to buy or not to buy

One of the most wonderful feelings about being a trainer is when people who know your craft start asking questions that are rather basic, but important. Two days after my talk on Practical Money Management, two people asked, on separate occasions, whether a specific gadget they want to buy is practical or not. The first asked about whether a MacBook Pro is a good buy, and another asked whether the iPad Mini on sale at 200 USD is worth buying.

Well here's how I would think my way through.

My generic answers for both would be:

• If the gadget you are buying is within the 70% or 80% budget cap that you put on expenses (remember the 10-20-70 or 30/70 or 20/80 rule?), then go for it. You should make sure that the gadget or item you want to buy is within that expenses bucket.
• If the gadget you are buying is something you can use to increase your productivity and/or generate income from, then go for it. For instance, you don't have a laptop you can use when you are doing presentations to your clients. Then indeed, you need one.
• If the gadget is reasonably priced, and I mean, a true SALE price. Imagine an iPad that usually costs around 400 USD and it is being sold at only 200 USD! However, go back to the first two items I've written here: Is the purchase within the budget? Is the gadget something you need and will be able to maximise use for?

On the whole, I would also say this in terms of purchasing some goods. Go for QUALITY over QUANTITY! We often fall prey to those SALE items that we see in malls but we often forget whether these items will last or not. A classic example: My mom saw a set of four cooking pans for sale at 2,000 pesos (around 45 USD). She bought it because it's on sale. We then went home and used the frying pan. After just one usage, the pan was deformed, and it could no longer be laid flat on the induction cooker. What a loser product, right? 

So there goes my tips for the day. :-)

The Rule of 72

Who would have known that such a rule existed?! Why wasn't it taught to us when we were kids or high school students, or even in college? Why? Why? Why?

Even our parents don't know this! As simple as it is, it is the very one thing that totally changed my perspective on banking.

So what I am ranting at anyway? It is the Rule of 72, or the Law of Compounding Interest. As you can see in the attached image (courtesy of http://www.wolnymbyc.pl/regula-72-czyli-kiedy-z-miliona-beda-dwa/), it is as simple as:

TAKE THE NUMBER "72" and DIVIDE IT BY the INTEREST RATE at which your MONEY IS INVESTED. The resulting NUMBER or the QUOTIENT is the NUMBER OF YEARS IT WILL TAKE TO DOUBLE YOUR MONEY. 

Here in the Philippines, interest rates range from 0.875% to 1.375%. Check on more details here: http://philippines.deposits.org/. So let's say we set the average at 1%. Let's do the Rule of 72.

72 / 1 = 72 years.

Yes, 72 years! It will take 72 years for my money to double when invested in the bank. Since I am 34 now, I would be 106 years old when that happens. Wow! Good luck to me!

So, all this time, our parents have been teaching us to save money the wrong way. (And they were doing it wrongly too!) Initially as kids, we put them into piggy banks, and when we grew to legal age, we were then advised to keep our money in the bank so as to earn interest unlike when in the piggy bank.

This is one big financial practice boo boo, eh?!

So now that you know the Rule of 72, where are you taking your money? To the bank, still?

no such thing as too much information

One of the lessons i have learned from my boss while he was here last week is that it's okay for information to be seen in different places as long as that information is indeed important. That being said, I thought of just putting up another blog, just for anything I want to discuss regarding finances. How different will this be, compared to the others that exist out there? Well, I don't want to play hero or superstar and declare that I am unique and that this is the best financial blog ever, but the things I will be writing here are guaranteed to be true to life and just based on my own personal (and probably my husband's) experience/s.

I hope people learn from this, and comment/ask when necessary.

Church Etiquette...

My husband and I started going to church again around two years ago after a life changing event (but this is not what I am writing about here) and we've come to conclude that the Philippines, despite being the only Catholic nation in the ASEAN region, has lost (or probably didn't ever have) its church etiquette.

We try as much as possible to really focus on the mass and to be "holy" (at least during the mass) by no thinking negative thoughts, but there are several things that really just distract us and we can't keep ourselves from rolling our eyes or nudging each others elbows, or, worst case scenario, literally talk about it while at church.

Here goes the list:
1. Kids running around during mass. (rolls eyes) It is good parenting to take your kids to church and to teach them the importance of hearing mass, but please make sure you let your kids know the importance of staying put at church. RESPECT for places of worship and for solemn events is the key here.

2. Adults chatting with each other during mass. Oh really? Why did you even go to mass? Need I say more?

3. Couples showing too much PDA while in Church. Get a room!

4. People falling asleep in mass. Oh well, this is debateable and I am guilty of this sometimes too, especially if I don't understand, or worse, hear the priest during homily. However... There are times when, even when the priest of the day has such a loud voice, some individuals still fall asleep. I believe that if you are intently listening, you won't ever fall asleep.

5. People not singing or participating in mass. There's a reason why there are things called: responsorial psalms, prayers of the faithful, hymn of praise, the Lord's prayer, etc. There's a reason why it's called a church - because people gather to worship and praise. So, what are you doing there just standing/sitting down? Killing time?

6. People who don't put their phones on silent mode.

There seems to be more, but for now I'll put my top 6 pet peeves while at church.

Why is church etiquette so rare? Does it exist in the Philippines? Does it even have to be taught or blogged about?!

What to do when you’re no longer happy with your job…

Image from http://www.m65recruitment.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Quitting-your-job-238x300.jpg

I bet everybody has, in one way or another, felt unhappy with his/her job. In my 11 years in the corporate world, I have recently come up with just three rules when caught in this “I-am-not-happy-with-my-job-anymore” situation.

1.     Don’t Quit, Suck It Up. We sometimes want to quit because we are not happy with changes in the company, or with the people we work with, or with our salaries, or with our workplace, or with anything, lastly, with our boss. If these are things or reasons that are unlikely to be changed, then there’s nothing you can do but to suck it up. If quitting is not your option, and you don’t want to do anything, just suck it up. My boss told me this, and I tell my staff the same thing: “There are things that our boss doesn’t want to do, things that I don’t want to do, and things you don’t want to do, but we gotta do what we gotta do if the business requires it.”

2.     Don’t Quit, Change Your Attitude. If you are the person who is more positive about things, has an open mind, and is more accepting, then instead of sulking and whining about how unhappy you are with your job, then change your attitude! Always look for the brighter side aka the “silver lining” of everything that’s happening around you. If the company decides to not give you any pay rises for the year, think about… maybe, the rise will be higher next year!

3.     Don’t Quit, Voice Out! Some people are more assertive than others, and this is where open and honest communications come in. With much determination, diplomacy, and tact, take your issues up with whoever/whatever is bothering you or making you unhappy. If you feel that your boss is micro-managing you, yet you love your job, and you want to change things, then talk to your boss! Believe, this has helped me a lot in the last three years I’ve worked with my boss. I got myself used to saying things like, “May I say something, please? I think…” or, “Please hear me out…” These words are very powerful, they make your boss step back a bit and then look at things from a different perspective.

4.     Quit. So this is the end. If you are not capable of doing the three items above and your job is draining the life and happiness out of you, then, by all means, “let it go, let it go!” Aside from making yourself miserable, you are, most probably, also radiating your negativity to the rest of the workplace, and this is not a good thing. Just quit altogether and look for a job that will truly make you happy.

John Quincy - Gone Too Soon.

It isn't unusual for me to receive a phone call from my brother Mark early in the morning, but then instead of the usual scene where I hear my niece or my nephew shout out "Nanay," I heard the name of one of my friends in grade school. "Jacko." John Quincy passed away today at 3 AM. We're not close, but we somehow get along pretty well when given the chance.

I'd be honest in this write-up about him. I didn't like him in grade school; he was the typical playful, sweaty, smelly schoolboy... I would have described him as "dugyot" or uhugin. He was friends with some of the boys I am friends with though, and it was during these interactions when I found him to be very friendly. He did not make much of an impact to my life.

John Quincy Soberano
Nov 22, 1979 - Feb 3, 2014

High school came. I know for a fact that he studied in the the exclusive boys' high school back home, and then after first year, I saw him in my school, together with Paulo, the other guy I was close with. I wasn't surprised. I thought... Oh yeah, he was probably kicked out because he didn't do good in that private school, or he probably did some nasty things so he was kicked out and he landed in that public school.

College came. The only memories I have of him are those times when I see him dressed in that orange overall during Holy Week, Panagbenga, Summer, and all those other festive events in Baguio. I figured... Wow, this man, this "jobless" man is a hero. He has dedicated himself in "rescue" operations. That stuck to me. I don't know whether he got into college, but what the heck, I still wasn't surprised. He didn't seem like a responsible guy - the typical "father" in the family. I didn't know at this time whether he had kids or not.

The era of employment came. Still the same "Jacko." I still saw him in those orange over-alls. This time I thought, wow, this is extreme. How could he survive being a volunteer; not being paid in the job? He's happy and content just like this? I didn't know yet whether he had a family. I had mixed emotions of "panghihinayang" and awe, in the sense that, he was living his life like this, even as a kid. No job, he was nobody, yet everybody loved him. He had a lot of friends.

Then, thanks to Facebook, I saw him again, but no different than how I've seen him. Still the same "rescue" looking guy I've always remembered him for. We didn't really talk. I just saw in the past that he had heart problems, and that he would sometimes be confined in the hospital for days because of his illness. I concluded, maybe that's why he couldn't get a job, because he is sick. Yet, wouldn't it be risky that he's saving others' lives when his life is also in danger?

About two or three weeks ago, I saw a post on Facebook in one of our high school groups. People are asking for donations for the hospitalization of Jacko. I felt bad, but also had some mixed thoughts of giving him some money too. I didn't think it was serious though, so I let it pass.

What great timing naman, I've been talking about ECG for the past weeks, while Jacko is having a hard time with his heart. I regret so much that yet again, I didn't pay attention to what I felt about his situation. It's not so much the money, but I wanted to let Jacko know that I also cared for him.

You are indeed ORANGE Jacko. Here's an excerpt from http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-orange.html

The color ORANGE radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. ORANGE offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief.

The color psychology of ORANGE is optimistic and uplifting, rejuvenating our spirit. ORANGE brings spontaneity and a positive outlook on life and is a great color to use during tough economic times, keeping us motivated and helping us to look on the bright side of life.

With its enthusiasm for LIFE, the color ORANGE related to ADVENTURE and RISK-TAKING, inspiring physical confidence, COMPETITION, and INDEPENDENCE. Those inspired by ORANGE are always on the go!

ORANGE is extroverted and uninhibited, often encouraging exhibitionism, or at the very least, showing-off! 

ORANGE relates to social communication, stimulating two way conversations. A warm and invitng color, it is both physically and mentally stimulating, so it gets people thinking and talking!

ORANGE aids in the assimilation of new ideas and frees the spirit of its limitations, giving us the FREEDOME TO BE OURSELVES. At the same time, it encourages SELF-RESPECT and RESPECT of others. ORANGE is probably the most rejected and under-used color of our time. However, young people do respond well to it and has a degree of youthful impulsiveness to it. 

Jacko, you're another one of my friends who passed away too early. Somehow, I'm inclined to believe that the good people die early. You are a very good person, Jacko.

YOU left us too soon, too young. I'm happy that there will be no more pain for you, no more "heart aches." 'Till we meet again my friend!

Legit online job - Scribie

If you're looking for a part time job online, and a legit one, quote me on this... "Go for Scribie." Just look at the links I have provided here in my blog and click it! This all started when a cousin of mine, fresh out of school, jobless, but with a kid, asked me to click on that link, which at first, I thought to be bogus. I didn't really believe that my cousin would have found something like that. He was asking me to be part of the site's referral program, where, if I was accepted into the job, he gets a 5% referral commission for every successful applicant. I ignored it for some time, and then, I heard his mom talking about it one day. I then decided to go for it. I registered, and was asked to wait for an email for the test proper. Oh my, to my surprise, I did receive an email that said, I had to wait for 400+ days to get tested because there were so many applicants. Boom - I lost my faith right there. Probably a few weeks after, I received another letter saying that I was up for the test. There were 10 files in my queue. All you had to do is transcribe a six minute file, make sure your grade is satisfactory/passing and then you are hired! It took me up to the sixth try to submit a "worthy" file. (You have the chance to cancel a file that you think you won't be able to transcribe correctly, but you get only ten tries. Each attempt is considered a try.) Anyway, I passed! I won't drill down further into the mechanics because I would like you to read the guidelines on the website thoroughly. Haha. All I can say is that this is legit, and it's worth a try. Here are some screenies for proof:

 1. Here is how my profile looks like. (I took my name out, of course!)

 
 2. Here is a summary of my Performance for the last 30 days:

3. Here is a summary of my earnings:

 

 4. And here is the breakdown:


 

 If you have questions, just leave a comment and I will get back to you as fast as soon as I get online again. There are so many details to share about this, but at this time, I just really want to sleep. :-) 'Till tomorrow!

did i just lose my self-confidence?

This afternoon I was talking to my boss, and during the discussion, I did bring up the topic of me feeling unsure of doing my job because it always turns out either wrong or something he did not expect to have. Being his normal self, he went on explaining how things should be done, how we should work together, how I can solve that problem of always being "unsure" of what I am doing. He told me to keep on verifying, to always revisit, to always talk to him. And now, being my usual self, I just said "yes" to everything he said. At that time though, it did occur to me that maybe, I was just really being hard-headed, and that perhaps, that is indeed the right thing to do. I have been waiting for Ed now, all evening, and I guess this gave me time to ponder on what have transpired during the day. One thing that hit me most is... Did I just lose my self-confidence? Since I said "yes" to every single thing he told me, does that mean now that every move I make is now "unsure" and needs to be verified by him? I just realised that what he did is rob me off the confidence. When will I ever feel confident of myself? When will I ever feel confident that what I am doing is right? It strikes me that I have worked so hard to get to where I am now, as a manager, and it feels like I was just pulled ten steps behind. I wish people could read my blog and I wish for a healthy discussion and sharing of ideas that could give me a different perspective of things. It is actually a good exercise having discussions like these with people I don't know, not having to worry about prejudiced opinions/biases. Oh well, I hope my husband comes soon to pick me up from the office, or else, more doubts will come into my playful brain and mess me up once more. Photo credits: http://badcreditcarfinanceonline.co.uk/getting-car-finance-confused/

Seriously Overdue

Last night, I received a letter from a law office, asking me to pay a “seriously overdue” mobile phone bill with Globe Telecom, in the amount of PhP1,750. The letter states that their records show that I have been hesitant to pay the bill, thus the legal action against me. There’s also a statement saying that my reputation will be negatively affected and that I will be blacklisted with the CMAP (Credit Management Association of the Philippines). Instead of being worried, I felt angry. Why? I have been a loyal customer of Globe, since probably 13 or 14 years ago, and never did I intend to negatively taint that record with just a meager amount of PhP1,750. That number used to be my dad’s number, it was a fixed auto-load plan, meaning, the mobile phone automatically gets a load of 500 pesos every month. It’s a cost-effective plan in that the mobile phone user’s spending is controlled. I eventually had it disconnected after finding out that my dad isn’t using it anyway. As per standard operating procedure, you should receive a final bill after disconnection. I did not receive one. Anyway, enough of the details because Globe is such a big company while I am nobody, and someone who “seriously” owes then such a “big” amount of PhP1,750. All I am saying is, I don’t think that’s the right way to treat a loyal customer.

Cheers to 2014!

I am so looking forward to 2014, excited about so many positive things that Ed and I envisioned ourselves to be part of. With all of the drama that transpired in my life, probably between my last blog and now, I can confidently say I've become a hundred-fold stronger, wiser, a and much much better person. I really don't want to be this dramatic with my first new blog of the year, but I want to end this post with the one very important lesson I've learned through the years: Life's most important lessons are usually learned the hard, painful, and shitty way. You won't be given problems you can't bear, but when you get out of it, hell yeah, trust me, you are a new person. A new you - older, wiser, better .