Category Archives: Financial Education

(Hopefully) Not Too Late Christmas Tips

December 19 11:07 am ,

You Can Make this a Special Christmas

At Christmas time, the mall is particularly stressful.

I mean the crowds are massive and stifling, the parking is horrible, the merchandise are disgustingly overpriced.

Christmas never used to be this way.  It used to be special.  The glittery, dreamy, new-clothes-new-shoes-lots-of-gifts-and-sparkles kiddy kind of special.

(Or is it because, then, I was not in charge (and not spending)?)

But I have grown up (as I must) and now it is my turn to make it special for my brood.

(And I wonder, was it stressful too for my mom and dad, or is it more stressful now because the world has become more fast-paced, more guilt-ridden, more material-focused?)

So ever since the countdown for Christmas began, I have been on the lookout for other alternative ways to give or buy gifts without breaking the bank or losing my sanity.  Here are some of my picks:

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Posted in: Financial Education, Green Products, Random Thoughts, The Philippines, Travel , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Post: The Way to San Jose

December 19 2:16 am ,

Endless Sun

You might want to know the following jargon to understand (or rent or buy) into the San Jose real estate market, or into any real estate market:

If you are renting:

  1. Common Area maintenance (CAM): This refers to the money that is paid by the tenants to the landlord so that property taxes can be covered, as well as insurance and maintenance.
  2. CPI: This is the Consumer Price Index, which is often used to calculate the increase in annual rent that can compensate inflation.
  3. Estoppel Certificate: This a signed letter that is provided by the tenant confirming his/her agreement to the rent and terms and conditions.
  4. Gross lease: This means the lease in which the tenants only pay the rent while the landlord pays the taxes, insurance and any cost for maintenance.

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Posted in: Financial Education

Experiences Over Possessions

November 28 1:02 am ,

Life's Simple Pleasures

A friend of my husband asked me how in the world I do not own any Louis Vuitton, Prada, Tod’s, Burberry or Chanel bag, the carry-on status symbol of choice for the modern woman.

I had to smile.

Okay.  I have to admit that I am not immune to their charms.  If anything, I love soft leather, and I certainly can appreciate wonderful craftsmanship.  The ooohs and aaahs of the woman who realizes what it is is also a great incentive, I will not lie.

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Posted in: Financial Education, Random Thoughts, The Basics of Finance , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

How to Get A VC to Fund You

November 4 6:55 pm ,

Beholden

Before the Entrep Summit, I was not very familiar with the venture capitalist (VC for short).  I have heard about them but was not sure how they figured in the world of business.

Turns out, VCs are the power behind great start-ups like Facebook (as you would have already found out if you watched the movie Social Network).

And through the Entrep Summit, I learned the hoops of how I can get funding from a VC.

But as I said in an earlier article, it is not simple.  A lot of money is at stake and venture capitalism is not charity – the venture capitalists are also in the business of making money.

But yes, getting funding from a VC might be well worth your time – it not only eliminates worry but it also lets you know someone believes in you and that someone has your back.

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Posted in: Financial Education , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Where To Get Money for Your Business

November 2 9:51 pm ,

Harvest Time

There is an abundance of great ideas.

But the difference between the success and failure of a great idea is execution.  Many great ideas do not even get to go off the ground.

And many times the problem is money.

If he can, the idea-owner funds himself, or borrows from family, or a relative, or the bank.  Those are the usual, if not easy, avenues.

I attended the recent Entrep Summit of the Manila Jaycees and found out an additional avenue where the idea-owner cum businessman-wannabe can get funding for his ideas.

From venture capitalists.

Enter the mental picture of the shrewd investor: eyebrows lifted, having the singeing look as the hapless businessman explains why he needs money and why he does not have any and why in the world he has not gone far with his ideas.

Through the Entrep Summit, this face changed.

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Posted in: Financial Education , Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Invitation to A Webinar: What You Can Do With Your Christmas Bonus

October 25 4:39 pm ,

Learn the Many Ways You Can Advance Your Finances

My mom had this to say about my video invitation to my webinar: You should have tied your hair.

Because I kept flipping my hair this way and that. (chuckles)

But I just had a haircut and the complementary blow dry and the hair was falling smoothly across my face and I did not want to mess it up and I was feeling good anyway and …

Yeah, I should have tied my hair.

Not-tying-my-hair aside, I hope you can join me for my webinar on October 29, 2010 from 12 noon to 1 pm.  I will be talking about what you can do with the bonus that you are going to get.

I’m sure it’s on your mind.  But before you blow it on that special something, know that it can be your startup money for a project, or your ticket to being debt-free.

(there’s also a great company that will have an initial public offering soon and you can invest on that – ask me about this during the webinar)

I hope you can join me.  You can register here.

Special thanks to Medicol.ph and Didi of LovingtheDistance.com for making this happen.

Article and Poster by Issa.  Copyright 2010.
Website: www.YouWantToBeRich.com
Email: issa@youwanttoberich.com

P.S.  I will be on live chat during the webinar – you can ask me anything.  You will also get a certificate at the end.  I hope you register now.  See you!

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Posted in: Financial Education, The Basics of Finance, The Beginning , Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Life Insurance for Your Child: What Would Happen If You Discontinue It

October 5 7:36 pm ,

 

As If In Prayer

I just found out.

But first, the back story.  On the year I sold my house in Cavite, I bought life insurance coverage for my daughter.  It was an endowment type of insurance, one that I would have to pay for 5 years.  According to the plan, the sum insured would almost double (x 1.8) on year 3  and my daughter will start receiving money on the 8th year and every other year after that.  I thought it was a great plan and a great investment and a wonderful beginning for my insurance business.  After all, I get a commission, which means I get to have a good discount.  I forgot that I had to pay premium for 4 more years. (pained grin here)

And then I read an article that insurance for children is not really recommended.  After all, the purpose of insurance is to replace the income of the person living.  Children have no income.   Parents provide for them and not the other way around.  Life moves forward.

But it was too late.  I already bought it.

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Posted in: Financial Education, Insurance, Life Stories , Tagged: , , , , , ,

How We Did It

September 25 7:55 pm ,

 

A Door, Windows

“Did”.  I am not sure about that word.  Because it is in the past tense and means the fun and the adventures are over.  When they are not.  We are just beginning.A reader wanted to know how we “did it”.  She said she read my first post but that I just skimmed the surface of how we overcame the bleak prophesies of our first financial planner, that I did not really explain how we got that 24% increase in our annual income, and more importantly, how we overshot it.  If you have not read that first post, here is what our first financial planner said:

“While the couple’s Emergency Fund Ratio (EFR) will be over 1x by the end of 2007, the ideal ratio is 3x.  The couple would need to add around Php149,000 to their annual income to meet such a ratio.  To raise their savings rate to 18.1% from 6.7%, the couple would need additional annual income of Php262,000, or add 24% to their current annual income.”

So, how?

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Posted in: Financial Education, Life Stories, The Beginning , Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,