JuanInvestor - Personal Finance and Investing Blog

How to Withdraw Funds from Payoneer to GCash 2021

2021-05-17T16:47:00.007+08:00

As a freelance Facebook Ads Strategist, I always receive payments from overseas clients thru Payoneer or Paypal. In this post, I will show you how to cash in or transfer funds from Payoneer to GCash.

Related: How to Send Money via GCash {alertWarning}

You can always withdraw your Payoneer balance to your bank account. However, it is much more convenient to transfer it to GCash since you can do a lot of transactions in GCash than your bank account.

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What is Payoneer?

Payoneer is a global payment platform where businesses, online sellers or freelancers can pay or get paid easily. I knew this platform few years ago but I have used it only this year since I started my freelancing career. You can signup with Payoneer now.

Why Withdraw Funds from Payoneer to GCash

Months ago, I have gotten used to withdrawing funds in Payoneer to my BPI account. It is great however I only found out a few days ago that it is now possible to transfer funds from Payoneer to GCash. And that is more convenient. Here's why.

With GCash, you have virtually unlimited access to e-commerce and online transactions. You can do money transfer to other GCash accounts or interbank transfers like BDO, Unionbank, Metrobank, etc. These transactions are not supported with BPI or any other banks.

Related: Cash In to GCash via BPI Online {alertInfo}

Thus, by withdrawing directly to GCash, you are saving your time from doing additional transfers from your bank account to GCash.

How to Link Your Payoneer Account to GCash

You can easily link your Payoneer account to GCash. Here are the detailed steps.

Log in to GCash
Tap "Cash In"
On the "Linked Accounts" section, tap "Manage"
Tap "Payoneer"
Tap "Link Account"
If you have a Payoneer account already, enter your email or username. If not, you can sign up for a Payoneer account
Enter your Payoneer password
Tap "Sign In"
Two-Step Verification appears. Enter the 6-digit code received on your mobile number
Tap "Submit"
Tap "Agree"
Connection succesful! Now you can withdraw Payoneer funds to your GCash account

To verify if you've done it correctly, make sure that Payoneer shows up under "My Linked Accounts"

How to Withdraw Funds From Payoneer to GCash

The process is quite easy in 10 simple steps. Just make sure that your Payoneer account is already linked to your GCash account. If not then link your Payoneer account to GCash first.

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash {alertWarning}

It is also worth noting that there is no minimum amount transfer fee and the conversion rate is pretty competitive to the current market price.

Log in to GCash
Tap "Cash In"
Under "My Linked Accounts", tap "Payoneer"
Choose the currency that you want to withdraw. Make sure that you have an available balance.
Enter the amount that you want to withdraw. Tap "Next"
You will see the conversion value from foreign currency to Philippine Peso
Review the details and tap "Confirm"
Enter the 6-digit OTP sent to your GCash mobile number
Tap "Submit"
You will now see the transaction confirmation and this is in fact real time transaction. Congrats! You have successfully cashed in from Payoneer to GCash!

Payoneer to GCash Transaction Fee

In my first transaction from Payoneer to GCash this May 2021, I transferred a total of $225. However, the net transfer is only $220.5 and the deduction is $4.5 (which is 2%) and I received Php10,542.10. Therefore I can confirm that there is indeed a transaction fee of 2% and the transfer is not really free as claimed before.

Related: Buy Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash and Ripple in Coins PH {alertWarning}

Payoneer to GCash Maximum Transfer Cap

As confirmed by William Yap of GCash, the maximum transfer cap from Payoneer to GCash is Php100,000 as stipulated by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Also, before you make any transactions, make sure that your verification level supports the amount that you will transfer.

Conclusion

Online funds transfer is getting easier and cheaper these days. This empowers online business owners and freelancers to go global as geographical barriers are no longer an issue.

While cryptocurrency are still making massive developments, payment platforms and e-Wallets can merge together to offer advanced solutions with competitive pricing for online merchants.

How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash

2021-05-15T17:51:00.014+08:00

Shopee and Lazada are our main companions these days when we get bored and it elevated a new shopping experience for people without compromising the risk of COVID-19. In this post I will teach you how to top up your Shopee Pay account using GCash.

Related: How to Send Money via GCash {alertInfo}

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Why Shopee, not Lazada?

My girlfriend and I are Shopeeholics. We like to browse the Shopee app and if we find something interesting, we add it to cart and wait for the monthly promotions i.e 4/4, 5/5, 7/7 and so on.

Sign up to Shopee Now {alertInfo}

For us Shopee is better than Lazada for these reasons.

Cheaper Items

We don't want to spend more for the same item, right? Else we will regret in the end knowing that there's a cheaper one in the other platform.

That is exactly the reason why we prefer Shopee over Lazada. We always compare the prices for the same item and most of the time, Shopee has cheaper listings than Lazada.

Free Shipping & Cashback Vouchers

Shopee has a daily routine of giving away free shipping vouchers. It usually happens at 12pm, 6pm, 9pm or 12 am midnight. If we want to check out an item in our carts, we usually wait at 12 am midnight for us to avail free shipping vouchers. Shipping fee is around 120-160 by the way so that's a lot of money if you purchase 6-8 items in a month.

Related: How to Cash In from Payoneer to GCash {alertWarning}

And oh, on top of that you could also earn coins for every purchase! The same coins can be used for discounts. Pretty good deal, right?

Easy User Interface

I hate to say this but Lazada app has a crappy user interface. It is cluttered and the use of colors is not cohesive. The color accents are not there. You don't know where to look and you can't find what you're looking for.

Shopee app on the other hand is well-designed. I love the use of their branding and it stands out in the homepage. The user experience is pretty intuitive and it's not confusing at all.

Why GCash?

GCash is a staple app for every Filipino. In this era of pandemic, you can hardly survive without electronic wallets. Electronic wallets or e-wallets help us pay utility bills online, buy groceries or merchandise, transfer money and order food delivery services.

In this post we will use GCash to transfer money going to Shopee Pay.

Related: How to Cash In to GCash using BPI Online {alertInfo}

Why Use Shopee Pay?

When shopping online via Shopee, it is efficient to use Shopee Pay to pay for the items that you want to buy. Perks like free shipping, cashback vouchers or coins are only available for Shopee Pay transactions so might as well take advantage of that to save even more money.

How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash

Adding funds or topping up Shopee Pay is quite easy and straightforward. The best part of this is that you will only use the Shopee app. You don't need to open your GCash account.

Here are the steps on how to top up Shopee Pay using GCash.

Log in to Shopee app
There are two ways to access Shopee Pay

In the home page, tap the portion showing your Shopee Pay balance
In the home page, tap "Me" at the bottom right to access your account. Scroll down and tap "Shopee Pay"

Tap "Top Up"
Under "Input Amount", enter the amount that you want to top up
Tap "Payment", tap "Payment Center / e-Wallet"
Tap "GCash"
Tap "Confirm"
Tap "Pay Now"
Tap "Pay"
Log in with your GCash account. Enter your mobile number and tap "Next"
Enter the 6-digit authentication code sent to your mobile number
Log in to GCash with your 4-digit MPIN. Tap "Next"
Review the details. Once you're okay, tap "Pay PHP XX.XX"
That's it you're done! Your Shopee Pay balance should now be updated.

Conclusion

Using Shopee Pay is necessary if you are shopping in Shopee. Aside from saving money for free shipping, you could also earn discounts on your next purchase. On the other hand, you are also saving yourself from credit card debt since you are obligated to only spend the money that you have, not with your credit card.

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How to Buy Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash and Ripple in Coins.ph 2021 (A Complete Guide)

2021-05-10T00:54:00.015+08:00

While everyone is going CRAZY having massive returns in cryptocurrency north of 250% or 450%, it is never too late to ride the big wave.

Investing in crypto is rewarding but let us not discount the fact that is also very risky. You will lose money at some point.

Related: What is Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency {alertWarning}

Therefore, before you start pouring your cash and wait for value appreciation, please take time to read my previous post about cryptocurrency and bitcoin. In that post I detailed exactly the history of bitcoin and the risks you will be facing as an investor.

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What is Coins.ph

Coins is an electronic wallet or e-wallet similar to GCash. You could store money inside your e-wallet and make online transactions such as paying utility bills, shopping online, buying crypto and sending money to other banks.

Is Coins.ph safe?

Coins was founded in 2014 and currently has 10 million users in the Philippines. Coins also claimed on their website that they are regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Moreover, they are the "first blockchain-based company in Asia to hold both virtual currency and Electronic Money Issuer licenses from a central bank."

I've been using the Coins app since September 2017 and so far I am very satisfied with it.

The convenience of using the app for paying utility bills and money transfer saved me a heck a lot of time. In fact it is one of the most essential apps Filipinos should use.

Related: How to Cash In from Payoneer to GCash {alertWarning}

In my four years of using the app, I have never been scammed and there were no sketchy transactions in my account. Thus I can confidently say that Coins is very safe to use.
Coins vs. GCash -- which is better?

Coins and GCash are pretty similar apps. You could use either of the two for paying utility bills, shopping online, government transactions and money transfer.

Related: How to Cash in to GCash via BPI Online {alertWarning}

But there is only one unique difference between them: cryptocurrency.

Coins has an integrated cryptocurrency wallet so you could invest, send or receive crypto such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ripple (XRP) in the same app. GCash doesn't support crypto as of the moment.

This is a big deal because there are other major cryptocurrency exchange apps in the market. However, they are not based in the Philippines and it couldn't be integrated to your local bank so I still prefer Coins over other apps.

The decision then is clear, function-wise Coins is better than GCash. With it's crypto wallet support, you could exchange assets anytime from crypto to fiat currency (Philippine Peso) and vice versa. How cool is that?

How to Cash In to Coins.ph from GCash

Cashing in or depositing money to Coins is very easy and there are various ways to do it. You can select from several options below and follow on-screen instructions.

Here's how to do it:

Log in to your GCash account
Tap "Bank Transfer"
Under "Select Partner Banks", tap "View All"
On the Search field, type "DCPay" and tap "Coins.ph (DCPay)"
Enter the amount beside the "PHP" field (make sure that you have sufficient balance in your GCash account
Enter your name in the "Account Name" field e.g. Juan de la Cruz
Enter your mobile number in the "Account Number" field e.g. 09123456789
Enter your email in the "Send Receipt to" field. This is optional
Tap "Send Money"

Preferred Cash In Locations

These are the cash in methods recommended by Coins as these are real time and you can cash in instantly but if these options aren't possible for you then there are other countless ways to do it.

Palawan Pawnshop
Western Union
M Lhuillier ePay
Metrobank via Instapay
UnionBank Online via Instapay

E-Wallets

Coins.ph
GCash
Paymaya

Online Bank Transfer

AllBank (A Thrift Bank) Inc.
Asia United Bank
Bangko Mabuhay (A Rural Bank)
Bank of Commerce
CIMB
CTBC Bank
Camalig Bank
Card Bank, Inc.
Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank
China Bank Savings
China Banking Corporation
Development Bank of the Philippines
Dungganon Bank, Inc.
EastWest Bank
EastWest Rural Bank
Equicom Savings Bank, Inc.
ING Bank N.V.
ISLA Bank, Inc.
Landbank / OFBank
Malayan Bank Savings and Mortgage Bank, Inc.
Maybank Philippines, Inc.
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company
Omnipay, Inc.
PNB Savings Bank
Partner Rural Bank (Cotabato), Inc.
Philippine Bank of Communications
Philippine Business Bank, Inc.
Philippine National Bank
Philippine Savings Bank
Philippine Trust Company
Philippine Veterans Bank
Producers Savings Bank
Quezon Capital Rural Bank, Inc.
RCBC Savings Bank, Inc.
RCBC/DiskarTech
Robinsons Bank Corporation
Rural Bank Corporation
Rural Bank of Guinobatan
Security Bank Corporation
Sterling Bank of Asia, Inc.
Sun Savings Bank, Inc.
UCPB Savings Bank, Inc.
UnionBank Online Banking
UnionBank of the Philippines
United Coconut Planters Bank
Wealth Development Bank Corporation
Yuanta Savings Bank Philippines, Inc.

Over-the-Counter Banking

ChinaBank (via DragonPay)
UnionBank Over-the-Counter

Remittance Center

Cebuana Lhuillier Instant Cash In
LBC Bills Xpress via DragonPay
M Lhuillier ePay
Palawan Pawnshop
PeraHub

Department Store

Robinsons Business Center via DragonPay
SM Bills Payment Center via DragonPay

International Options

Remitly
Ria Money Transfer
Western Union
WorldRemit

Kiosk Payments

Posible
eTap Deposit

How to Buy Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash and Ripple in Coins PH

Buying Bitcoin is so easy, thanks to the user-friendly interface of Coins. Here are the steps on how to buy Bitcoin in Coins.

If you don't have a balance in your Peso Wallet, follow the previous steps first on how to cash in to your Coins account.

Log on to Coins app
Tap "Crypto"
Tap "Convert"
Under "You are converting from:", select "PHP" from the dropdown menu
Enter the Peso amount that you want to convert e.g. 2000 or 5000
Under "You will receive:", select the crypto that you want to own e.g. BTC, ETH, BCH or XRP
Coins will now compute the amount of crypto that you will receive
Swipe "Slide to Convert" to proceed
Done! You now have a crypto!

How to Convert from Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash or Ripple to Philippine Peso in Coins PH

The best thing about crypto is that it is always online 24/7. Hence as you see profits in your account, you can liquidate your earnings and convert to Philippine Peso at your disposal. Here's few easy steps on how to do it.

Log in to Coins app
Tap "Crypto"
Tap "Convert"
Under "You are converting from:" field, select the crypto
Enter the amount that you want to convert. You can also choose "Convert all"
Under "You will receive:" field, select "PHP"
Now you will see the converted value in Philippine Peso based on the "Current Rate"
Swipe to right the "Slide to Convert"
Done!

You could also convert from crypto to crypto. Here are the other possible conversions.

Bitcoin (BTC) to Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) or Ripple (XRP)
Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) or Ripple (XRP) to Bitcoin (BTC)

How to Cash Out from Coins to GCash

This is the best part! Cashing out is as easy as cashing in. Once you decided to reap your profits, you can convert from crypto to Philippine Peso. Here's how you can cash out from Coins to GCash.

Log in to Coins
Tap "Cash Out"
Under E-Wallets, tap the GCash icon
Enter the amount you want to transfer
Select delivery time. Choose "Instapay" for transaction within 10 mins (with Php10 fee). PESONet is not available for GCash
Tap "Next"
On the "GCash Account Name", enter your name or the recipient's name
On the "GCash Mobile Number", enter your mobile number or on the "Recipient Mobile Number", enter the recipient's mobile number
Tap "Next"
Done

Preferred Cash Out Locations

Again, the following options are recommended by Coins to withdraw your money instantly. You can also verify the transactions real time.

LBC Instant Peso Padala
Palawan Express Pera Padala
GrabPay (InstaPay)
M Lhuillier Cash Pickup

Banks

Al-Amanah Islamic Bank
AllBank (A Thrift Bank) Inc.
Allied Bank Corporation
Asia United Bank
Australia & New Zealand Bank
BDO
BDO Network Bank, Inc.
BPI
BPI Family Savings Bank
Bangko Mabuhay (A Rural Bank), Inc.
Bangkok Bank Public Co., Ltd.
Bank of America, Nat'l. Ass'n.
Bank of China
Bank of Commerce
Bank of Florida (A Rural Bank)
Binangonan Rural Bank (BRBDigital)
CIMB Bank Phils, Inc.
CTBC Bank (Philippines) Corporation
Camalig Bank
Cantilan Bank
Card Bank, Inc.
Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank, Inc.
China Bank Savings
China Banking Corporation
Citibank, N.A.
Community Rural Bank of Romblon
Deutsche Bank
Development Bank of the Philippines
Dungganon Bank, Inc.
EastWest Bank
EastWest Rural Bank/Komo
Equicom Savings Bank, Inc.
First Consolidated Bank
Guagua Rural Ban
HK and Shanghai Banking Corp.
HSBC Savings Ban
ING Bank N.V.
ISLA Bank (A Thrift Bank) Inc.
Industrial Bank of Korea - Manila
Innovative Bank (Innobank) Inc.
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Keb Hana Bank
Landbank / OFBank
MUFG Bank, Ltd
Malayan Bank Savings and Mortgage Bank, Inc.
Maybank Philippines, Inc.
Mega Intl Comml Bank Co. Ltd
Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company
Mizuho Bank, Ltd
Partner Rural Bank (Cotabato), Inc.
Philippine Bank of Communications
Philippine Business Bank, Inc.
Philippine National Bank
Philippine Savings Bank
Philippine Trust Company
Philippine Veterans Bank
Planters Bank
Producers Savings Bank
Queen City Development Bank
Quezon Capital Rural Bank, Inc.
RCBC Savings Bank, Inc.
RCBC/DiskarTech
Rang-ay Bank Inc.
Robinsons Bank Corporation
Rural Bank of Digos
Rural Bank of Guinobatan
Security Bank Corporation
Security Bank Savings
Shinhan Bank
Sterling Bank of Asia, Inc.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.
Sun Savings Bank, Inc.
The Standard Chartered Bank
UCPB Savings Bank, Inc.
UnionBank of the Philippines
United Coconut Planters Bank
Wealth Development Bank Corporation
Yuanta Savings Bank Philippines, Inc.

E-Wallets

GCash
GrabPay Philippines
Paymaya Philippines, Inc.
Starpay
Remittance Centers
LBC Instant Peso Padala
M Lhuillier Cash Pickup
Palawan Express Pera Padala
Cash Card
RCBC MyWallet

Tollway Credits

AutoSweep RFID
Easytrip NLEX Toll

Conclusion

Investing in crypto is so much easier now with Coins. With proper education and mindset, anyone can harness the power of crypto to achieve significant value appreciation that other investment vehicles cannot offer.

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Udemy Review: A Comprehensive Assessment

2021-04-07T11:34:00.000+08:00

Traditional learning like schools offers a great way for us to obtain a degree or learn new skills. But there are disadvantages in this medium: first, it is very expensive and second, actual presence is mandatory. There is a better way and worth investing. It is through E-learning.

Related: Search Google Like a Pro - 20 Best Tricks {alertWarning}

E-learning is an interactive way to learn skills or acquire knowledge through the internet via information products like videos or webinar series. The price of the courses usually ranges from $9-499 (Php 400 – 20,000) which is way cheaper than universities and the best thing is that you can take this course while snorkeling in Maldives or climbing Machu Picchu. This post is a comprehensive review about Udemy - one of my favorite e-learning platform.

One way to obtain a course for FREE is through Coursera, TreeHouse, Codecademy and other online courses. However, the topics for these websites are very broad and it would take you 3-6 months to finish. My recommendation is to try Udemy!

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Enter Udemy

Udemy is an excellent website for learning great stuffs like Basic Accounting, Fashion Design, Android App Development, Stress Management, Photoshop CS6, SEO, Project Management or even Self-defense. You name it and most certainly they have it.

The best thing that I like about this website is that it's very cheap and the courses are well-structured. Besides, there are other relevant advantages that set Udemy apart from other sites.

How to pick the best Udemy courses

Read all about the course

Navigate through the course description, instructors (to see if he is competent enough on the subject), the requirements (so that you would know if it requires an intermediate knowledge or if it's newbie-friendly); or if it requires a software to install or an investment to start.

Topics and video length

The individual topics and video length are very important to see if the course covers everything that you need to know and it's not missing anything. Try to check the preview video(s) if the instructor's coaching style is clear enough in terms of the following:

Amplitude – make sure you understand exactly what the instructor is speaking on his lecture. Some instructors have soft voices that you don't hear what they are saying. For me this could be a deciding factor.

Quality – select instructors that speak and enunciate the words clearly. Although most instructors have presentations on their lecture, others don't. It will be hard for you if the voice is not conducive for learning.

Ratings

Nothing could go wrong on a course with 5-star ratings. Check out the average rating and if it's less than 5 stars, search the least rating and read the comments for you to have a glimpse of what other students are saying.

Price

Some courses are FREE. Yes, you don´t have to pay a dime. Other courses are extremely expensive like Shoemoney System but other students are not satisfied about it so don´t be deceived. Intuitively we know that the higher the price, the better but it doesn't apply all the time.

Top 9 Advantages of Udemy

User-friendly

The user-interface and web design is really great. I never had a hard time searching for the courses I've enrolled, available courses, instructor's profile and payment processing. It's simply perfect.

Course reviews

Before you enroll in any course, you can browse through the course reviews and see for yourself what others are saying about. You can rate courses from 1-5 stars and post comments about your experience. Some instructors though will ask you to give a positive review for an incentive. This is solely to increase their rankings but your review greatly depends on you.

30 days Refund Policy

It´s absolutely safe. One time I saw a course on Swift and iOS Development. I checked the instructor, his experience, what could I learn on the course and the requirements. It's all fine. So I hit the “Take This Course” button and paid with my Paypal account. I went through the course but on the 4th video, there was something that I needed to install for me to run xCode (MacOS program) because I'm a Windows user. Unfortunately, my computer wouldn't allow me to install the program.

In the "About" section of the course, the instructor stated that if someone couldn't install the program, he can opt out and ask for a refund. I emailed the instructor about my case and asked to cancel the course. Automatically, he sent me a refund. No fuss. It´s that easy. As long as you cancel within 30 days, you´re good to go.

Niche courses

There are numerous courses out there and you can enroll easily what you can imagine. You simply have to choose the best ones based on ratings, reviews and price. Read about the course entirely and see if it matches what you need.

Payment Options

When I enrolled in my first course, it took me just a blink of an eye to process my payment. Yes it's fast and easy. You have two options to pay: Paypal or credit card.

I prefer to use Paypal because it's fast and safe. You simply have to type your email and it´s done. I suggest you sign up for Paypal here.

Credit card is another option but it's not safe all the time because you are exposing your credit card number every time you make a transaction. Thus, the recipient can see your credit card number and we might not know if it will be in good hands or not.

Full autonomy

One thing special about Udemy is that no one is putting pressure on you to learn. Learning should be fun. You decide when to start and when to proceed. You control the pace. If you want to take it slowly in details, it's up to you. Or if you want to skip the minutiae you can do so and go to the next chapters.

Mobility: Udemy App

Udemy has its own Android and iOS apps. What's better is you can even download the videos so that you can view it offline! Download the app here ==> Android | iOS

Here's how to download videos:

a. Select the course that you want

b. Click the download button (you need to hit the download button every chapter)

c. Wait until it's done and voila, you can now view videos even without internet connection!

Completion certificate

Some courses offer a certificate of completion. This is great for courses like Social Media Marketing, Project Management or Talent Management because you can use this as reference for relevant purposes.

Discounts

This is what I love most! Some premium Udemy courses are expensive that you can't chase the price. What I usually do is add these courses on my "Wishlist" and wait until they offer discounts.

This is how I acquired my course on CPA Secrets for just $10! The original price is $97 but when Udemy offered a 90% discount, I had no doubts but to buy. This happens frequently as they are continuously promoting courses.

Conclusion

Udemy is a goldmine if you want to learn new skills. The site is user-friendly, courses are cheap and you can even enroll FREE courses. Just make sure to check the ratings, reviews and topic discussions before you enroll. Overall, the courses are worth investing. I highly recommend this site!

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7 Ways To Take Advantage From the CoronaVirus Pandemic

2021-03-30T15:47:00.001+08:00

The corona virus pandemic hits the global scene and affects the lives of people. However, businesses never stop and so most of us are still working and staying at home. These are 7 best ways you can take advantage of the corona virus / quarantine.

1. Start that Business

Many of us have been wanting to start a business. Let this isolation be the best opportunity for you to do your research, study your market, get your licenses and set all things up so that by the time the crisis is over, you can start the ball running with your new business. Guess what, some of the world's top companies were started during a recession. Even a microbusiness is a good start. There are no excuses for not starting a business.

2. Read a Book

Dust off your books or get on your ebooks and start reading. This is the best time to read the books you've been wanting to read. Some of the best lessons I learned in life are from the books I've read. Personally I like ebooks than hard copies for portability reasons. I could store hundreds of ebooks in my library without the heavy load.

3. Learn to Code

I'm learning how to code thru online courses using Udemy. It's fun to learn from the best teachers at your own pace, no pressure and you can get back on track anytime you want. You can even download videos so that access courses offline. Check out courses on Udemy.

4. Spend Quality Time with Loved Ones

Use this opportunity to sit down and have a real talk with your loved ones. Dine together and play with your kids without any distractions: no mobile phones, no social media.

5. Invest in the Stock Market

Stocks hit the rock bottom especially airline stocks. Now is the best time to buy and profit. Check out my Facebook post on blue chip stocks price comparison between Nov 2019 and Mar 2020. This could be the only time with the highest odds of making money through stocks.

6. Learn a New Skill

If you've been too busy at work you could no longer make time to learn skills that you genuinely like to do. Is it learning how to play a guitar or baking pastries? Now is the perfect time to learn the ropes. Check out some resources in Google and you'll be surprised with references you can follow.

7. Tidy Up Your Home

This is the most practical approach to make use of your time while staying at home. Dust off your furniture or clean your toilet. These tasks are mundane yet satisfying enough when accomplished. Remember that a clean house is a sign of a clean mind.

Conclusion

Working from home is a common practice these days to avoid the spread of the corona virus. This is a serious disease as the death toll rises particularly in the US and Europe. Rather than getting bored at home, you can take advantage of this crisis by simply doing something else.

A final note, for the sake of our loved ones, please always stay at home. Go out only when necessary. Now isn't the time to criticize government's mandate. We could always argue with government's lapses but this time the best thing that we can do is to stay at home. For more information about the corona virus pandemic, visit the official website of World Health Organization.

eCommerce is also growing at a rapid pace, thanks to COVID-19, people are scared or discouraged to go out unless necessary. Online shopping is the new normal.

When everything's going online, it makes sense to adapt technological breakthroughs. Surely, it saves us a lot of time and makes our task easy.

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6 Ultra High Quality Websites to Feed Your Brain

2021-03-24T10:00:00.000+08:00

Facebook is a total waste of time. You learn nothing. In this post I will share to you 6 ultra high quality websites to feed your brain. These resources are very important to me that I consider it my source of wisdom.

You may have known some of these websites. In fact some of them became viral in social media. Make your time productive as I share to you these top websites I consider to be best alternatives to Facebook.

1. TED

TED is a collection of live talks and conferences. Speakers are top caliber experts on the subject matter.

Here's a list of my favorite talks from my heroes.

1. Steve Jobs

2. Elon Musk

3. Anthony Robbins

You can explore several topics and in fact they have created playlists. Here's my favorite playlists so far.

2. Mood for Adventure

3. What does the Future Look Like

You can also download the TED app in App Store or Google Play.

2. Quora

If you have questions about anything or just want to learn a specific topic, Quora is the go-to site. I have seen Quorans asking how Drew Houston (DropBox founder) learned to hack operating systems and Barack Obama's opinions about Iran leaders.

What makes it very interesting is that you can choose the topics you want to follow. I personally follow Lifehacks, Stocks, Backpacking and Learning New Things.

A lot of CEO's and founders are in Quora.

1. Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia)

2. Adam D'Angelo (Quora)

3. Ashton Kutcher (Actor, Venture Capitalist)

4. Sheryl Sandberg (Facebook COO)

5. Michael Arrington (TechCrunch)

6. Marc Andreessen (Venture Capitalist)

7. Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks Owner)

You can download the Quora app in App Store or Google Play. Follow me in Quora.

3. Zenhabits

Zenhabits was awarded as TIME Magazine's Top 25 Blogs of 2009 and 2010. One of the best blogs in the world.

Topics on minimalism, simplicity and mindfulness.

Leo Babauta has emphasized the benefits of living with less stuff, veganism, meditation and mindfulness. It will show you how to live life worry-free.

Leo also has a sea change program that aims to develop a habit through accountability with other members.

4. Coursera

Free online courses from Harvard, MIT or Princeton professors. Yes, FREE at Coursera.

Wide array of courses to choose from and professors are from Ivy League universities. Courses take weeks or months but only require few hours a week.

Assignments are also given. For a minimal fee, you can acquire a course certificate of completion.

Here are my favorite courses in Coursera.

1. Google IT Support Professional Certificate

2. Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate

3. IBM Data Science Professional Certificate

Download the Coursera app in App Store or Google Play.

5. Financial Samurai

A personal finance blog who walks-the-talk. The author talks about his passive income investments and net worth.

Financial Samurai is founded by Sam, a financial geek who was a millionaire before he turned 30.

He's very transparent. In fact he shows his net worth and income from his real estate business. The author credibility is high. Unlike from other self-proclaimed financial gurus, he does what he teaches. And he's a substantially rich guy.

Here's a list of my favorite posts.

1. Ranking the Best Passive Income

2. The Rise of Stealth Wealth

3. The Average Net Worth for Above Average Person

6. Udemy

The best learn-at-your-pace e-learning platform. I have spent courses in Udemy and the value I get is tenfold.

I enrolled in html/css programming and app development courses. Fantastic. Outstanding instructors.The lectures are recorded in videos. You can download videos so that you can access even if you're offline.

Here are my favorite courses in uDemy. I am currently enrolled to these courses.

1. iOS 13 and Swift 5 - The Complete iOS App Development Bootcamp

2. Learn Android App Development with Java

3. The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0

Download the uDemy app in App Store or Google Play.

Conclusion

Social media has been the best and worst discovery of all time. It distracts us from our tasks and devours our time. Worst is we learn nothing out of it. Instead, why not spend your time on learning something?

There are a lot more free resources to feed your brain. What else are you using that I haven’t mentioned?

You Don’t Need to be Warren Buffett to Invest in Stock Market

2021-03-17T15:00:00.001+08:00

Not long ago when I opened my online trading account, my officemate saw me and criticized for having a stock market account. "Are you an expert on stock market?” I didn’t answer to end the conversation. The more you talk, the worse it gets so I just smiled. But then I said to myself, "You don't need to be Warren Buffett to invest in the stock market."

The thing is, skeptics have the loudest mouth but don't get things done. Worse, their comments don't empower people at all. That incident inspired me to write this post. Perhaps I could let someone forward this post so she could learn the least.

So that’s what I did. I did not say a word. I only smiled and thought, perhaps he was right and maybe he was wrong. He was right in a way that I am not an expert in stock trading. I admit that. Gosh, who is? And maybe he was wrong.

COLFinancial

Although I’m not an expert in stock market, that won't stop me at all. COLFinancial’s interface is easy that even a 6 year old can do the trade for me. And even if it's risky, I know I could always mitigate risks in stock market trading.

I never tried their demo account. I never researched anything about their trading platform. What prompted me to make a move is that it is recommended by Bo Sanchez. He trade stocks through COLFinancial. Even his maids and drivers invest on it too. So why shouldn’t I?

Now my account is good and I earn a bit. But my earnings are higher than saving my money in banks. In a savings account you would only earn roughly 1% per annum. While in stock market you could earn as much as 20% per annum.

You don’t really need the knowledge of Warren Buffett to start. You don’t have to be a stockbroker either. COLFinancial provides a daily investment guide that you can refer what stocks to buy. And you don’t need a huge amount to start investing. At Php1,000 you can already open an account. Read my other post on how to open an account with COLFinancial.

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How to Buy Bitcoin, Ether and Other Crypto in the Philippines 2021 - A Complete Guide

2021-02-18T17:05:00.216+08:00

On Feb 9, 2021, Bitcoin (btc) price soared at an all time high of around Php 2.3 Million ($47,000). Yes, there's no typo in there, it's more than 2 million pesos. So the question is, have you profited from bitcoin at that time?

If yes, then good for you! If not, then we're just the same. The thing is, first of all, its price is unpredictable and second, extremely volatile. Worry not, there's still a chance to make money from bitcoin.

Related: Buy Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple in Coins PH {alertWarning}

So how did bitcoin reach its enormous value today? Well, let's go back to the price history.

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Price History of Bitcoin

Date	USD : 1 BTC	Notes
1. 2009-2010	basically nothing	no exchanges; users were mainly cryptography fans
2. May 2010	less than $0.01	A man bought a pizza for 10,000 btc that would have been worth $448 million today!
3. Feb 2011	$1	bitcoin valued at $1 (P50)
4. Nov 2013	$350 - $1,242	price rose from $350 (P16,000) in Oct to $1,242 (P59,000) in Nov
5. Sep 2017	$5,013.91	broke the $5,000 (P240,000) for the first time
6. Nov 2017	$7,600 - 8,100	this surge of bitcoin may be related to Zimbabwean coup d'etat
7. Dec 2017	$19,783.06	all time high; price reached more than $19,000 (P913,000)!
8. Dec 2018	$3,300	back to $3,300 (P158,000) 83% drop from previous year
9. Jul 2020	$10,944	230% increase in 19 months!
10. Nov 2020	$19,850.11	new all time high!
11. Jan 2021	$34,800	new all time high $34,800 (P1.6M)! 75% increase in 2 months!
12. Feb 2021	$44,200	new all time high $44,200 (P2.1M)! Price surged when Elon Musk announced $1.5 Billion investment to bitcoin and includes acceptance of bitcoin payments to Tesla

Bitcoin started in Jan 2009 and it's created by a cryptographer with a pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. If you Google him you could not find a single verifiable source that would link him to any individual. Yes, it's still a mystery why he chose to remain anonymous.

There are a lot of speculations as to who Satoshi Nakamoto is but none of them confirmed their identify as the Bitcoin founder.

Bitcoin's value started with physically nothing. On May 2010, its value is around $0.01 (P0.48)! A man even bought 2 large pizzas from Papa John's for 10,000 btc! That would have been $448 million today! Think about that for a second.

More than 4 years later, it reached the value of $1,242 (P59,000)! And then, on Sep 2017 it broke $5,000 (P240,000) for the first time. It struck the $19,000 (P913,000) mark on Dec 2017 but one year later, it dropped back to $3,300 (P158,000). I could still remember that time because I was mining ethereum (eth) back then and it was really painful because eth value dropped from P30,000 to P8,000!

However, after 7 months, in Jul 2020 Bitcoin it bounced back to $10,944 (P525,000)! It's worth noting here that Bitcoin continuously appreciates even with the pandemic going on and it always breaks records year after year!

On Nov 2020, it reached its new all time high at $19,850 (almost a million at P953,000)! That value almost doubled after 2 months when on Jan 2021, its value peaked at $34,800 (P1.6 Million). That is 75% increase in just 2 months!

But, things aren't going to stop from there, on Feb 2021 Bitcoin reached yet another all time high at $44,200 (P2.1 Million) when Elon Musk, the serial entrepreneur who founded Tesla and SpaceX, invested around $1.5 Billion of Bitcoin and started accepting Bitcoin payments for Tesla!

What is Bitcoin? How Does Bitcoin Work?

Bitcoin is a decentralized cryptocurrency. In layman's term, it is a digital currency or electronic money without a central bank or administrator and is protected by strong cryptography that could be used as a medium of exchange between two people.

Unlike any fiat currencies like the US Dollars, Swiss Francs, Euros or Philippine Pesos, Bitcoin is not physically tangible. There are no paper bills or coins, it is purely digital and can only be stored thru a Bitcoin wallet.

There are no central authorities (like the Federal Reserve or Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) that govern the creation and exchange of Bitcoin. Rather, it relies on strong cryptography, by the help of computers, to validate millions of transactions every second.

Cryptography is about constructing and analyzing protocols that prevent 3rd parties or the public from reading messages. This is very important. Since no one is solely responsible for monitoring transactions, only computers with strong computational capacity can decode complex mathematical algorithms to validate transactions.

How to Buy Bitcoin, Ether or Crypto in the Philippines

To own Bitcoin, Ether or other crypto, you need to create a wallet first. This is where you store your crypto. This is very easy and you can do this automatically when you open a crypto or bitcoin mobile wallet. However, if you prefer to use a desktop wallet, you may do so since this is safer but it is more difficult than mobile.

Once you created a bitcoin mobile wallet account, you can deposit your money to your mobile wallet and from there, you can exchange your fiat currency to any crypto that you like, i.e. Bitcoin. And that is it. It is easy and fast to own Bitcoin.

What is a Cryptocurrency

A cryptocurrency (or crypto) is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange. Its transactions are stored in the blockchain or public ledger which is protected by a strong cryptography to secure transaction records, control the creation of coins and to verify transactions.

Bitoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple and many others, are cryptocurrencies. They are developed independently from separate persons or group of people. They may be designed for a different purpose but the main idea is that they are all decentralized which means no specific central authority controls the creation, monitoring and distribution of coins.

What is a Blockchain

A blockchain is a database or digital records of transactions. It stores data in terms of blocks and is connected/chained to each other hence called blockchain.

It is worth noting that the blockchain is publicly available. You can browse how much BTC a certain wallet contains as well as the transactions. However, the most exciting feature here is that it promotes privacy as it doesn't contain any name, email, address or any sensitive information from the wallet owner.

Bitcoin, as an example, is the first cryptocurrency in history which uses the blockchain technology. Here's how it works.

The founder(s) created Bitcoin and decides how many Bitcoins are available for distribution. He then offers an initial coin offering (ICO). It's similar to stock market's initial public offering (IPO) where a company goes public and looks for funds from investors. In this case, he's also looking for investors who are interested to buy Bitcoins with the exchange of fiat currencies.

The first few transactions of a cryptocurrency is called a Genesis block. This is the beginning of distribution or transaction of a crypto. The succeeding transactions then follow, created within a new block, and so on.

In Bitcoin, for example, there are 3,500 transactions for every block and 144 blocks are generated every day. That simply means, a total of 504,000 (3,500 x 144) transactions are generated every day involving sending and receiving bitcoins. But since there are no central authorities, who will validate the transactions?

Well, this is the role of Bitcoin mining.

What is Bitcoin Mining? How to Mine Bitcoin?

There are only 21 millions BTC available for distribution. Right now, Bitcoin's market cap is almost a trillion dollars at around $987 Billion (21M x $47k). Around 18.5 million BTC are already circulating and only 2.5 million BTC left to be mined.

Bitcoin mining is the process of validating transactions and at the same time generating new Bitcoins, thru a computer's processing power. You either need a graphics processing unit (GPU) or an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) in order to set up a mining rig.

By mining, you can earn Bitcoins without the need of converting fiat currency. You only need to invest an ASIC miner to mine Bitcoins. Miners get rewarded if they are the first people who validate block transactions in a form of complex hashing puzzle.

If you have the mining power, which means you have a lot of computing capacity, you have a higher chance of completing the hash puzzle first and you'll be rewarded with Bitcoins.

At the time of inception, the Bitcoin reward for every block was 50 BTC. The reward is halved every 210,000 blocks or approximately every 4 years. Right now, BTC reward per block is 6.25 BTC which is very small as compared to 50 BTC but the value of BTC keeps on increasing so this is justifiable.

What is a Bitcoin wallet

A Bitcoin wallet is like your digital wallet where your Bitcoins are stored. Your BTC wallet is identified by a wallet address which is a string of 26-35 alphanumeric characters and that is all it takes to send or receive BTC. It contains a private key for security and this key corresponds to the wallet address.

Types of Bitcoin wallets

There are 4 types of BTC wallets: mobile, web, desktop and hardware.

Bitcoin mobile wallets

In Philippines, there are quite a number of BTC mobile wallets for buying, sending or receiving BTC. These wallets, in general, support other crypto so you could jump on any altcoins that you wish to invest.

Mobile wallets are very convenient as you can buy and trade crypto on the go! I tried using these 4 wallets and tabulated the information I gathered. Here's what I found.

Abra Wallet

For me, Abra has the best user interface among the 4 wallets. It is fast and easy to use. It also offers a low minimum deposit at P500. The functions are intuitive enough and you'll never get lost of the app. Also, I love their "interest-earning crypto" feature where you can earn an average of 4% interest and it is paid weekly! Abra has the most number of crypto being traded so if you love altcoins, you are going to love Abra.

However, buying BTC is not that cheap as compared to Coins and it only allows you to cash out through your bank account or another crypto wallet.

edge Wallet

If you like trading altcoins and you love various gift cards then you'll probably love the edge wallet. There are a lot of crypto being traded in the platform. The app looks good and it's easy to use.

You can cash in thru debit or credit card and thru your crypto wallet. The minimum deposit of P2,500 is not that huge so everyone can join without a friction

Although this app is one of the winners on user experience, the only downside is the cash out process. Currently they only allow via crypto wallet or gift cards such as 7-Eleven, Mobile Legends, Skype, etc. There isn't enough flexibility on their withdrawal methods and not everyone likes gift cards. If bank transfer is added on their withdrawal options then I would consider using this app in the future.

eToro Wallet

eToro takes pride as the leading social trading platform. The number one feature that sets them apart from other crypto exchange is their copy-trading capability. This means that you can find successful traders on the platform and copy their portfolio or trading activities. This is huge because you can interact with other traders on the platform itself - there is no need to go to Facebook or other social media sites.

Also, one of the tempting reasons to use eToro is that aside from crypto, you could also trade US-listed stocks, commodities, currencies, ETF's and indices. If you're an experienced investor with a diverse portfolio then eToro is there for you!

The caveat of this trading platform is that it needs P10,000 minimum investment. This is quite a stretch as most of us prefer a minimum amount as much as possible. Apparently this platform is intended for seasoned investors.

Coins Wallet

The pioneer e-Wallet in the Philippines is indeed one of the best mobile crypto wallets. I compared these 4 apps simultaneously and found out that Coins offers the greatest bang for your buck. Among the 4, it is the cheapest platform to buy BTC. Not only that, it has the lowest minimum deposit too at P15! Now nobody can beat that.

Related: Buy Bitcoin, Ether, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple in Coins PH {alertWarning}

If you aren't impressed yet, think about the convenience it offers as you can also send money to other e-Wallets like GCash, Paymaya or perhaps pay your utility bills such as Meralco, PLDT, Maynilad, etc. This is truly unbeatable. The only downside for Coins is that it only offers 4 crypto at the moment: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Ripple. Sorry, Dogecoin lovers!

Bitcoin web wallets

I don't really recommend using web wallets due to bad security. I would rather recommend mobile wallets, desktop wallets or hardware wallets. But for the sole purpose of identifying this option, here's what you need to know.

Web wallets are wallets that run on your browser similar to any other website. It isn't safe because your private keys (which is your wallet password) is kept by a custodian (the person who owns the site) or is being encrypted with your password.

Unlike the other 3 wallet options, web wallets isn't recommended because you are allowing someone to have access to your private keys. That is a big security threat and you might end up losing your crypto. That is not what we want to happen so we better run away from web wallets.

Bitcoin desktop wallets

Desktop wallets are more secure than mobile wallets because they are not prone to be stolen. In Philippines, there are a lot of desktop wallet options. A word of caution, do not download any of these wallets from other sources other than their official website.

For a quick reference of these 4 wallet options, I created a table to compare them in terms of platform availability as well as its features.

Electrum Wallet

Electrum is the best overall wallet. Although the interface looks ugly like you're in the 90's, it is one of the most robust and secure Bitcoin wallets out there. The interface looks simple but there are certain details that crypto beginners find daunting so it is not beginner-friendly.

The program is also open source which means a lot of developers participate to make the software safe and reliable. Since there are a lot of watchdogs on this software, this makes Electrum one of the safest wallets.

Exodus Wallet

Exodus wallet is beginner-friendly and I strongly recommend this to friends who are just starting out with Bitcoin and crypto. I love the customizable skins, colors and textures. The interface is pretty straightforward and at first glance you would know exactly what to do and how to do it.

The only downside of this wallet is that it is not open source which means developers, to their liking, have the ability to add malicious code into the software without the knowledge of users. And since this program involves crypto or money, this would raise eyebrows of users.

But again if you are not comfortable using Electrum then this is the alternative wallet. Just make sure not to store large amounts of coins as the potential threat is always there.

Bitcoin Core Wallet

Bitcoin is a full Bitcoin node. The other three wallets that I discuss here are all simple payment verification (SPV) wallets which allows users to verify that a transaction is included on the blockchain without the need to download the entire blockchain. They rely from other computers on the network to give them information about a transaction.

A full node BTC wallet on the other hand, means that you have to download the entire blockchain to your computer. Yes, that would be since 2009 until now! It could get pretty messy as the blockchain size is around a few hundred gigabytes and would take up significant space on your computer.

In my opinion, you don't need to do this as you can easily use SPV wallets and they are perfectly fine.

Atomic Wallet

If you are a hardcore crypto fan and you own more than 30 crypto and tokens, then the Atomic Wallet is for you. By far this is the best interface among the four and I love how it looks so easy even for beginners.

With your Atomic wallet, you can store more than 500 different coins and tokens! This wallet has the most comprehensive list of crypto being offered. This wallet also allows Atomic Swaps which enables you to exchange from one crypto to the other without the need for an exchange. This is truly amazing and I love this feature.

Bitcoin hardware wallets

Hardware wallets are the safest type of Bitcoin wallet in a sense that is "immune" from malware or any other form of hacking. It works offline so your private keys could never be hacked. It is a physical wallet that is so simple and its function is simply to store your keys and signing transactions.

A desktop wallet has an infinite risk of losing your keys and ultimately your coins. Say for example, a program you are running contains malicious codes and steals your private keys, your Bitcoins will not be safe. A mobile wallet on the other hand, is also not safe as you will lose your keys the moment your phone gets lost or stolen.

How do hardware wallets work?

First of all, hardware wallets are not free and you need to buy them. I personally recommend the two most trusted wallets: Ledger Nano X and Trezor Model T. These wallets have the most impressive reviews from crypto fans all over the world.

If you want to send a Bitcoin using a hardware wallet, this is how it goes. A hardware wallet is an extremely simple device and it could only sign transactions. Thus, you need a computer or a mobile phone to perform transactions. And with that, you need to install a program that will serve as a "bridge" between your hardware wallet and computer.

Once a hardware wallet received a transaction from the bridge program, it signs it on the hardware wallet and sends back the information to the bridge program. And that's it, you are now sending BTC. The only thing that gets transferred between your hardware wallet and bridge program is the unsigned and signed transaction.

Ledger Nano X

This is the flagship hardware wallet of Ledger and it supports more than 1000+ crypto assets. Aside from your computer, you could also connect Ledger Nano X to your mobile phone via bluetooth.

The company behind Ledger has a great reputation and they have been around for years now. It's a trustworthy company and and they have gained their reputation through their high quality and safe hardware wallets.

To access your Ledger wallet, you need to install a program called Ledger Live, which is a bridge program, that allows you to send and receive crypto across your ledger devices. Ledger Nano X costs around $119 without VAT (free shipping included).

Trezor Model T

Trezor was the first company to come up with an idea of a hardware wallet. And one of the company's founders, Marek "Slush" Palatinus, created the first Bitcoin mining pool in 2010. So it is fair to say that they are the market veteran and its reputation is rock solid as compared to Ledger.

The only downside about Trezor wallets is that it always deletes the whole wallet every time you upgrade the wallet's firmware. This is pretty annoying and most beginners would freak out but as long as you have the backup phrase ready and available, you can easily restore the wallet.

Trezor Model T is kind of a more advanced hardware wallet. It has a large touch screen and this is more advantageous especially during set up or when you restore your wallet. Trezor Model T costs around $170 without VAT.

Pros and Cons of Cryptocurrency

I discussed a lot of good things about crypto but you have to consider also the dark side of owning one. Here are the pros and cons of cryptocurrency including Bitcoin.

Pro - Protection from inflation

Inflation reduces the purchasing power of physical currencies. In the Philippines, inflation averages 3% every year, which means that your earnings reduces its value in time.

Every cryptocurrency, on the other hand, have limited and finite amount of coins released since the time of its launch. In Bitcoin, for example, it is programmed to have a fixed amount of 21 million Bitcoins. Right now, there are 18.6 million Bitcoins being circulated and only 2.4 million BTC left to be mined. Hence, as demand increases, its value also increases. Crypto will keep up the market and beats inflation in the long run.

Pro - Massive potential for returns

As mentioned, cryptos have limited supply. While the demand increases, its supply decreases. As an effect, its value appreciates continuously over time. That is what is happening now. As more and more people buy BTC, its value increases and achieves a new all time high.

If you bought P50,000 worth of BTC on Jul 2020, in 7 months that would be worth P151,500 right now! But what about other crypto? Well, other cryptos are not that valuable as compared to BTC. With due diligence of research, you could earn by trading or purchasing shares of initial coin offerings (ICO).

Pro - Secure and private

Privacy and security are the main purpose of cryptocurrencies. You may be able to hold millions or billions worth of BTC and nobody will know. This is because you can create as many wallets as you want and it is NOT traceable to its owner. You can only see the transactions of that wallet address on the blockchain, but there is no way to trace the owner of that wallet. No emails, names or transaction details are connected to the wallet.

The blockchain is extremely hard to decode. It is encrypted with the complex hashing puzzles that only computer with high computing power can decode. Although there were instances of hacking and security breaches in the past, it is very minimal. As a result, developers keep on improving the code to make it safe and robust.

Pro - Currency exchange is easy

With a lot of crypto exchange and mobile wallet options, exchanging your crypto is so easy. Notwithstanding the fact that a lot of merchants now accept crypto payments, it is becoming acceptable worldwide in any country.

Pro - Fast funds transfer

Unlike interbank transfers which normally takes within 24 hours, crypto transfer is relatively fast and it gets cleared within a few minutes. This makes it so convenient and instant to send money from the US to the Philippines, as an example.

Con - Can be used for illegal transactions

Bitcoin and other crypto has a bad rap because of illegal transactions involved. Again, due to anonymity of users, it is being exploited by cyber criminals as a medium for ransom, drug dealing and other illegal activities. Bitcoin is also rampant in various marketplaces in the dark web.

Con - High volatility and price fluctuations

Crypto is riskier than stock market and its price is totally volatile. While it is very rewarding when the value appreciates, it is extremely risky on the other side and you would end up burning your money in worst cases. Thus, you need to be monitoring the market movements so you can act quickly if unforeseen situations happen.

Con - Data loss means financial loss

According to a report, around $140 Billion worth of Bitcoins are lost or cannot be accessed due to account lockouts or forgotten private keys. This is really scary and it could happen to anyone. Keeping your passwords safe from hackers is the most important thing to do especially if your crypto assets are of significant value, but making sure that you don't forget your passwords is another thing.

Con - Adverse effects of mining to the environment

Mining is the lifeblood of crypto community. Crypto operates with miners and it wouldn't run without a network of computers validating global transactions.

Some people say that a single block of Bitcoin uses energy that is enough to power your house for a week! That single block alone which contains 3,500 transactions, could be mined in 10 minutes.

As the Bitcoin's value soars at $55,000 (Php 2.5 Million), a lot of people are investing into crypto mining farms. These mining farms have tens of thousands of GPU or ASIC miners which consume a lot of electricity. As the demand for electricity increases, the carbon footprint also increases as electricity sources use coal, natural gas and petroleum.

Con - No protection from fraud or hacks

I'm one of the victims of fraud/scam. On one time I sent 1 ETH to a certain firm who promised to return 2 ETH as part of their promotion. I was so ecstatic, I sent it and then nothing came back. I begged at them to return it to me but there was no response at all. Later I found out that that fraudulent firm scammed a lot of people and its ETH wallet address was tagged as a phishing wallet. I know, I was so dumb.

So that's my story and the sad thing is that I couldn't ask for help from someone and no one can help me. If it were a bank transaction, that would be easy to retract as I could just go to the bank and report the scammer's bank account.

But in the case of crypto, there are no central authorities so you're all on your own and you should always think twice before you act anything stupid.

Conclusion

Crypto has a huge potential for earning and it should be considered as part of your investment portfolio. There are some risks, yes, but if you act safely and make sure your account's secure, nothing bad happens. Investing is kind of a complex game but the big upside to that is massive returns of your investments.

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Bootstrapping to Get the Best Credit Card

2021-02-06T14:33:00.004+08:00

Make no mistake. If you are receiving an average wage, getting a credit card is hard. I know, I've tried this. But there's a silver lining. In this post I will show you how to bootstrap your way to get your best credit card. Yes, there's a workaround.

Low salary = Hard to get a credit card

My monthly salary in my first job was just Php 13,500. And every time I applied for a credit card, I got rejected. Failed. I didn't know that there's a minimum income requirement of Php 20,000. I was short with Php 6,500.

So I wondered, there are only two variables I could change: salary and credit card issuer.

Shooting for the stars

I landed on my second job with a higher salary. Almost there. Very near. But it didn't reach the minimum income of Php 20,000. But I thought it wouldn't make any difference as my salary was almost Php 20,000.

My salary was deposited in BPI savings account. It's where I automate my savings and pay bills online. Since I am a BPI client it would be easier for me to get a credit card, I thought. Feeling confident, I went to BPI's website for credit card online application.

Weeks passed. Months. No response from BPI.

I told my boss about it and he laughed. I was surprised to hear that major card isuers don't really approve applicants without prior credit card from other banks for at least 9 months!

So how would I even acquire my first credit card when they want an existing account from other banks?

Credit Card Application Spree

Desperate, I went on online application spree to all credit card issuers (or companies) in the Philippines - SecurityBank, BPI, Metrobank, BDO, PNB.

I filled out the online application forms, scanned my company & valid IDs and sent sent it together with the last 3 months payslips.

Another weeks passed. No response. 2 months. But wait, after 2 months and few days I got an sms from SecurityBank telling me that my credit card application was approved! I was stupified! (You can also apply for SecurityBank credit card)

Of all the banks I applied, only SecurityBank has granted my application. Quite amazing and was very happy then. Kudos to them, for giving me a chance.

2 months after, BPI has emailed me that my application has been approved! Woah, is this a coincidence? Why did it take them so long to approve my card?

Tips on Acquiring your Best Credit Card

1. Clear all your unsettled debts. Your unpaid loans and balances are visible to banks so it might hamper your application.

2. Get a credit card with a low income requirement. I personally recommend SecurityBank card. Their income requirement is just Php 15,000 per month. No existing card requirement too.

3. Like I did, do an online application spree. In this way you can save more time and money. You don't need to go personally to the banks. And if you get approved by all (which rarely happens), you have the option to choose the best and decline others

4. As soon as you have your first credit card, the second one should be easy.

Conclusion

When I discovered the wonders of travel and e-learning, I was hooked. I went to Boracay and El Nido. I'm learning web development in Udemy. It was awesome! But this couldn't be possible without using a vital financial instrument - credit card.

Not all debts are created equal. There are good debts and bad debts. I have both. I consider my udemy courses as good debts but the iPhone I bought is a bad debt which affects my personal net worth. Bottomline, if debts are managed properly it shouldn't mess your life.

How to Open a BPI Account Online in 2021 - A Complete Guide

2021-02-02T16:01:00.082+08:00

The hassle of going out to withdraw cash from the ATM is really painful. The pain is even amplified by the risk of being infected by the sneaky COVID-19 virus.

As more and more businesses go online, paying for cash (crisp peso bills) is no longer a necessity but an option. Online wallets such as GCash, Paymaya and Coins make online payments and shopping so convenient.

Related: Pay and Schedule Bills Payment on BPI Online {alertWarning}

And to make these online wallets work for you, you need a primary bank to fund your wallets. This is where BPI comes into action.

If you want to open a new BPI account or an additional deposit account then you are in the right place.

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Why Open a BPI Account (not with other banks?)

BPI is probably the best option for your online banking needs for three reasons.

Easy sync with GCash

I've been using GCash for years now and I could not recommend a better online wallet. It is fast, secure and user experience is really great. Although there were technical issues before but overall, it's the best online wallet to use in the Philippines.

Related: How to Cash in to GCash via BPI online in 2021 {alertWarning}

A lot of eCommerce and traditional stores accept GCash so it's really convenient.

GCash works seamlessly with BPI as these companies are owned by the Ayalas. And not only GCash, other online wallets work great with BPI too.

Related: How to Send Money Via GCash in 2021 {alertWarning}

Mobile app is so easy (and safe) to use

BPI mobile app is perhaps the most intuitive financial app. I have tried other banks' mobile app but they're slow, buggy and awful. Try and see for yourself.

Also, the app is always updated so you could take advantage of secure logins via fingerprint or Face ID.

One Time Pin (OTP) is another feature for account protection. Every time you make a transaction, a OTP is sent to your mobile phone for confirmation.

Related: How to Pay & Schedule Bills Payment on BPI Online 2021 {alertWarning}

Customer support is way better than other banks

Yes, banks seem very friendly and approachable when you open a savings account but what if you couldn't make a payment online or your account is credited for a transaction that didn't go through?

Well, online systems aren't really perfect and incidents like these do happen. I know, I experienced it myself and the anxiety of losing money creeped me out.

When issues do occur, you could reach BPI's customer support thru their social media channels, email or hotline.

BPI on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bpi
BPI on Twitter - https://twitter.com/talktobpi
Email - expressonline@bpi.com.ph
BPI's hotline - https://www.bpi.com.ph/contactus

On certain incidents that I freaked out, I reached out to them simultaneously via Facebook, Twitter and email. The quickest response I got was from their Twitter support.

Yes, I know only a few us use Twitter but it's really helpful to consider this platform for help. I was lucky (perhaps) that time to have a knowledgeable customer support.

When I had problems with my other credit cards, their customer support were confusing, conversations went into circle and issues were never resolved. I hate that experience.

How to Open a New BPI Deposit Account

If you are opening a new BPI account for the first time then it is mandatory to go to your nearest BPI branch.

Opening a BPI account online (for the first time) is not supported yet so you need to appear on any BPI branch.

Don't worry, this is just for the first time. Your future transactions will be done entirely online.

Requirements to Open a New BPI Account

There are 5 requirements that you need to bring with you when you go to the nearest BPI branch.

Valid ID

Just bring the original ID, photocopy is not needed as they have their own scanner.

These are the list of acceptable valid IDs on BPI's website.
1. Passport including those issued by foreign governments
2. Driver's license
3. Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID
4. Postal ID
5. Voter’s ID
6. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
7. Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) e-Card
8. Social Security System (SSS) card / UMID
9. Senior Citizen card
10. Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ID
11. Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) ID
12. Government office and Government-owned and Controlled Corporation (GOCC) ID (e.g., Armed 13. Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) IDs)
14. ID issued by the National Council on Disability Affairs
15. Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) ID
16. Company IDs issued by private entities or institutions registered with or supervised or regulated either by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or Insurance Commission (IC)
17. PhilHealth Health Insurance Card ng Bayan
18. National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
19. Police Clearance
20. Baranggay Certification
21. Seaman’s Book
22. Alien Certificate of Registration / Immigrant Certificate of Registration
23. Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Certification
24. Professional ID cards issued by Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)

Proof of billing

Prepare any of your utility billing statements such as Meralco, Maynilad, PLDT, credit card or Globe/Smart that indicate your billing address.

The billing statement may or may not bear your name as long as you live on billing statement's address. You can use an authorization letter from the owner of the billing statement to use the document.

1x1 ID picture

This is a proof of your identity. This will be attached to your specimen signatures and application form.

Tax Identification Number (TIN)

You don't need to bring your TIN ID but have your TIN number ready. This is a 12 digit number so better take note and don't just rely on your memory :)

Initial Deposit

The initial deposit could be as low as P100 depending on the BPI savings account type that you chose.

But to be on the safe side, I recommend having a P300 initial deposit.

How to Open an Additional BPI Savings Account

If you are are an existing BPI account holder already and you registered your online account, you can follow these steps:

1. Open BPI mobile app

2. Select "Open A New Account"

3. Tap "Open another deposit account"

4. Log on with your username & password OR fingerprint/Face ID

5. Tap "Open account now"

6. Select bank "Bank of the Philippine Islands"

7. Select your preferred savings account type. Either Regular Savings with Debit Card or Maxi-Saver with Debit Card.

7.1 Regular Savings - 3,000 minimum deposit, 5,000 average balance to earn interest of 0.125% per annum

7.2. Maxi-Saver - 50,000 minimum deposit, 50,000 to <5M earns 0.125% per annum or >5M earns 0.25% per annum. Plus get a bonus interest of 0.125% per annum if no withdrawal is made within the month.8. Tap "Next"

8. Review the details

9. Tap "Terms and Conditions" and scroll until the last page.

10. Tap "Accept"

11. Tap "Confirm"

12. One-Time PIN (OTP) will be sent to your registered mobile number. Tap "Yes, send me the code"

13. Enter the 6 digit OTP

14. Congratulations! You have successfully opened a new Savings account! Tap "Done"

15. Your new savings account should now reflect under "Deposits" and an email confirmation about your digital deposit account opening will be sent.

Conclusion

Having an eWallet is a necessity. I always wonder why some people still opt to pay at Bayad Center, SM Bills Payment or Cebuana Lhuillier when you could just pay typically any utility bill thru your eWallet.

eCommerce is also growing at a rapid pace, thanks to COVID-19, people are scared or discouraged to go out unless necessary. Online shopping is the new normal.

When everything's going online, it makes sense to adapt technological breakthroughs. Surely, it saves us a lot of time and makes our task easy.

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash {alertInfo}

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4 Compelling Reasons We Should Advertise on Facebook

2021-01-21T21:08:00.042+08:00

When we talk about social media, a lot of things come to mind: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram, Tik Tok and many others. Billions of users are using these platforms on a daily basis.

With the right advertising strategy, these social media platforms provide huge opportunities for business owners and marketers.

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Using GCash {alertWarning}

But you may ask, if you have to choose one social media platform, what would that be and why?

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The simple answer would be, we should assess the social media sites in terms of popularity and return on investment (ROI).

The best metric to assess the popularity of a certain platform is in terms of monthly active users (MAU). This is very important for social media advertisers because the more users are in a platform, the more people you can advertise and the more diverse is your audiences.

ROI is an approximate measure of how much return you get for every penny spent. For social media ROI, it is defined by the formula:

Social Media ROI = (net result - cost) / cost

Or quite simply, if I sold $400 worth of toy products thru Facebook and I spent $100 for ads (labor and fees) & $80 for product costs, my ROI would be 2.2 or 220% (320 - 100 / 100). This means I would earn more than double for every dollar spent on Facebook ads!

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Now let us compare the top social media platforms in terms of these two metrics.

According to Statista, the most popular social media site is Facebook with a massive 2.7 Billion MAU. It is followed by Youtube & WhatsApp, each platform has a whopping 2 Billion MAU, Messenger with 1.3 Billion MAU and WeChat with 1.06 Billion MAU.

A 2017 survey of senior ad buyers conducted by Cowen and Company shows that Google and Facebook deliver the best ROI. 48% of the respondents said that Google has the best ROI, while 30% also believed that Facebook is the best social media advertising platform.

Now it's crystal clear that Facebook is the top contender when it comes to popularity and ROI. But not only that, I consider Facebook to be the most powerful advertising platform and here are 4 reasons why.

Cheap, Laser Targeting

Whereas Google only allows you to display your ads for specific keywords being searched by users, Facebook allows you target audiences according to its demographics such as age, gender, education, location, relationship, job title, etc.; behaviors such as digital activities, purchase behavior, travel, etc.; and most importantly your audience's interests such as business industries, entertainment, shopping, food & drink, technology and many others.

Now that is a highly-targeted audience for your brand!

Facebook ads are also very cheap. In fact, the average cost per click (CPC) is around $0.64! Compare that to Google Adwords is around $2.32.

Provided that your site is optimized for conversion, the CPC is absolutely a no-brainer.

Highly Customizable Campaigns

For every campaign, you choose an objective. This is indispensable because not a single ad works for every campaign.

There are 11 objectives under 3 campaign categories: Awareness, Consideration and Conversion. And each campaign objective has different ad variations.

Related: Buy Bitcoin & Ether in Coins PH {alertWarning}

At the ad level, you can customize the ad copy, headline, description, creatives and call to action (CTA).

So what does this tells us? High customization enables more control for advertisers to craft the right ad for the right audience. This means it has higher chances of achieving the campaign objective at the lowest possible cost.

Scalable and Predictable Results

If you have an eCommerce store and running Facebook ads, how do you know if your Facebook campaigns are profitable? Simple, check your return on ad spend or ROAS!

How do you know if campaigns should be killed or scaled? Again, check your ROAS.

The analytics part of Facebook ads is extremely powerful that you could track every single activity on your ads such as engagement, cost per click (CPC), cost per thousand impressions (CPM), add to carts, app installs, page views, purchases, cost per purchase, ROAS and many others.

With these powerful features, there is no hard guessing what campaigns to stop and to scale up!

Retargeting Campaigns & Lookalike Audiences

What is the secret sauce of Facebook ads? Facebook Pixel.

This simple line of code tracks specific activities on your ads and website, and in turn can be used for retargeting campaigns and lookalike audiences.

A user who visits your site, adds items to cart or makes a purchase, can be retargeted when he visits Facebook again.

You can also create a lookalike audience. They are users who look like your current customers, visitors to your website or page fans.

This is a powerful feature especially for warm audiences as they are more likely to convert than cold audiences.

Conclusion

Facebook is a really powerful social media platform with advanced advertising features. It has the biggest monthly active users and it has enhanced capabilities than other platforms. Advertising cost is also very cheap that provides the greatest bang for your buck!

For serious business owners and marketers, Facebook should be taken advantaged as it offers a ton of possibilities for brand outreach and highly-targeted audience.

eCommerce is also growing at a rapid pace, thanks to COVID-19 people are scared or discouraged to go out unless necessary. Online shopping is the new normal.

When everything's going online, it makes sense to adapt technological breakthroughs. Surely, it saves us a lot of time and makes our task easy.

Need help on digital marketing? Visit Daveril Digital now!

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How To Pay And Schedule Bills Payment On BPI Online in 2021 (Updated)

2021-01-20T08:30:00.006+08:00

Five years ago, I created a post on how to schedule bills payment in BPI but now it doesn't work due to major changes on their website. This is a sequel to the previous post and I will show you how to pay and schedule bills payment on BPI online in 2021.

BPI has recently revamped their website to make it responsive for desktop and mobile. Also, they changed their web URL. Before, you could access BPI online thru www.bpiexpressonline.com but now they changed it to www.bpi.com.ph. So even if you go to the previous URL, it would automatically redirect to the new URL.

Related: How to Open a BPI Account Online in 2021 {alertWarning}

More important upgrade is the integration of One Time Pin (OTP) for every relevant transaction. This is similar to Google's Two Factor Authentication (2FA) where you could enable additional security layer to make sure no one's messing your account. Smart move and big improvement for BPI.

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How To Enrol Other BPI Accounts for BPI Online Money Transfer

It is worth noting that this guide works both on desktop and mobile. Unlike other transactions that could be done with just OTP, in this request you need to scan and email the enrollment form for it to be processed. Security reasons, I suppose.

1. Log on to BPI online
2. Click (or tap) Other Services
3. Under Recipients, click Manage Recipients
4. Click Add New Recipient
5. On the dropdown menu, select Other Person's Accounts
6. Enter Account Name and Account Number
7. On the dropdown, choose the Relationship option
8. On the other dropdown, select the Purpose option
9. Click Next
10. Review the information and click Confirm
11. Click Download Enrollment Form. Write your name and signature. Affix your 3 specimen signatures on the boxes
12. Email to onlinebanking-enrollment@bpi.com.ph and use the subject "Enrollment Request-Third Party Accounts"
13. Once confirmed, the enrolled account will appear as one of the Billers.

Here's a Youtube video on how to do this. Please follow Juan Investor in Youtube!

How To Enroll Credit Cards, Globe/Smart Postpaid, PLDT, Meralco and Other Bills for BPI Online Payment

1. . Login to BPI Online
2. Click Other Services
3. Under Recipients, click Manage Recipients
4. Click Add New Recipient
5. On the dropdown menu, select Billers
6. On Biller text field, search your biller (i.e. Citibank, Smart, PLDT et al)
7. On Reference Number field, enter your credit card number (for credit cards) or account number
8. Click Next
9. Review information and click Confirm
10. A pop up message for One Time Pin (OTP) appears. Click Yes, send me the code
11. Check your sms and enter the OTP

12. Click Submit and you're done

If you prefer a video, I got you. Please follow Juan Investor in Youtube!

Related: 7 Ways to Take Advantage from CoronaVirus Pandemic {alertWarning}

How To Pay Credit Card, Globe/Smart Postpaid, PLDT or Meralco Bills Thru BPI Online

Before you can pay bills online, you need to enroll the biller first.
1. Login to BPI Online
2. Click Payments/Load
3. Under Pay from dropdown, select the source account (make sure you have sufficient balance)
4. Enter the amount to pay
5. Select biller under the Pay to dropdown
6. Under Frequency dropdown, select Now
7. Enter notes (optional)
8. Click Next
9. Review details and click Confirm
10. A pop up message for One Time Pin (OTP) appears. Click Yes, send me the code
11. Check your sms and enter the OTP

12. Click Submit and you're done

I made it easy for you, here's a Youtube video for paying utilities, credit cards and postpaid plans. Please follow Juan Investor in Youtube!

How To Schedule Bills Payment on BPI Online

This guide is optional and is only applicable for those who wants to automate their bills payment. It's a set-and-forget system if you want to save time paying bills every period.

1. Login to BPI Online
2. Click Other Services
3. Under Transactions, click Manage Scheduled Transactions
4. Click Create Scheduled Transaction and select Pay Bills
5. Under Pay from dropdown, select the source account
6. Enter amount to pay
7. Select biller under the Pay to dropdown
8. Under Frequency dropdown, select the desired frequency
9. Enter Start Date
10. Under Number of payments dropdown, select the desired number of payments
11. Click Next
12. Review the details and click Confirm
13. A pop up message for One Time Pin (OTP) appears. Click Yes, send me the code
14. Check your sms and enter the OTP
15. Click Submit and you're done

Here's a Youtube video for the on-screen process. Please follow Juan Investor in Youtube!

How To Delete A Biller or Other Accounts on BPI Online

1. Login to BPI Online
2. Click Other Services
3. Under Recipients, click Manage Recipients
4. Find the biller or account that you want to delete and click the red trash bin icon
5. A pop up message appears asking for confirmation. Click Yes
6. A pop up message for One Time Pin (OTP) appears. Click Yes, send me the code
7. Check your sms and enter the OTP 8. Click Submit
9. A confirmation message appears. Click Delete to delete scheduled transactions

How To Edit A Scheduled Bills Payment or Funds Transfer on BPI Online

1. Login to BPI Online
2. Click Other Services
3. Under Transactions, click Manage Transactions
4. Under the Account dropdown, select the source account
5. Once the scheduled transaction appears, click Edit
6. You may change either the Frequency, Next transfer date or Remaining transfers
7. Once updated, click Save and you're done

How To Delete A Scheduled Bills Payment or Funds Transfer on BPI Online

1. Login to BPI Online
2. Click Other Services
3. Under Transactions, click Manage Transactions
4. Under the Account dropdown, select the source account
5. Once the scheduled transaction appears, click Delete
6. A pop up message appears, click Proceed and you're done

Do you have other concerns? Let me know in the comments.

Related: How to Withdraw Funds from Payoneer to GCash {alertInfo}

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How To Send Money Via GCash in 2021 - A Complete Guide

2021-01-15T10:30:00.006+08:00

GCash is revolutionizing the way we pay bills and online transactions. Now I will show you how you can send money from GCash to a GCash account or to any Philippine bank account for free. Yes, no transaction fees.

As a bonus, I have also added guides on how to schedule transfers if you don't want to get bugged paying bills on a periodic basis. If you want to know how to cash in to GCash, you may check my other post.

Related: How to Cash In to GCash using BPI Online {alertWarning}

Sign up now using my GCash referral code and we can both get P50 upon complete registration. You can download GCash on App Store or Google Play.

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Send Money From GCash To A Mobile Number

Here's a step by step guide on how to send money using GCash account (mobile number). This could only be claimed by recipient once they sign up to GCash.
1. Log in to GCash on your mobile phone
2. Tap Send Money
3. Tap Express Send. You can also use Send With A Clip or Send Ang Pao if you prefer a more fancy way but for this guide, let's use Express Send
4. Enter the mobile number of the recipient. You can either tap the Contacts button or enter the mobile number manually
5. Enter amount. You can tap suggested amounts or enter manually
6. Tap Next
7. Type a short message (optional)
8. Tap Confirm and you're done
9. Check Available Balance if it's already updated

Here's a Youtube video to see this in action. Follow JuanInvestor on Youtube!

Send Money To Any Philippine Bank

I love this feature as it spares me away from going to a bank and deposit over the counter. This saves time and effort.

This is the list of partner banks that GCash could send money. More than 40 partner banks accepts GCash.
1. BPI
2. BDO
3. MetroBank
4. LandBank
5. SecurityBank
6. UnionBank
7. PNB
8. ChinaBank
9. EastWest Bank
10. RCBC
11. UCPB
12. PSBank
13. AUB
14. PBCOM
15. DBP
16. AllBank
17. Bangko Mabuhay
18. Bank of Commerce
19. BDO Network Bank
20. BPI Direct Banko
21. Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank Inc.
22. China Bank
23. CTBC Bank
24. Coins.ph
25. Dungganon Bank
26. East West Rural Bank Inc.
27. Equicom Savings Bank
28. ING Bank N.V.
29. ISLA Bank
30. Malayan Bank Savings and Mortgage Bank
31. Maybank Philippines Inc.
32. OmniPay Inc.
33. Partner Rural Bank (Cotabato) Inc.
34. PayMaya Philippines Inc.
35. Philippine Business Bank Inc.
36. Philippine Trust Company
37. Philippine Veterans Bank
38. PNB Savings Bank
39. Quezon Capital Rural Bank
40. Robinsons Bank Corporation
41. Sterling Bank of Asia Inc.
42. Sun Savings Bank Inc.
43. UCPB Savings Bank
44. Wealth Development Bank

Here's the step by step guide on how to send money from GCash to any Philippine bank

1. Login to GCash
2. Tap Send Money
3. Tap Send to Bank
4. Tap the bank to transfer
5. Enter amount in Php
6. Enter Account Name and Account Number
7. Enter email to receive the receipt (optional)
8. Tap Send Money
9. Double check the details. Once confirmed, tap Confirm
10. Tap Ok and check your Available Balance if it's already updated

Here's a Youtube video on how to send money to any bank.

How To Save A Bank Account In GCash (for Scheduled Transfers)

This is a prerequisite if you want a smoother transaction.

Once you save a bank account, you no longer need to enter the transaction details of recipient such as account name and account number as well as your confirmation email. You just need to tap the saved bank account, no manual entering of information again and you're done.

Related: How to Open a BPI Account Online in 2021 {alertWarning}

Here's a step by step guide on how to save a bank account.

1. Log in to Gcash
2. Tap Send Money
3. Tap Add Account
4. Select the bank
5. Enter Nickname of bank account
6. Enter Account Name and Account Number of recipient
7. Enter email for the confirmation receipt (optional)
8. Tap Done. Tap Next
9. Double check the details and tap Confirm
10. Tap Ok and you're done
11. Check if the saved bank account is reflected

Embedding this Youtube video if you prefer the on-screen tutorials.

How To Edit A Bank Account In GCash

If you want to change details of your saved bank account, say an account number is misspelled, then you can follow these steps.

1. Log in to GCash
2. Tap Bank Transfer
3. Tap the saved bank account that you want to edit
4. Tap Update
5. Edit the detail(s) that you want to update
6. Tap Confirm and you're done

How To Delete A Bank Account In GCash

If for some reason you no longer want a saved bank account, then you can delete it instantly through these steps.

1. Log in to GCash
2. Tap Bank Transfer
3. Tap the saved bank account that you want to delete
4. Tap Update
5. Tap Delete
6. On the pop up message, tap Remove to confirm account deletion
7. Tap Ok and you're done

How To Schedule Money Transfer To Any Bank Thru GCash

If you want to save your time doing periodic money transfer, say every month for rent or your child's allowance, then this is for you. GCash has now added this set-and-forget system so you can focus more on things that matter and steer away from trivial tasks like paying expenses.

Related: 7 Ways to Take Advantage from CoronaVirus Pandemic {alertWarning}

Here's a step by step guide on how to create scheduled transfers.

1. Log in to GCash
2. Tap Bank Transfer
3. Tap the Saved Bank Account that you want to create a scheduled transfer
4. Under Create Scheduled Transfers, tap Add New Schedule
5. Select the desired period: Week or Month
6. On Repeat Every dropdown, select the desired frequency
7. Enter amount
8. Tap Next
9. Double check and tap Confirm
10. Tap Okay and you're done

I created a Youtube video for this tutorial.

Conclusion

GCash is my ultimate companion app. I really appreciate that they're not charging for any transaction fees. This is phenomenal and I am hoping that they would continue doing this.

Some tech startup offers a free service just for the sake of acquiring more users. But when the user base grows, the free service turns into a paid service.

Related: Withdraw Funds from Payoneer to GCash {alertWarning}

What do you think about GCash? Is it going to be free forever or not?

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash {alertWarning}

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How to Search Google Like a Pro - 20 Best Tricks

2021-01-10T15:33:00.000+08:00

Google is a really powerful search engine. Not only for speed, seriously, but the ease and simplicity is a big winner among other search engines. Little do we know it has more features that could even help us browse faster. Here are the 20 most useful tricks on how to search Google like a Pro.

Have you tried searching phrases like:
1. "blogs similar to huffingtonpost.com"
2. "what are the best books from 2011 to 2014"
3. "article in juaninvestor that contains the word colfinancial"

Quite amazing, there are shorter and faster ways of searching these keyword phrases and save a few seconds in striking your keyboard. Read on.

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Related Search

This is the answer to example 1. To search for web pages that have similar content to a specific site, type "related:" followed by the website address into the URL.

Ex. related:huffingtonpost.com

Dash (to exclude term)

If you want to exclude a term or a phrase, use the "-" symbol. -big fat liar will show pages that contain "fat" and "liar" but don't contain "big"

File type

If you want to search for .avi files or powerpoint documents or any type of file, use the "filetype:" operator. Ex. travel filetype:pdf

Definitions

To find the meaning of a word, use the "define:" operator. Ex. define:tenacious

Calculator

To do a specific calculation, simply type in the URL box and you can get the answer instantly. Use the basic operators like +, -, /, * and parenthesis. Ex. (4^7/23+45)

Site Specific

This is faster than example 3. This is used to search for a particular word or phrase only in a specific site. site:juaninvestor.com colfinancial will search for "colfinancial" only in this blog

Exact Phrase

If you are searching for the exact phrase, use quotes. "best video compilation" returns pages that contain the exact phrase "best video compilation"

Find Backlinks

Find pages that link to a specific site or page by using the "link:" operator. Ex. link:lifehack.org

Numeric range

This feature searches for a range of numbers. Use the ".." operator to execute. In example 2, we can search for it like best books 2011..2014 and the results will be the best books from 2011 to 2014

Weather

Search the weather for any city worldwide. Type "weather" followed by the city, state, zip code or country. Ex. weather talisay city, cebu

Unit Converter

Convert weights, lengths and other units of measure. Ex. 34 days in hours

Types of numbers

Google algorithms can recognize the pattern of numbers entered into the search bar. It can search for:

Telephone area codes

Zip codes
Package tracking 1Z9999W99999999999

Local Search

Search anything in your city using the zip code. mexican food 90210

Vertical Search

To search for a phrase in a specific category, use the vertical search. If you like search for a term specifically in the blog category, use blog search.

Blog Search

Book Search
Code Search
Finance
Images
News
Video

Location of Term

By default, Google searches for the term within a web page. But if you just want to search it in specific locations, you can use the operators like "inurl:", "intitle:", "intext:" and "inanchor:". Those will search for a term only within the URL, title, the body text and the anchor text (text used to describe a link) Ex. intitle:sleepwalking

Similar Terms

Use the "~" operator to find similar terms. Ex. ~juaninvestor - juan will return results containing "investor" like investor juan but not juaninvestor

Wildcard

The "*" symbol is a wildcard. This is used if you are trying to find a song but can't remember the exact lyrics. Ex. "shower *love lyrics" will return to the song by Surface - Shower me with Your Love. You can also use it to find the term in a certain domain such as dogs *.edu

Either / OR

If you want pages that contain one or both of the terms, use the "|" (pipe symbol).
Ex. crazy | love will return pages containing crazy and/or love

Answer to life the universe and everything

Search the phrase and Google will give you the answer!

Advanced Search

If you can't remember any of these operators, you can always use Google's Advanced Search

Conclusion

Google is a very powerful search engine. Armed with these 20 amazing tricks, you should now be able to browse and Google efficiently!

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How to Cash In to GCash via BPI Online in 2021

2021-01-04T14:47:00.005+08:00

GCash is one of the best apps I couldn't live without. Ever since I installed this app, I couldn't stress enough how it saves me a lot of time paying for my bills and the hassle of going to the banks to pay for my rent and other online transactions. In this post I will show you how to cash in to GCash via BPI online.

Here I'm gonna show you how to Cash In or Deposit to your GCash account so you could take advantage on its convenient features.

Related: How to Send Money Via GCash in 2021 {alertWarning}

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How to Install & Login to GCash App

1. Download GCash in AppStore or Google Play

2. Sign up (if you're a first time user) or Log in using your mobile number

3. Enter the 6-digit authentication code sent to you via sms

4. Enter your 4-digit Mobile Pin (MPIN)

5. Tap "Accept and Continue" to the Acknowledgment and Consent Clause

Here's a Youtube video on how to login to GCash for the first time on your iPhone

How to Link Your BPI Online Account to GCash

1. Once logged in, tap "Cash In"

2. Under "Online Banks" tap "BPI"

3. A message pops up saying that you have not enrolled your BPI account. Tap "Enroll Now"

4. Log in to your BPI Online account. Enter your username and password

5. A message pops up saying "BPI Registration Successful"

Related: How to Open a BPI Account Online in 2021 {alertWarning}

Once your BPI account is linked to GCash, you can now cash in instantly.

Here's a Youtube video on how to link your BPI online account.

How to Cash In to GCash via BPI

1. Once logged in, tap "Cash In"

2. Under "Online Banks" tap "BPI"

3. Enter the desired amount to transfer

4. Under "My BPI Accounts" tap the linked BPI account and tap "Next"

5. Tap "Confirm" to confirm the amount

6. GCash sends a 6-digit authentication code via sms. Double check if the mobile number's correct. Tap "Send Code"

7. Enter the 6-digit code and tap "Submit"

8. Wait for the confirmation and check your balance. It should be updated instantly.

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash {alertWarning}

Here's a Youtube video on how to cash in to Gcash via BPI

Troubleshooting Cash In Problems

In some cases, you may encounter cash in problems in GCash. One time I cashed in a substantial amount but my balance hadn't changed. I checked my BPI account online and it was already deducted.

If this happens, the best way to ask for help is thru GCash Twitter page. They are quick to respond and normally the issues are resolved in 4 hours or less based on my experience.

Other GCash Cash In Methods

There are other methods to cash in on GCash. These are some that you can use if you don't have a BPI account. Preferably, online banks are the most convenient as you can do it anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

Related: How to Withdraw Funds from Payoneer to GCash {alertInfo}

Over the Counter (OTC) and Remittance Partners are the worst as it defeats the purpose of doing it "online" to avoid the hassle of going out and saving your travel time. Hence, it could be your last resort. In terms of lead time, OTC is way better than remittances. The former is real time while the latter would take hours to make the transaction.

Online Banks

1. BPI (recommended)

2. RCBC

3. UnionBank
4. MasterCard / Visa Bank Card
5. AUB
6. Maybank
7. Metrobank
8. PBCOM
9. PSBank

Over the Counter

Machine Cash-In
1. TouchPay
2. Pay&Go
3. Shell Select

Supermarket
4. PureGold
5. SaveMore
6. SM Hypermarket
7. SM Supermarket

Department Stores
8. Robinsons
9. SM

Pawnshop
10. Cebuana Lhuillier
11. Villarica Pawnshop
12. Tambunting
13. Palawan Pawnshop

Payment Facilities
14. Globe Store
15. Bayad Center
16. ECPay
17. ExpressPay
18. DigiPay
19. PERA HUB
20. TrueMoney
21. Posible

Convenience Store
22. 7-Eleven

Logistics
23. LBC-Express

Remittance
1. MoneyGram
2. Western Union
3. Paypal

Conclusion

With few taps on your smartphone you could take advantage of what technology has to offer. Indeed, it could improve human lives especially this COVID-19 pandemic. It saves us time and money. This is the best benefit of using a smartphone.

Although I encountered issues recently, it is nothing compared to the convenience it has given to millions of people every day. How about you? Have you had any issues with GCash? Comment your experience below and I'll be glad to help.

Related: How to Top Up Shopee Pay Using GCash {alertWarning}

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7 Lessons On A Trip to The Party Island - Boracay

2020-09-08T11:00:00.000+08:00

Three weeks ago, I went to Boracay to experience the luxury of resort living and to escape the cubicle space for a while.

The travel was spontaneous and unplanned. Due to desperateness of not having a plunge on salty clear waters for months, we booked a flight straight to the lovely island without even thinking for the accommodations, itinerary and budget.

Well the stupid notion turned out to be terrific and I didn't regret either. There are several reasons why I chose to go to Boracay instead of other beautiful places in the Philippines.

(1) Boracay is said to be the World's Best Island in 2012, Best Beach in Asia for 2013 based on TripAdvisor's survey, defeating other destinations across the continent. Worth trying, I thought.

(2) I don't want to be a foreign citizen in our own country. When my friend (an American) told me his experience in Boracay, I was just nodding stupidly. At the end of the conversation I laughed and said, "Yeah, I should go to that beach soon."

(3) I want to experience partying at the beach. While having a disco on the city lights may sound nice, I find it great to dance with a soft ocean breeze on a native hut.

(4) Travel enlightens your ideas and imagination. A wider perspective enables us to visualize and prototype our thoughts clearly.

(5) A prequel to my desire of living a nomadic lifestyle.

There are two ways going to Boracay from Manila, Philippines: (1) A direct flight from Manila (MNL) to Caticlan (MPH) or (2) Manila (MNL) to Kalibo (KLO). Convenience-wise, the first option is preferable. You can save 2 hours of travel, if you want to.

But we challenge discomfort and embrace adventure so we opted for the second option - Manila to Kalibo. Our flight was scheduled to be at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon.

Lo and behold, there was a notification to cancel all flights of ZestAir. So we ended up waiting there for seven (7) hours in the airport until we were transferred to another carrier.

Couldn't blame them either. The reason of cancellation of all flights was due to safety issues being detected on the airline. Way better than being landed on the sea if it weren't detected beforehand, I thought.

We arrived at Kalibo Airport at 11:30 pm. We searched for any means to travel going to the Jetty Port (the port where boats are stationed going to Boracay island).

Before heading to the exit, there was a banner posted "Php 250 going to Boracay thru a shuttle van." I wasn't paying attention instead, I asked the security guard if there is anything else we can ride going to Boracay. The answer is negative.

Considering the time, there was no other vehicles available except for the van. No choice so we hopped on the van and traveled for 2 hours.

While in the course of travel, we were laughing out loud and making fun of our travel experience and was so excited to see the island.

Both of us were first-timers in Boracay. When we arrived at the Jetty Port around 1:30 am, we felt hopeless. But the feeling was gone when we saw a boat still accepting passengers going to Boracay!

However, the fare was almost 7 times higher - Php 100 instead of Php 15 regular rate! The reason why it's more expensive is because it was beyond their regular travel time which is from 6 am - 10 pm.

First myth busted - you can go to Boracay anytime, no time limits!

We arrived at 1:40 am in the coast. I could still remember the amazement on my face when my feet were subsiding while stepping on the "floury" sand.

After the boat ride, we rode a trike going to Boracay and paid Php 50 each. At exactly 2:00 am, I had my first step in Boracay.

But there was a problem: where would we stay? We haven't booked hotels or anything. We thought that we could just find cheap accommodations by wandering around the place.

We went to places nearby for accommodations but all were closed! It's already 2:00 am.

So what we did was still brilliant - drunk beer in the shoreline while watching the tides. It's not until 6:30 am that we finally found a decent place to stay for just Php 1,500 a night.

While we were walking around looking for rooms to stay, a certain guy approached us and offered a room. He guided us to the place and we liked it at first sight.

It was great! Not to mention that it's in Station 1 - the center part of Boracay. There are five (5) stations in Boracay. And I would say, if you want the party-crowd, go to Station 1 or 2. Else, go to Station 3 if you want a private moment. It is silent, less-crowded and serene. I've never been to Station 5.

We had our room in Casa Santa Fe. The room has two beds good for 3 people: 1 queen-size bed for two and a single bed. It already has an aircon unit, Wi-Fi, TV, and a hot & cold shower (no free breakfast).

So if you're in three's, you're gonna spend Php 500 a night. The landlady suggested that we could buy something from the market and have it cooked for free, courtesy of her. That was part of their service. But we opted to eat outside and look for something new!

Second myth busted - you can book a room anywhere in Boracay, on-the-spot!

The man who helped us find a room happened to be our tour guide. He showed us the spectacular activities to do in Boracay at a LOW price. I was cynical at first but when I found out that he's trustworthy enough, I was confident.

As a first-timer, our original plan was to go around and explore all the establishments, take pictures and discover all places there that are worth visiting the next time around. But we never failed to swim and experience the buzz about the soft white sands in the shore.

I fell in love with the beach and I couldn't compare anything better than that. I already went to Bohol and Cebu. But for me, Boracay is the best.

When the dark gobbled the sun, the excitement rolled in. Party time! We dressed our best outfits and headed to the funkiest bar in Boracay - Club Paraw. According to our tour guide, Club Paraw has the largest crowd among all and the variety of people is great - Filipinos, Korean, Chinese, American etc.

For Php 150 entrance fee, you have a free 1 glass of vodka and you can dance all the way you want. I shouldn't have danced, considering that I only dance with the rhythm of electronic dance music, but I gave in when after a while the DJ played Steve Aoki's Boneless. Couldn't help myself when my feet dragged me to the dance floor. And the party started until we went home at 3:00 am.

The last day was a blast. We had a dinner buffet for Php 280 and we ate like there's no tomorrow. The roasted fish was so intense and I loved the pork and the chicken. We bought few souvenir items and then packed up, headed home.

For just a night and two days stay, I really enjoyed the short vacation (should have been longer if it wasn't because of the delayed flight) and I hope to visit once again after some time, of course in groups.

7 Lessons I Learned in Boracay

1. If you're in vacation mode, you can opt for a cheap flight. But never book on a budget airline during business trips. You'll surely be in trouble!

2. Time is more important than money. We could have chosen a flight from Manila to Caticlan and save 2 hours of travel instead of Manila to Kalibo.

3. Make sure you arrive in Boracay in the morning. This is the check-out time of people in hotels. Perhaps you could take place on the rooms.

4. As a first-timer, you need to have a tour guide. They can take you anywhere and might give you discounts.

5. Travel light. Don't carry anything that you won't need. Save your space for souvenirs and goodies.

6. It is more fun & cheaper to travel in groups. Laughing out loud will never be the same if you're in a group. Likewise, it is cheaper because expenses can be divided.

7. As an investor, book promo tickets in advance and save for the trip. Imagine how this trip could inspire you to work hard and think of the future. This could make you excited and enthusiastic of what's going to happen ahead. Invest in something that money cannot buy.

How about you? How was your experience in Boracay? Any places that you plan to go? :)

Update: Check out my 2nd post about Boracay - 5 Unusual and Offbeat Things to do in Boracay 2016

Cut Travel Expenses by 50% - 7 Practical Ways you Shouldn't Miss

2020-07-25T18:30:00.003+08:00

Paying for unnecessary stuff is not cool. Additional service fees and charges add up in your travel expenses if you settle on what is already laid on the table. Here are easy tweaks that will help you cut your travel expenses by up to 50%.

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Be alert on seat sale (save 30-50%)

Simple. You'll be one of the first few people who gets notified for any promotions, seat sales, and discounts.

Social media is not even enough. You have to subscribe via email so that you will receive all updates straight to your inbox. And yes, check your emails frequently and book in advance.

Here's the membership page for Philippine Airlines, (aka Mabuhay Miles), CebuPacific (aka GetGo) and AirAsia. On top of the newsletters, you can also earn points/miles for every flight that you can redeem later on.

But take note, on some occasions discounted round-trip tickets doesn't even save you since they are just playing the numbers.

Here's the scenario: a destination trip is 70% off but the return trip is 170% more expensive which makes it a break even. Crazy but true. You are not saving a dime.

In this case, you can search other return flights from other airlines to avoid the sale scam. I have done this many times already and it saved me a reasonable amount of money.

I don't normally buy tickets at regular prices. Why would I when I can have it 30-50% off?

Be flexible on your travel dates (save 30-50%)

Most of the time you are not really particular on your travel dates unless it is intended for the honeymoon, birthday or spur-of-the-moment trips. I do not personally recommend the latter, by the way.

Major airlines are targeting promotions during off-peak season to major destinations. Hence you are leaving money on the table if you really wish to go to Boracay on Labor Day to catch the #LaBoracay party.

April and May are when ticket prices skyrocket caused by the excessive desire of wanderlusts to go out during summer.

Skip all the travel package deals (save 20%)

Travel agencies sprout like mushrooms in social media nowadays. Countless travel deals are thrown away every single day and man, they are enticing.

If you want to save on your travel expenses, by all means, avoid them.

Travel packages are unreasonably expensive and less customized. You pay more for less and the service is on par with normal.

Since they also exist for business, they are charging stellar prices for added service of organizing air and land transfer, food, and accommodation. Why pay when you can do it anyway?

But don’t get me wrong. Travel packages are still great if you want a hassle-free journey.

Call the hostel directly (save 20%

Another item often overlooked is the accommodation. In the past year, I was solely using travel apps like AirBnb and Expedia for booking hostels. It saved me a lot rather than staying at expensive hotels.

But lately, I just found out I could even save more by calling the hostel directly via landline or cellular number and it saved me even more.

Here’s how:
1. Search for cheap accommodations through the Expedia app.
2. Once you find the name of the hostel, Google it and get the contact number.
3. Most of the hostels have cellular numbers so call them directly and boom, you're booked instantly!

I have tried this already when I went to Davao. I found out that Expedia is charging 20% more on the room rates! That is how much I saved times the number of days I stayed. Big savings.

Ditch the taxi (save 80%)

Transportation is one of the challenges while traveling. Sometimes when you are lost there is no other way but to ride a cab and tell the driver to go to the nearest SM. I know, I tried this already. An emergency is an exception.

In normal conditions, avoid riding a taxi for not only it is expensive but most drivers exploit the opportunity of overcharging you - either through scammy taxi meters or stellar flat rates.

Ride the public transportation (used by locals) instead - jeepney, tricycle or pedicab. Don't act like a tourist but a local.

And for any questions you have in mind, ask a local. 90% of the time they will help you.

It also pays to be bargaining all the time. Few bucks saved when accumulated is worth a hundred.

Eat where the locals go (save 40-60%)

You can stretch your travel budget by simply choosing where to eat. If you want to go to a famous resto you've been dying to go to, do it just once for the sake of experience but not on your entire 3 days 2 nights stay.

Take note that travel isn't food alone and not all delicious foods are expensive.

When I went to El Nido it was really one of my itineraries to go to Altrove Restaurant - an Italian restaurant famous for its brick oven pizza.

It was a bit expensive but it was really worth it. Just one dinner (for experience sake) and I never went there again.

Be safe (priceless)

Accidents are more expensive than being safe. Should have put this on top of the list but I didn’t because you would think this is very obvious.

It is but not really when you're high and stoked. Think again.

Although accidents are inevitable, we can decrease (or even eliminate) the likelihood to happen. One of the best ways to do this is to be mindful on your surroundings.

You can't expect to be safe if you go alone 1 AM in the morning in the outskirts with lots of drunk locals. Not a good idea.

Likewise, it doesn't make sense if you wear jewelry and show it off publicly. You might not be wearing it again.

Mindfulness is being aware in the present with yourself and with other people. Of course, this shouldn't interfere with your activities. You should know it yourself if it is not safe (then you need to avoid) so it won't cause you any harm.

Bonus: Do you have a Life Insurance? (priceless)

This is not to exaggerate. We will never know when a serious incident hits us - maybe not at this time (who wants to?) but eventually, it will.

Life insurance should be one of your priorities. Yes, on top of your future business and travel plans. Here's why.

Life insurance will save you and your children from any unlikely incidents that will affect your family financially.

Think about being laid off from work, health conditions or accidents (from travel or by other means) that may affect your income. Life insurance can help you with that.

If you want to know more, hit me an email and I can give you a free quote.

Conclusion

Travel is part of life. We go into places and immerse onto experiences to rejuvenate us from the daily grind. Travel, however, is expensive and requires ample budget and preparation.

If we all just go travel right away without proper planning (and saving), we might be spending on unnecessary things that will blow up the travel budget and will affect our nest egg.

Proper planning and saving is a "must" for a worry-free trip. Do you have any other tips not mentioned in this post? Please leave a comment below.

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5 Unusual and Offbeat Things to do in Boracay (without the spoiler)

2020-05-17T19:37:00.000+08:00

On my 27th birthday I decided to take a trip to Boracay. Alone. Yes, this is my first time to travel by myself. The first time I went to Boracay was with my good friend on his birthday last Aug 2013. That was awesome! This time is more personal hence I traveled solo.

Related: Cut travel expenses by 50% - 7 Practical Ways {alertWarning}

A lot of travel guides would tell you to go island hopping, banana boat, helmet diving and other mainstream stuffs in Boracay. I have tried it all already and I don't wanna do it again.Through observation and feedback from locals, here's 5 unusual and offbeat things to do in Boracay.

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Stay in a hostel

There are countless benefits of staying in a dorm or a hostel. But the top 2 reasons I considered most important is this: (1) cheap accommodation and (2) best avenue to meet like-minded travelers.

Some people are not comfortable staying in a hostel for safety and convenience purposes. I respect that, especially for women. But if you think about it, you don't really need a luxurious room since you will be going out most of the time.

Related: Amazing camping experience at Borawan, Quezon {alertWarning}

In the room there were 10 of us - 8 are from other countries and 2 of us are Filipinos. I got to know them and learned that they are from Canada, Singapore, China, Sweden, USA and United Kingdom. Pretty diverse.

I happened to know Daniel, a young consultant from UK also traveling alone. Ever since I knew him we went out together. Had a great time with this fella.

I stayed at MNL Beach Hostel. The rooms and bed are pretty decent. For a very cheap price it is definitely a steal. Rooms are air-conditioned, mattress is fairly clean, staff is very accommodating and there's even a FREE breakfast. How's that for a P450 ($9) rate?

They also have fun activities to watch out for. Just ask the staff. Call them directly to save even more. Don't book using travel apps like Airbnb or Expedia.

Go barhopping with Boracay Pubcrawl

Initially, my birthday trip was intended for soul-searching. On a first thought I chose Coron. But since I would travel alone, I imagined life would be lonelier since nightlife is dead in Palawan. I opted for Boracay instead.

Clubs are sprouting like mushrooms in Boracay. Sunset is spelled P-A-R-T-Y. As soon as the sun is down, party-goers start flocking at the shore.Right after our Mongolian buffet dinner, we joined the Boracay Pubcrawl.

For P900 ($18), we were able to meet good friends and 5 clubs including complimentary drinks. A yellow shirt and a rubber bracelet is provided as well to recognize participants during the pub-crawl.

One thing worth noting about Boracay Pubcrawl is that it is introvert-friendly. They are aware that most of their guests are solo travelers hence they have games that encourages participants to introduce themselves to other people. You can book online here.

Tip: A friend recommended Backpacker Pubcrawl for a detailed list of pubcrawls around the world :)

Smoke a hookah

Whether you are a smoker or a non-smoker, this is a one-time experience you should never miss. For P600 ($12), one session normally lasts an hour.

This is the first time I smoked a shisha and with no bias, it really felt great. I was surprised that the smoke is sweet and pleasing, not harsh compared to a cigarette.

Daniel and I had a very relaxing night smoking a shisha while gulping an ice-cold beer.You can find a lot of hookah bars along the shore.

Go cliff diving at Ariel's Point

As for a meal, there has to be an entree, main course and a dessert. For me, pub crawl is the entree, hookah is the dessert and cliff jumping is the main course.

Cliff jumping is one of the most unforgettable experiences I've done. And when we talk about cliff jumping, only 1 name dominates - Ariel's Point.

For P2,500 ($50) you can eat, drink and cliff jump all you want! Crazy deal. Oh and it also includes boat transfers to and fro Boracay. You can book a reservation online. (Let's share travel pictures! Follow me on Instagram)

Have a sandcastle with your name on it

My birthday trip would never be complete without the Boracay sandcastles. I was about to have someone take a picture of me near the sandcastle when I saw a customized message that says, "I love Haifa."

I asked a boy to create a phrase "My Bday" in front of the sandcastle. It was awesome! With excitement, they immediately snap photos. Happy 27th birthday to me!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by daverild (@daverild) on May 17, 2016 at 10:08pm PDT

Conclusion

What about you, ever done a solo trip? Where did you go and what have you done?

My solo birthday trip is the best ever. I got to do a lot of first times - stayed a hostel, pub crawl, cliff jump and smoke a shisha.

I never regret the decision to travel alone. Though there are really times when you need a close friend to talk or go with you, the emotion just passes by. But if this emotion lingers and bothers you, this is the time you need to meet new people and listen to their stories too. Who knows, you are sharing the same feelings and you can relate to each other.

Solo trip is, however, not meant to be done all the time. It is when you need to reflect, release the tension, restore the muse and do the things you want to do without inhibitions.

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Are You An Ass-Kicker or Ass-Licker?

2020-04-06T15:00:00.002+08:00

May it in business or career, there's one question to ask for: "Am I an ass-kicker or ass-licker?" It doesn't matter, as long as I'm happy either way around is fine with me, a hypocrite might say.

Rarely true. Nobody's been successful with cuffs on someone's hand. Autonomy is what motivates people to work and to do well on their career. Being a pup to someone else is crippling. Uninspiring.

Say you want to do this thing and your boss tells you otherwise. And when you ask the logic behind that decision you are responded with a common line, "It's the decision from the top. We have to follow what they say."

So in other words, there are no options. Follow what they say or leave. You're an ass-licker.

You want to start a doughnut stand on a local mall. But lo and behold somebody else's doing the same thing. A competitor! You noticed that their hot stuff is selling well but yours.

That's when you realize that your competitor is giving away freebies for a minimum purchase. Good idea, you thought.

You posted a big signage in front of your stand stating, "FREE Coffee for Every Box". It's working! It's selling well! Hooray! So there you are, copycat. Trend-follower. Ass-licker.

In contradiction, there are some individuals who are given the freedom to do their own thing. The person above him only does the assessment of the undertaking. Say this person initiates a project that saves your company a million dollar in a year.

Nobody has instructed him to do it. Nobody either triggered him to think of that project until him. Now his superior is excited about this project and optimistic that they could even save more than expected.

A year after, the prophecy has been fulfilled. This guy brought in an enormous savings due to his power-saving equipment. A lot of people applauded him during the recognition rites. This guy felt happy. He was inspired to do more. Now isn't that nice to be like him? Creating value. Doing something extraordinary.

Market-leaders are ass-kickers. In most cases, these businesses deliver a premium product. Pricey but fulfilling. It's like the feeling of people falling in line just to buy the latest iPhone.

Due to popularity and massive demand of the market, Samsung fills in with gadgets closely similar to Apple but with a lower price.

Yes they're successful. They're huge. But what can we say? They might be conquering the biggest chunk of the market but they're still a follower. An ass-licker.

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3 Reasons Why You Should Have A Blog

2020-04-06T14:00:00.001+08:00

I A couple of friends asked me why I have a blog. Most of them were serious so I answered with modesty, "It's my outlet to express myself and to release my emotions." Surprisingly, the respond I always get is a nod of their heads.

I never knew (and don't want to find out) what their expression meant. I taught myself not to judge other people on their facial expressions or awkward responses. Overanalysis and reading other people's minds surely are ways to waste your time.

Upon self-examination, I found out these 3 cool benefits of having a blog and why you should start blogging too. While the initial plan is to monetize my blog, it has changed and have it as a bonus.

Three Benefits of Blogging

1. Writing a blog is a therapy

Since I've started this blog, I'm amazed with great things that happen to me unexpectedly. And I seriously love it. Every time I blog, all the tensions and burden in my mind are released. It makes me calm and happy.

I truly agree that sharing is caring. I blog about stock market investing, personal finance, self-help and travel. Ultimately, when you share you receive a tremendous blessing that you can't find somewhere else - happiness.

2. Blogging improves your communication skills

I don't have an English or Literature degree but I don't mind the handicap. The way I learned English back in primary and college is sufficient for me to communicate well.

Writing a blog hones my communication skills. The enthusiasm of putting your ideas into words is satisfying. Reading is the bread while blogging is the butter. While one is not dependent on the other, there really is nothing better than having both.

3. It feels good to be appreciated

Setting aside hypocrisy, it is inherent in human beings to be appreciated for the things done to other people. Gratitude, affection and sympathy are priceless. A simple gratitude from someone who appreciates what you did is uplifting. However, not to a point of idolatry or obsession.

My Mom Was An Investor

2020-03-30T09:00:00.000+08:00

Every time I feel down, I always think of my accomplishments. It may not be the best that I had hoped for but those are great milestones in pursuit of success in life. I'm far from what I was before and what I'm going to be.

I was on the top 10 of the class during my primary and secondary years, graduated with flying colors in college, ran for 21km marathon and is now working on a multinational company. These never happened in luck or coincidence. I worked hard every day and never slept for countless nights. I have a strong belief in myself but more in my mother.

I've known my mother as a strict disciplinarian. She would always protect me from any bad elements and steered me to a straight path to goodness, centered on education. Since I was small, she was always strict and protective. She has eight rules:

The Eight Rules of My Mom

1. Sit at the first row in front of the teacher. I was prone to catching illness from my teachers' sneeze)

2. Choose your seatmate. He/She must be intelligent like you. I was programmed to think that I am intelligent

3. Don't talk. Listen to your teacher always. I realized I broke this rule when at the end of school year my teacher told my mother that I was very talkative

4. Make sure you ace that exam always! Participate during discussions as much as possible. Even if I didn't know the answer, I should raise my hand. That's what she wanted

5. Don't go (during playtime, going home, etc) with low-performer classmates (especially boys), they are contagious.

6. If you receive a medal at the end of school year, tons of toys up for grabs

7. She would only be happy if I would have that medal. Else, failure to do so would be a serious family issue for weeks and little things would be deferred like watching TV and going out

8. Your sisters, brother and other students made it to the top, so can you. My brother and sisters were always at the top 1 or 2 of the class. "Yes they are intelligent but they're not that good-looking," I contested to her once. I was referring to other people anyway, not my siblings haha

She was an autocratic mother, I must say. The way she hit that leather belt on me was painful that I couldn't breathe. Too bad and too good. Too bad because I never had the chance to experience the other side of life when I was young. Too good, for some reasons.

When I was in college, I still couldn't figure out why my mother was so hard on me. While I understand it was for my own sake, there was no profound meaning at all, though I never dared to ask. So I accepted her just what she wanted me to be. It never really sinked in.

However, things were different. I was in a different arena. It was never like the old, boring days in my early school years. I had lots of freedom, at last! Never would she know that I was sitting at the middle row, frolicking in the room, having friends with "not-so-good" guys, sleeping during classes and not aiming for that shiny object hanging on my neck.

I applied as a working student in the school. I had foreseen the challenge like juggling two sharp knives. So I warned her, "Don't ever expect that I'll be having that medal when I graduate. My siblings didn't even make it." Finally, I had my legit excuse lol. My mother never said a word. She agreed in silence.

"Slacky" 1st Year

Things were so exciting and I had a good time with friends. I went around the city, flirt with ladies and played online games. I didn't have a chance to start as a working student so I was a regular student then.

I enjoyed and it was never the same before. I tried to have good grades but not enough. I ended up at satisfactory level - not excellent but not failing. What a good life! My mom still had her support and pressure on me.

"Pretty serious" 2nd Year

I started studying and as a working student at the same time. I had lesser to no time to wander around or with some other stuffs. It was just between study and work.

While in adjustment period, there was no other stuff to focus on but my studies. For the second time, I aimed to improve my grades. But I still didn't make it to the dean's list. My mom had little pressure on me, but she understood what it's like to be a working student. Both my sisters were working students too.

"Trying hard" 3rd Year

I was an average Joe. I felt like I was a guinea pig in a never-ending treadmill. My mother was neither dismayed nor satisfied with my grades but her support was still firm.

I always left home early and came home late; sometimes at 11pm because of my work at school. I almost made it to the dean's list but I got a low grade in my major subject - 3.0 in Advanced Statistics. Pull it down a little and I would have failed. What a shame!

My performance in studies and work were acceptable. If I had done my best as a working student, what would I earn? Recognition, perhaps. But there was no such award given that time. What if I excel in my studies? Then I'd become a dean's lister. An honor student. Would I be entitled for tuition fee discount? No, working students were not eligible for that.

And that was the tipping point. I didn't know why but deep inside there was a voice telling me, "You are studying now. Would it be fulfilling if you graduate with nothing? Don't you miss being at the top?" I pondered these thoughts and decided. "I will do my best to have higher grades. What could I do to avail that school fee discount? I had a plan."

"Liberation" 4th Year

June 12, 2008 - Independence Day of the Philippines. I was officially an academic scholar and would never have to work again in the office as a working student.

I could also focus on my studies to earn that medal. I also have the potential to avail a school fee discount if my grades are high enough. Clearly, my motivation was recognition and money. When I was a kid, my motivation was toys such as robots, bicycle and watch.

Engineering is for diligent students, I must say. Memorization is just the tip of the iceberg. To put it simply, one has to memorize the formula and to practice solving math problems every time.

Variables x and y were my friends and I never got bored with them. With no books (I didn't buy books if it were not required), I only took notes and stick with it until I master the solution process.

Mathematical problems are like cooking. There is a proper sequence of steps that should never be interchanged else your dish would end up so badly. That is why one professor of mine always includes the word "Step 1, Step 2, Step 3" and so on in the solution process. I understood it was our guide. It's like "Do this first then after that, do this. Finally, do this." It helped me a lot.

At the end of the semester, I was a dean's lister. And I had also availed a discount on my school fees. I looted some of it and gave it to my mother haha. She was very happy.

"Mastery" 5th Year

Rinse and repeat. The taste of reward was addictive and I committed myself to do it again. I did it. I was very happy.

Graduation

When graduation was approaching, I assessed myself if I'd be eligible to graduate with honors. With so much excitement, I took my prospectus with the corresponding grades beside the syllabus.

I computed my GPA from first year to fifth year. In first year, I got an average of 2.3. On the third year, I got a grade of 3.0. Hopeless. Finally, when I got the sum of each grade multiplied with the number of units, I divided it with the total number of units from 1st year to 5th year. Guess what, I got an average of 1.53 out of 1.0 so I was qualified to apply as an honor student: Cum Laude.

My Realizations

1. My mom was an investor

I was her business. She took advantage of other people's money (OPM), which is the school, and combined it with my time (as a working student) to let her business grow.

After 5 years, her business grew and was able to support on its own. Simple yet I regret some people are not taking advantage of this school hack. They complain how hard to send their child to college when what they only need is persistence and hard work.

2. "Worst to best" is better than "best to worst" transition

My mom's discipline started the moment I knew how to understand words. I felt like I was always in a cage - controlled and imprisoned, that I couldn't do all that I wanted.

But when I was old enough and she set me free, the transition was like a walk in the park. Now think about a spoiled child getting used to having what he wants until he grows up. Suddenly, his parents changed the rules and tighten the belt. Most likely he would rage and rebel. Not good.

3. Honor your parents. Someday it's going to make sense

Had I not listened to my mother, I would never be what I am now. Although not completely perfect of who I want to become, she never disappointed me. She always knows best.

4. Strictness doesn't kill

Undeniably, there were couple of times that I pity myself for not being free to do what I like and the things that other kids could do. I felt my mother was unfair and inconsiderate.

However, when I recall myself before, there was never a time that she deprived me of something "good." what I mean with good are things that I truly need, not what I just want. She didn't provide me everything I wanted but she gave me all that I needed.

5. What I didn't like to do as a child are one of my problems now

My mom always reminded me of brushing my teeth every morning and night regardless of where I was or what I was doing. Either I was having a sleepover at my cousin's, watched a late TV show, went to my neighbor or I was so damned sleepy, I should never forget to brush my teeth. Sometimes I couldn't stick to brushing my teeth as it was too cumbersome for me.

Conclusion

Success, indeed, isn't about the destination but the journey. The reward simply exists to motivate us and just to get us going but what really matters is how the entire process made us as a person. One has to really master the discomfort and uncertainty of the journey.

Also, power thinking really helps. You focus on things that you can control and you let go of the things that are uncontrollable.

I love all the details about my mom and our moments together. I'm proud to be a momma's boy and even if I had a chance, I wouldn't change a single thing. She made me who I am as a person.

What about you, do you have any unforgettable lessons from your parents?

How To Open An Account with COLFinancial 2020

2020-03-12T15:30:00.004+08:00

With the rise of online trading, investing in the stock has never been easy. Before you proceed on account creation with COL Financial, I suggest that you read my posts first on stock market introduction and things to consider in stock market investing.

You must have the right mindset. Your conviction should be strong enough before you engage on this opportunity. You might regret if you dive directly without testing the waters.

In this post I will show you how to get started in online stock trading thru the multi-awarded and most acclaimed stock market broker COLFinancial.

I am not connected with COLFinancial nor an affiliate of this website. I am just recommending something that I personally use so that I can provide valuable information based on experience, not from anyone else.

Steps In Opening A COLFinancial Account

Here’s the step-by-step guide on opening your COLFinancial account.

1. Choose your account type

They have 3 options.
a. COL Starter - entry-level account. Minimum investment Php 1,000
b. COL Plus - for active traders. Minimum investment Php 25,000
c. COL Premium - for the premier investor. Minimum investment Php 1,000,000

Here's the comparison table of three accounts from COLFinancial's website.

2. Download and fill out the Application Forms

Download the application forms. You must have an Adobe Reader installed on your computer to read the pdf files. Else, download the Adobe Reader.

3. Prepare the additional requirements

Here's the list of requirements posted on their website

4. Submit forms and requirements

You may personally submit or deliver to any of their 5 business centers in the country. Here are the addresses. If you prefer to have it delivered via courier, please use a white mailing envelope and not packaging boxes / manila envelopes. Packaging boxes might incur additional charges.

Luzon (Metro Manila)

COL Business Center
2403B East Tower, PSE Centre,
Exchange Road, Ortigas Center,
Pasig City 1605, Philippines
+632 8651 5888

COL Investor Center - Makati
Ground Floor, Citibank Tower,
Valero Corner, Villar Streets,
Makati City 1227, Philippines

North Luzon

COL Investor Center - Ilocos
Level 2, Unit 242 Robinsons Place
Ilocos Expansion Mall,
Brgy. 1, San Nicolas 2901, Ilocos Norte
+6377 677 3442
+6377 677 3443
+6377 677 3445

Visayas

COL Investor Center - Cebu
Unit B205 Axis Entertainment Ave.,
Vibo Place, N. Escario St.,
Cebu City 6000, Philippines
+6332 261 8601
+6332 261 8615
+6332 261 8624

Mindanao

COL Investor Center - Davao
2nd Floor Robinsons Cybergate,
J.P. Laurel Ave., Bajada,
Davao City 8000, Philippines
+6382 287 8192 to 94

5. Fund your account

You may choose the following options:

a. Online Bills Payment (click the link for instructions)
i. BPI
ii. BDO
iii. MetroBank
iv. Asia United Bank
v. China Bank
vi. Robinsons Bank
vii. UnionBank

b. Over the Counter (click the link for sample deposit slip)
i. BPI
ii. BDO
iii. MetroBank
iv. Asia United Bank
v. Robinsons Bank
vi. UnionBank

c. COL Business Center
2403B East Tower, PSE Centre,
Exchange Road, Ortigas Center,
Pasig City 1605, Philippines

d. Overseas Remittance (click the link for instructions)
i. BDO Kabayan Bills Bayad
ii. iRemit
iii. BDO Overseas Remittance

Once your account is funded, your COL username and password will be emailed to you in 24 hours! You can start investing in the stock market.

If you want to have a test drive first, you can register a 7-day DEMO account. If in case you have any concerns, you can contact COLFinancial directly through the following:

Hotline: +632 8651 5888
Email: helpdesk@colfinancial.com

Conclusion

Years ago, stock market investing was only available to elite investors. Now, anyone could invest in the stock market. With proper mindset and drive to learning, anyone can achieve profitable returns.

Have you opened an account with COLFinancial already? Have you encountered any trouble during account registration?

Top 5 Ways to Reduce Risks in Stock Market Investing

2020-02-25T18:18:00.001+08:00

As scary as it may seem, stock market investing is associated with high risks. This should never scare you. Like I said in my other post, you don't need to be Warren Buffett to invest in stock market. In fact you can start investing and open an account with COLFinancial right now. Make sure to read my other post on stock market introduction.

There are 5 ways you can do to ensure a fail-proof investment in the stock market.

Invest in Blue Chip Companies

Only invest in “blue chip” companies. These are companies which are in good standing in terms of profitability, years of existence and credibility.

These are companies which you expect to be still operating after 10 years. So how do you assess if it’s a blue chip Company?

Simple. Google the company and visit their site. See their financial reports and company profile. There you can assess if the company is growing strong or not.

You can also check the company through observation. Questions like, how big is the company and its subsidiaries (if any), how visible it is to public and their competition. Most likely, blue chip companies are dominating the industry that that they are involved in. They are market leaders.

Diversification

As the old cliché goes, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Why? Because if the fox steals it, none would be left. In stock market, learn to invest in every industry.

As a rule of thumb, you should invest in a portfolio composed of financial, conglomerates, oil & mining, food, real estate and retail. The rationale behind this is risk distribution. When one industry fails, other industries are growing hence your loss is mitigated.

No matter what the scenario is, you should continue buying stocks and not sell it unless you need emergency funds. When you buy stocks for a longer duration of time, you are building an empire little by little and that is rewarding in the end seeing the results!

Cost-Averaging Method

Invest in small, frequent amount. In this manner risk is evenly distributed per period and not in lump sum. The idea behind this is that, if you continuously buy stocks, the future market price is still way higher than the average price of the stocks.

As an example, say you bought Apple stocks 4 years ago at $750 a share. The following year, you bought it at $740. On the next year you bought it at $762, then $780.

Let's say the market price today is $780. If you take the average price of your stock, that would be $758. Hence, your stocks has appreciated by $22 a share!

For four years, you bought Apple stocks at an amazing price of $758. Since the current market price is $780, you gained $22 per share. Sounds great, doesn't it? Imagine if you have a hundred shares of Apple stocks. That would be $2,200 profit!

Glance In A While

While you can leave your stocks behind, perhaps it is better to monitor once a week and see how the market goes. You cannot afford to lose simply because of lack of supervision.

You wouldn't know when bear markets happen and when your stocks are losing value so it is best to check regularly and take action before it gets worse. On the other extreme, it is not advisable to check your stocks every minute or so.

Conclusion

While stock market investing is risky, there are specific tactics to mitigate risks. If we embrace and manage fear in a different way, it could work to our advantage.

How about you, how do you manage risks in the stock market?

Apple's "Backdoor" Controversy Explained in 5 Minutes

2016-02-22T16:00:00.002+08:00

This post is my opinion about Apple's backdoor controversy. The US Government demands Apple to create a "backdoor" to bypass the security features of a certain iPhone. This is connection to the unsolved case of San Bernardino shooting incident last Dec 2015.

The recovered iPhone, believed to be owned by the suspect, is the missing piece that if accessed, could significantly help the FBI to solve the puzzle.

Smartphones, in general, are encrypted with a passcode (or password) to avoid unofficial access without the owner's permission. Because of encryption, FBI could not access the suspect's iPhone by all means. Hence they escalated the issue and asked the assistance of Apple to create a software that when installed, could unlock the device easily.

The Decryption Debate Goes On

In Feb 16, 2016, Tim Cook wrote a letter to Apple customers worldwide about his opinion and the decision of not granting US Government's demand. The reason is simple - Privacy of customers' information.

The US Government, however, stands firm that they would only use the software on that single iPhone.

The Risk of "Backdoor" Request

Tim Cook doesn't believe in US Government's promise on the exclusive use of software. In his statement,

In the wrong hands, this software — which does not exist today — would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession

Digital information can spread like a virus. One single mistake and it would lead to a devastating effect.This could happen to the proposed software. No one is safe.

Before Game of Thrones released Season 4 on TV, there were pirated copies leaked online. Prior to X-Men's opening in cinemas there was a leak of unfinished copy of the movie.

There's only one way to prevent piracy online -- encryption.

To illustrate, these are some of the worst things that could happen.

1. You wake up one day with a staggering credit card debt of $100,000. Someone has used your credit card information on unauthorized purchases

2. You will be surprised to see your most embarrassing photo in a 9Gag meme. It hit to 5 million views in 24 hours

3. Someone saw your iBooks filled with your seduction books collection. A guy tweeted, "I never thought my friend is a pervert. Saw his bundle of seduction books. He's a priest, you know."

Conclusion

I condemn terrorism and stand for peace but I support Apple's decision. Everyone has the right to privacy. We have the right to protect our information.

In a world where (almost) no information is safe, there is only one hope and that is through rigid and strict encryption. And I believe we should be entitled to that.

What is your opinion on this?

Amazing Camping Experience at Borawan, Quezon

2016-02-21T09:00:00.008+08:00

If you are looking for a complete disconnection from urban life or a breakout from social media addictions, pack your bags and head immediately to Borawan, Quezon - one of the most exciting beaches to have a beach camping experience.

Related: 5 Unusual and Offbeat Things to do in Boracay {alertWarning}

One Thursday afternoon in Dec 2015, my friend and I were planning a getaway as our first meetup. We met thru Tinder and we believed it was time for us to see each other. A cliff dive at Boracay would be great, I thought. But on a second thought, Boracay is too far and it would be perfect if we could maximize our travel expenses with few bucks.

Our impulsive crave of the waves brought our imagination to the islands of Quezon province. I knew nothing about the place. She told me about the one of the islands there but that was only what she knew. She'd never been there too.

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A Lot of First Times

An overnight on a Saturday would be fine so that we could go home on Sunday evening, we decided. Only two days left before our trip and I felt very excited.
1. It was our first meetup
2. It was our first trip together
3. It was our first time to go to Quezon province

Truth be told, I felt indecisive about our trip. I didn't know about the island and this girl.

What if we get stranded there for weeks? What if the girl is a transgender? I have nothing against transgenders but I prefer a straight woman. I told her about it and it would be too bad if she lied.

I searched about the island and it assured safety. For my travel buddy, I didn't mind. I've seen her Facebook profile and she seemed feminine to me. I also haven't found any of her social media bios saying that she's a transgender.

It was a 2d1n stay so we didn't have a luxury of time.

Related: Cut Travel Expenses by 50% - 7 Practical Ways {alertWarning}

Dampalitan Island

There are three famous islets in Quezon province: Dampalitan, Puting Buhangin and Borawan. We were searching for the best option possible to hop around the three islands and where to spend most of our time.

Our boatman suggested to have an overnight stay at Dampalitan. We'd proceed to Puting Buhangin early in the morning and head to Borawan in the afternoon. We agreed.

We arrived at Dampalitan at sunset. To say that this view is perfect is an understatement.

The island has this unspoiled beauty and it's so tranquil. There was no electricity, hotels and mobile connectivity. You could only hear the waves, the breeze and the birds.

I had only seen three tents fetched on the shore. You could bring your own tent or you could rent one for Php 300. We opted for the latter.

Dampalitan Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, 5/10. The shore is a bit rocky. The sand is not so white and fine as compared to Boracay. However, the sand is good enough for camping.

2. Tranquility, 9/10. When I was there I felt like I was lost somewhere in time. My iPhone had no connection. We had dinner on the shore under a million stars. We were only playing reggaeton and PYHO tracks with my JBL bluetooth speaker. We sang and we danced while sipping Tanduay Ice.

3. Convenience, 5/10. There were no stores or sandbars there so you have to bring your own food, cook it if you must. I was a bit prepared. I bought few chips and canned goods before we went to Quezon so that we'd be ready for our dinner. It was heavy but worth it.

4. Aesthetics, 6/10. My benchmark for aesthetics is El Nido - the lush green trees, limestone rock formations and turquoise blue waters is really stunning that you would want to stay there all your life. But the main takeaway for this island is the sunrise and the sunset. It is absolutely picture-perfect.

5. Other Activities, 4/10. The best that you can do there is to hug your partner sitting on a huge timber while watching a bonfire. You can stroll around and take pictures. You can also go swimming although the water is really far from the shore especially during low tide.

Puting Buhangin

After a night of singing and dancing, we hopped to the next islet called Puting Buhangin. My first impression was it it is better than Dampalitan. And I wasn't wrong.

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A post shared by daverild (@daverild) on Dec 21, 2015 at 6:54pm PST

Puting Buhangin Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, 8/10. The white sand is finer and the beach is perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Unlike Dampalitan, you can run few steps and dive in the water.

2. Tranquility, 6/10. There were a lot more people in the area. You can hear someone shouting or a loud music. It is not child-friendly too for there were beach-goers smoking other stuff aside from cigarette. It is getting more like a mini-beach party place.

3. Convenience, 7/10. We were relieved when we saw a little store. We bought food and other necessities. There were bathrooms and you could also find roofless huts for people to change. The campsite is also nice since it is under coconut trees with a bermuda grass. There is no wonder more people are staying in Puting Buhangin.

4. Aesthetics, 7/10. Aside from the beach and sand quality, you can also find small caves to explore. The coconut trees looked perfect too. In fact there were campers setting on their hammocks. Cool!

5. Other activities, 7/10. There are watersport activities in the island like jetski and banana boat. Or you can go spelunking to the caves. It has a lot more things to do than the former island.

Borawan

In the past months I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Borawan. Some have exaggerated the beauty of the place while others have cited the dark side.

Our last stop had come to an end in a wonderful island being associated with Boracay and Palawan, hence the word BoraWan.

I couldn't wait to get off the boat when we were approaching the island.

There were people but not too crowded. The beach and the sand are also comparable to Puting Buhangin. I fell in love with the beach.

At first I was a disappointed. The shore looked narrow. When we get off the boat I thought that was the entire Borawan but when we went around the other side I was stunned by this beauty.

The long curvature strip of the shore is surprising.

My high expectations were finally met when we took a walk on the shore. Felt like heaven. It was the best of the three islands!

Borawan Rating

1. Beach and sand quality, 8/10. The beach is really good and the sand is perfect for a barefoot walk. The breeze was also frequent that complements the waves. We also stayed under the cave as a to protect us from the sun. Awesome.

2. Tranquility, 8/10. My friend and I were sitting on a 15 foot limestone rock formation. We took the ukulele and there we sang Jason Mraz's Lucky together. Imagine the sound of the waves, breeze and humming birds PLUS the ukulele. My eyes felt heavy and I fell asleep. Truly relaxing.

3. Convenience, 8/10. Obviously, this island has more amenities than the previous two. You can buy food and other necessities on the small store, it has concrete comfort rooms and there we took a shower, finally. Oh and you can find small huts for rent too for an overnight stay! I love the place.

4. Aesthetics, 8/10. I love the long strip of the island. You can see a lush green of trees and limestone formations. I felt nostalgic on Boracay and El Nido.

5. Other activities, 6/10. I haven't seen any watersports but you shouldn't miss climbing the skyscraper rock. You can also bring your own tent if you want. The shore is perfect for camping.

Conclusions

Invest for experiences for it will last a lifetime. This is the best lesson I've learned in life.

Prior to our trip, I was thinking of buying shoes but on a second thought I realized I didn't need it. New shoes wasn't really a necessity to me that time.

If you haven't tried camping and backpacking, you should try it once. Two reasons: simplicity and mind refreshment. Simplicity in a sense that you don't need to stay on luxury hotels or dine on lavish restaurants. You only bring what is essential on your trip. Travel also refreshes your mind from your job.

Mind-pressing jobs affect your well-being. Stress desensitizes as this study shows. You need to get away from your job and press that reset button.

Have you been to Borawan already? What other places worth going in Luzon? Share your experiences in the comments section.
P.S. It was my first time seeing falling stars at Dampalitan. It was magical!

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