We learn so much from the fathers in our life so I thought about sharing these with you dear readers.
Happy Father's Day! <3
Showing posts with label savings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label savings. Show all posts
Monday, June 22, 2020
Sunday, March 29, 2020
Online Road to Financial Wellness (Mar. 30 5PM via Zoom)
Hello Mommies!!!! :)
Pause muna tayo sa Netflix...kahit for 30minutes lang :) In that 30 minutes, you can learn more about how you can improve your family's personal finance. In 30 minutes you can learn ano ang puwede pang ika-ginhawa ng pamilya for now and the future. See you tomorrow! :)
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30th March, 5PM
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Would you agree that for many of us, 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 = 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧? 🌿👨🌾👩🌾 It's true that we are forced to stay home for weeks but it doesn't mean that we can't be productive nor be better.
Like how we "Konmari" our physical stuff, we always have the power to change and improve our 'financial narrative'.
A̶l̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ ̶s̶h̶o̶r̶t̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶c̶a̶s̶h̶?̶ ✅ Let's learn how we can plan and produce a positive cash flow
W̶o̶r̶r̶i̶e̶d̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶t̶o̶d̶a̶y̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶f̶u̶t̶u̶r̶e̶?̶ ✅Know that there are financial tools that can help you prepare for life's many uncertainties.
We invite you to our online and free 𝓡𝓸𝓪𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓦𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 session via ZOOM app (https://zoom.us/join) 👩💻👨💻 sd
You know you have a lot of time on your hands. You know that you have nowhere to go for now. You know that there are still things you want to improve on.
So what will your 30-minutes be worth? I sincerely hope you can make it a time for planting tomorrow 
"Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later." - Chris Rock
JOIN our online and free ROAD TO FINANCIAL WELLNESS
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30th March, 5PM
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See you there!
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
10 Extravagances People Pay For
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy", they say.
One of my favorite influencers recently polled in Twitter on the top extravagances his followers pay for. Some of the responses were pretty standard (coffee, tuition), some made me nod my head and say "Yeah, I agree" (like for direct flights) and still there were some that managed to surprise (I won't spoil it here)!
What this shows is that although we have different tastes for little or big luxuries, this is still a part of life that we can't avoid. And maybe we really shouldn't. I would even suggest that this be part of what we plan and save for.
In fact, treating ourselves to any of these personal rewards seem to make all our days' hard work much sweeter and adds more life to our daily living :)
Check out the list below and let me know if these are also some 'extravagances' that you can relate to :)
1 & 2. High end Tea & Coffee
I love love love tea too!! 
And I agree with the poster, I'm saving up too for a nice Zojirushi electric teapot with different temperature settings. Tea-lover Mommies check it out!!
And I agree with the poster, I'm saving up too for a nice Zojirushi electric teapot with different temperature settings. Tea-lover Mommies check it out!! Of course, high-end doesn't always have to be expensive, right? As mommies, we can still enjoy high-quality coffee beans and tea leaves while still being frugal at the same time. The key is to know where to get your supply and also to know how to properly brew your coffee or steep your tea. That is, if you can forego the coffee shop ambiance, and just DIY at home for an everyday frugal but luxurious experience.
3. Premium Clothes
I agree! While I'd love to continue using my old clothes (or even re-purposing them after their useful life), clothes can make a difference not only in the way people see you but more importantly in how you feel about yourself.
Again, as with the first example, premium clothes doesn't always have to be brand-name screaming with prices up in the stratosphere. For me, premium clothing means something that is measured to your size, designed to complement your physique and aesthetic and with materials that are durable and still weather- event- appropriate. What I'm proposing may be contrary to 'fast-fashion' but if you learn to sew even just for yourself, then you are well on your way to making made-for-you premium clothing!
4. Personal Development
I super duper agree!! Personal Development can run the gamut of things!
In connection with the premium clothing example I'd like to share (and am very proud hahaha) that last year, I learned how to sew using Youtube and Facebook groups. That's it! No formal training whatsoever and I have already turned out around 6 tops/dresses for me and my daughter. Only using professional patterns which I bought/downloaded online ah! It really amazes me what we can accomplish if only we dare try :)
In 2019 I am more focused on professional growth. Sometimes books or seminar fees can add up but personally, It is worth it! By reading up or attending workshops, our knowledge and perspectives are infinitely broadened and we are changed people. That alone can open up new opportunities for us!
5. Direct Flights
I don't fly out as much as I used to. And even then it was just minimal so I can't fully relate...But I understand how people would value their time by booking direct flights over $100 "savings".
6. Major investments like private school tuition
A Master's Degree, a child's tuition, or even a homeschooling package. It matters if it's a value your family upholds.
Did you know that you can homeschool your preschooler without really spending so much on anything? Yes, there are a lot of free worksheets you can download and print. Or maybe you have free access to a nice library. But admittedly, we always want to give more to our children depending on what we value. Like for our family, it is a must for them to learn Mandarin language so we give them that. We also prioritize quality picture-books as well as educational manipulatives at this age so we invest in packages that offer those. When we add the cost of both, it could very well equal private education too. It's craaaazy I know!!! Some relatives would ask - so given the comparative costs, why don't you just send them to traditional school?
Yeah, why not, right? Well there is another "extravagance" we are paying for -- and that is time with our kids. More time with them than if we send them to school already. In this seeming zero-sum game, we might be losing out on (corporate) income opportunities while homeschooling but we feel that this time with the kids is priceless and of course we do hope that what they learn from our years of homeschooling (being together, home-making, cooking, working in our professional capacities), they can use to their advantage in their adulthood.
7 & 8. Special Treats and Experiences
Yes!! Milk tea anyone?
Last year I invested in a very good machine. I say invest because the machine is pricey, but also because through it, we are also investing in our family's good health. I mean, as long as we keep buying healthy ingredients (like fruits, veggies, other superfoods) then we can always enjoy smoothies that are healthy, less expensive than retail, and OMG considered as treats by the kids! They are practically asking for their smoothies everyday!
Now that we are going without a house helper yet, I'm thinking if we should just go ahead and try the various cleaning services in Manila. But!! The frugal side of me (yes, meron kahit konti! haha) is protesting saying that I can vacuum and steam mop and do it all myself. Hahaha...pero konti na lang, bibigay na ako sa cleaning companies hahaha :D
9. Living alone
Yup! For moms this could be the "leave and cleave" that we aspire for. Like with the direct flights, sometimes paying a little extra is worth so much more than headaches and misunderstandings.
10. A boat!
Whoa! Didn't I say there are surprising extravagances people pay for!?
How about you? What are the personal extravagances that make you happy?
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Starting them young with BDO Junior Savers Club
Have you ever wondered what to do with the money given to your child? In the Philippines, it is usual (not customary) for some relatives or guests to give ang pao (cash gift) on special occasions. I myself was surprised with those little red envelopes starting from Z's birth, then on her baptism and also on her birthday. Sometimes she also gets those when she visits a house for the first time (may ganon?! hehe) and of course on Christmas too! :)
So being the excited first-time mom that I am, I immediately proposed to Daddy A that we should open a savings account for Z, instead of us pooling it with the family account. This is something he did not immediately agree with.
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| Photo credit to: http://www.canadiansavers.ca/ |
Daddy says No, Mommy says Go!
Our child's own bank account has been a subject of discussion between Daddy A and I. While he says that multiple bank accounts may be harder to manage, I still wanted Z to have her own. I hope that as she grows older, she'll be able to appreciate the generosity of her godparents/other sponsors and that we were able to save those gifts for her. We'll have to deal with the nitty-gritty's of maintaining balances, keeping the account current and what not. Besides, it's not as if there's really a lot of paperwork or pencil-pushing to be done at this point. At the minimum, we should just ensure that:
- the account is secure : passbook (and ATM, if provided) and any password is safe and protected
- the account is secured: the amount deposited is backed by the PDIC
- minimum maintaining balance: that we have deposited an amount above the minimum required balance
- the account is updated: that we have transactions within the year so that it is not tagged as a dormant account (banks make deductions / charge fees for dormant accounts)
Another very valid point that Daddy A raised is that because of the current inflation and very meager bank interest rates, money in bank will actually be losing value and the opportunity to earn more had it been invested in another manner. To which I definitely agree. Hence we should also look at other options like stocks or mutual funds or even insurance. I hope I can share with you my experience in a future blog post!
Deal or No Deal?
Having my personal bank account goes way back. I still remember me and my mom personally going to the bank and depositing whatever sum I was able to muster. It was fun to do "grown-up things" then. You know, saving my allowance and cash gifts, counting them (even if they only amounted to Php 500.00 then), filling out the bank deposit slip (with my kiddie handwriting of course!), and actually seeing my account steadily accumulate. Of course it helps that the passbook design was too cute (with a dolphin, I think?) and the bank would usually give tokens for Christmas :)
Aside from wanting to have similar bonding moments too with my kiddo, we want to teach her about capital preservation (at this point) and in the future, evaluating different investment options and (hopefully) making the right choice. Hence, Daddy A and I arrived at a healthy compromise to open an account for Z, with certain reservations.
At this point it was important for us to have discussed as a couple: the minimum and maximum amount we need to deposit, what we should do when it reaches a certain amount, under what circumstances will we allow for a withdrawal, etc.
I knooooow you can just deposit and deposit (or make withdrawals) as you wish but we're two complicated folks who like it that way hahaha :)
Since we already have an account with BDO, it was a no-brainer to open one for Z in this bank. It was relatively a breeze to open the account and we were finished in less than an hour. We were just asked for the following requirements:
At this point it was important for us to have discussed as a couple: the minimum and maximum amount we need to deposit, what we should do when it reaches a certain amount, under what circumstances will we allow for a withdrawal, etc.
I knooooow you can just deposit and deposit (or make withdrawals) as you wish but we're two complicated folks who like it that way hahaha :)
BDO Junior Savers Club
- Copy of Z's Birth Certificate
- Our Identification Cards (ID)
- Photos (1x1 or 2x2)
- Opening Balance: PHP 100.00 [the minimum balance to earn interest is PHP 2,000.00]
Please do check out the BDO Junior Savers Page to see other features as well as the fees and charges.
Oh, they also provide a Junior Savers Club ID which actually bears the same design as their regular ATM card (so much fun in that?!?). This is free but you have to ask them specifically for this and in our particular branch, it took at least 3 weeks before we got the Junior Savers Club Card.
This can entitle your child to special treats or promotions from partner companies such as those listed below. You can check with your branch as they change the participating merchants and the promotions from time to time.
Well for me this is a good thing. Since we won't earn much from the bank interest anyway, why not maximize the account through the perks (discounts and promos) from partner stores like Brownies, Great Image, Museo Pambata, Manila Ocean Park, etc. I'm particularly excited to use this for Zoobic Safari, Museo Pambata and Manila Ocean Park. What a great way to have more teachable moments with the little one! :) [P.S. And some brownies for mommy won't hurt either! hahaha]
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| BDO Junior Savers Club Perks! |
So what are you waiting for dearest mommies and daddies? Let's start building good financial literacy and life habits by teaching our children to save and to eventually venture in investments and businesses in the future. Happy Saving! :D
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. I only blog about products and services that I have tried and truly believe in so I know that you, my readers, are in good hands.
P.S. We haven't even received a pencil case (as stated in their website). I just really advocate for financial literacy for our children, starting when they are young. I support Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) Banking On Your Future Program (BOYFP). It is really my wish that the younger generation see money as a tool, not only to purchase goods, but to do good in this world.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way. I only blog about products and services that I have tried and truly believe in so I know that you, my readers, are in good hands.
P.S. We haven't even received a pencil case (as stated in their website). I just really advocate for financial literacy for our children, starting when they are young. I support Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) Banking On Your Future Program (BOYFP). It is really my wish that the younger generation see money as a tool, not only to purchase goods, but to do good in this world.
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