when challenges come - for surely they will. And yes, your Php100 could be turned into Php100,000. I just did! :)