I am truly grateful for the recognition once again. Last year, I also won First runner-up, #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards . The SINAG 2015 Financial Literacy Journalism Awards seeks to encourage Filipinos to become more financially prepared through well-written stories.

sinag sunlife financial literarcy award

The theme this year was “How can financial literacy help people live life to the fullest?” Topics could range from savings and spending tips, to proper attitude towards finance. Basically, anything to get people thinking about how they manage their wealth. Here are the three articles I wrote about financial literacy this year:

Teaching your kids how to handle money

Retirement planning: do I want to happen in our financial future

Each of us today has a financial future

sun life sinag award

The main winner for the digital category are Lace Llanora while the other co-winner was Abraham Lee. In Lace’s blog, she writes about her experience learning about money saving tips so she can ensure a future for her boy. Abraham learned from the challenges his family encountered while growing up. There is a wealth of knowledge from their blogs.

sunlife sinag winners

Along with the trophy and the recognition was a cash prize and a starter fund which Lace and I immediately invested at Sun Life Financial. (Disclosure: I already invested in Sun Life Financial in 2011). If not Kendrick Chua, a good friend (center), I would have not known about the Prosperity Fund.

financial advisor

More than anything else, this recognition reminds me to write more about money management tips or financial literacy. If there is anything I can share, it is that preparing for a financially secure future requires taking action today:

1.Increase your cash flow;

2. Reduce or eliminate debt;

3. Take baby steps in savings and investing;

4. Review your finances periodically;

5. Communicate with your family.

Once upon a time….

You have a stockholder’s meeting on June 29 at the Mandarin Hotel. I placed the invitation on my daughter’s tables.

Both girls suddenly got interested. “a whaat?“. I started to explain.

Remember the college funds that you invested a year ago?

We will probably be the youngest in there. They chorused.

Though M. college tuition from 2005-2009 at UP averaged only 5,800 pesos ($109.00) while Lauren’s tuition from 2003-2007 Ateneo was 10 times or 52,227.00 pesos ($1,000), each girl invested equal amounts. Their college tuition funds were placed under their names to make them financially responsible. I remember when I was still the breadwinner during the first year of our marriage. An officemate urged me to purchase a college plan for Lauren who was not even a year old. I just didn’t believe in a college plan at that time. My financial reality focused on making ends meet. Butch was still at Law school and we had two little girls. I figured that my financial status would be similar to my dad. By the time the kids are in college, our financial situation should be much improved. I was very optimistic.

dream-come-true

Everything we had dreamed off materialized. My husband predicted that by the time the girls reached high school, he will have his own law office and we will have two homes. Life was good. I was a full time home maker never having to worry about finances. But nothing prepared us for the loss of our son . To cut the story short, by year 2004, our financial situation was at its deepest pit.  With Lauren’s help, we started a small web hosting reseller account in December 2002 by investing part of the award money given to her by the Cebu Civil court (see here). Only 16 years old, she had a popular online community to support her endeavor. Seeing that it had huge income potential, I offered to help her out. We became business partners. She covered the marketing aspect while I assisted in the management and technical aspect. By the time she was in college, she had significant savings which I invested for her.

Lauren ‘s entreprenurial initiative kept us afloat during those bleak months in 2004. I promised to repay her double the loaned amounts once I recouped our financial losses. By God’s grace, I was able to repay Lauren after a year. Since she was busy in college, I took control of her webhosting and expanded the services. The modest income helped pay for the college tuition including allowance. To provide educational funds is a parental responsibility not the child. I felt that our children shouldn’t have to face that financial burden . But she also worried that if she didn’t help out, she won’t be able to finish in Ateneo, When she travelled to the states on her own last year, she felt so guilty for using up part of her savings. I told her “Treat it as an educational trip. You deserve it”

my children

I love my children for learning to adapt to our family crisis. My second daughter helped out by reluctantly studying in UP Diliman. Her first choice was Ateneo. I felt bad at first that we could not provide the tuition money for her first year in Ateneo. Today, she is full of gratitude that she chose UP over Ateneo. See, there is always a silver lining.

Back at the family room, I lectured them on the advantages of attending this meeting, even at a young age.

Yes, we will go for the food“, the girls chimed in.

financial future

I was too complacent during those grieving years. I left all the financial burden to my husband. Today, taking responsibility for our financial affairs improved my self-esteem and lessened anxiety. Each of us today, has a financial future. There are few future aspects of my life I can control, but one part I can play to assist our family’s future is setting goals. I don’t have to obsess about my goals. I don’t have to constantly watch and mark our progress toward them. But it is beneficial to think about my goals and write them down. What do I want to happen in our financial future? What financial problems would I like to solve? What bills would I like to be rid of? What would I like to be earning at the end of this year? The end of next year? Five years from now? I know I am willing to work for these goals and trust God to guide me.

Taking responsibility for my finances enable me to take focus off money. It frees me to do my work and live the life I want. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility.

When you retire, think and act as if you were still working; when you’re still working, think and act a bit as if you were already retired. ~Author Unknown
retirement
(Photo Credit)

“If I can provide a good future for my children they will look after me during my old age.”

This has been referred by some as “Filipino retirement planning”. Truth is, I have never heard of this practice. My daddy old boy, bless his soul, never gave that impression to us, 7 siblings. Even at his semi-retirement at 55 years old till his death at 73, he supported himself and still left enough income for us even after death. He prepared for his retirement the moment he graduated college.

I am following dad’s plan but I am not as liquid as he once was at my age. I had been busy saving for my kids’ college education and paying off two home mortgages that it’s about time I rebuild my liquidity. Ever since the kids left college, I see myself working even past the age of 70. I don’t have a retirement age. My work is fun. The only factor going against me is my health, the diabetes and my spastic heart condition and that’s the future I am concerned about. I need to save up for contingencies like that.

In “Retirement Planning, Pinoy-Style” written by Randell Tiongson, a registered financial planner and writer for Money Sense Magazine, a short survey of average middle class Filipinos was done to look into Filipinos’ view towards retirement planning. Most of the respondents prefer to retire earlier than the usual 60 or 65 years old. It seems many do not see themselves working very long and would like to get out of the rat race earlier than most. I think these are the employees and not someone like me who enjoys work at home. Here’s an interesting revelation from that survey. While most wanted to retire early, many of them do not have any retirement program in place. It makes me wonder how serious they are in early retirement. It might just be wishful thinking.

retirement quote

Most agree that they may not have enough money to retire comfortably. As to the best time to start planning, most were unanimous in saying that “the earlier, the better”, from the time one earns income or at least when one hits 30 years old. That’s the practice I am inculcating to my children. Start saving for your retirement today. The best investments for retirement are real estate, time deposits and savings. Few mentioned sophisticated instruments like life insurance, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, socks, bonds or structured notes. Fortunately, my father exposed me to all these type of investments but on a more conservative approach.

On the reason why retirement planning is not taken seriously, respondents talked about immediate gratification, mañana habit, lack of funds, low income, increasing expenses, wrong priorities, short-term thinking, lack of knowledge. One respondent even added that “Filipinos are not too keen on preparing for their retirement maybe because of what we call the extended family.” Most parents, including myself, are too busy preparing for their children’s future and they tend to forget their old age which brings me back now to the Pinoy-style Retirement Planning.

I cannot imagine my children supporting me in my old age especially if they have families already which is one reason that I stopped giving them financial support once they started work so I could rebuild my savings. My kids often say that they will help us in our old age but I don’t want them to think that is our plan. If they want to give us gifts, well and good. It is not an imposition but more out of love.

I do have a retirement plan and it starts with a goal and an action plan that started in our first year of marriage.

Each of us today, has a financial future. There are few future aspects of my life I can control, but one part I can play is to assist our family’s future is setting goals. I dont have to obsess about my goals. I don’t have to constantly watch and mark our progress toward them. But it is beneficial to think about my goals and write them down. What do I want to happen in our financial future? What financial problems would I like to solve? What bills would I like to be rid of? What would I like to be earning at the end of this year? The end of next year? Five years froom now? Twenty years from now? I know I am willing to work for these goals and trust God to guide me.

Taking responsibility for my retirement plan enables me to take focus off money. It frees me to do my work and live the life I want. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility.

Do you have a retirement plan?

The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income. ~George Foreman

UPDATED May 27- Winners (you can only win once. If your name is also a winner in other blogs, then I will choose another winner)

Gold Winners:

1. Jyrus Cimatu
2. SHIELA MAY LOPEZ

Silver Winners:

1. John Paul S. Tanyag
2. Kim sigrid espiritu
3. Liz Aquino

——

My father, a self-made man, was orphaned during his teens. He survived because his parents left a few coconut lands which gave his five siblings some passive income. More important than acquiring wealth, I learned from my dad the importance of risk-taking, investment and managing personal finances at a young age. But what if you were not exposed to financial planning? How does one learn?

In fact, you might ask…Financial planning, entrepreneurship, trading, investment, and stocks… What do these all really mean ? Do we know what money management exactly means? Are we utilizing what we earn in the right way to invest and create value for a better future? What are the risks involved when it comes to trading and stocks? These are a lot to think about. It might even sound complicated and intimidating, but this is where my friend, Randell Tiongson’s ICON 2015 comes in. Hailing from the success of last year’s ICON 2014, Tiongson makes a comeback with a conference that’s bigger and better, and promises to have more in store.

ICON finance seminar

I have known Randell Tiongson in 2008, way before he became a blogger. I attended his first seminar on retirement planning with my husband and daughter in 2009. He is such a great mentor and inspiring lecturer. If you attend ICON 2015, you are blessed to listen to the best financial experts in the country . ICON 2015 will be held on May 30, 2015 from 8AM to 5PM at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. With a whole-day event and a packed program flow, you will ;earn the basics, get motivated and ultimately be inspired by the best speakers in the Philippine financial industry. In just one day, you will gain the knowledge and tools you need to get started in making the right investments and financial choices.

Program flow ICON

This year ICON 2015 is bringing you no less than the best speakers and advocates in the field of investing. Here they are:

1. The event’s pioneer, columnist, and best-selling author of “Money Manifesto,” Randell Tiongson .

2. Francis Kong,  respected lecturer, inspirational speaker and author of Only the Real Matters.

3. Marvin Germo,the well-known stock market trader and best-selling author of Stock Smart

4.  Jess Uy,s  Global Investing Advocate, personal speaker and finance coach and

5. Economist and Ateneo De Manila University Professor Alvin Ang .

The new speakers for this installment are: the seasoned financial adviser, best-selling author of the “Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide” series and founder of Personal Finance Advisers Philippine Corporation (PFAPC) Efren Cruz and radio host, wealth coach and best-selling author of “Till Debt Do Us Part” Chinkee Tan. Also, a brief sponsor’s session will be given by Sun Life Financial’s Managing Director (Asia) Michael Manuel as he tackles “Why It Is A Good Time to Invest Now.”

Here are the registration fees : (It is an investment)

Gold – PhP 2,800 (You get 1 FREE coffee and snack from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf but only for the first 150 attendees. You also get to be closest to the stage)

Silver – PhP 1,200

Student – PhP 500

You will learn a lot that it will surely pay the way to your financial freedom.

If you want to join us to this avenue of learning and investing, visit Randell Tiongson’s ICON Facebook page and log on to bit.ly/ICON2015REG to book your seats as soon as possible! Also stay tuned to their posts on Twitter (@icon_ph) and Instagram (icon_ph) for more information.

Be part of this and learn how to invest for a greater future!

Giving you all a chance to join me

Thanks to my good friend, Randell…I have 5 tickets to give away: 2 Gold and 3 Silver tickets. Here is how to join:

1. Comment below why you want to attend ICON 2015. Make sure you can really attend the May 30 conference.

2. Deadline of comments is until 11:59 PM , May 26, 2015

3. Ticket is non-transferrable once your name is chosen.

I will choose the best comment for the Gold tickets and the next best three comments gets silver tickets.

virtual office
Remember what I wrote about the benefits of having a virtual office? Not just any virtual office, but this vOffice that I am registered as platinum member. One of the benefits is having a prestigious Bonifacio Global City (BGC) address at One Global Place which is my main vOffice. Not only do I have a virtual office in the Philippines, I can also use the virtual office spaces in MalaysiaIndonesia, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangkok. I can use meeting rooms in over 30 locations worldwide. A Virtual Office like vOffice.com.ph offers mobile workers like myself the benefits of a serviced office environment but without actually renting physical space. With virtual office space, I pay a fraction of what I would to rent a physical location, pay for insurance and staff the office.

I like that vOffice has a portal for my use. I can reserve a meeting room in real time. There are 8 hours of meeting room every month  in my Platinum plan but I can unlimited use in the lobby  of One Global Place.

myvoffice portal

vOffice in Makati

The vOffice Boutique Center on the Penthouse of Mavenue Building does not offer unlimited use of their lobby unlike One Global Place in BGC. Even if Mavenue branch is smaller compared to One Global Place , I find their conference room adequate for my needs. One can fit 10-12 people in here. The best thing in having various vOffice location is the convenience. Sometimes, people prefer to go to Makati instead of BGC.

conference room at voffice makati

There is a whiteboard, a TV monitor and an outdoor view of the roofdeck.

conference room meeting room at voffice makati

The conference room faces an open balcony which can be used for event space that include the use of this room. I’ll get back to this later.

penthouse voffice mavenue

vOffice Premier/desk (vWorkdesk)

The conference room was too spacious for me so I decided to use the vOffice Premier/desk (vWorkdesk) which still had some vacancies. The vWorkdesk is place to get some work done and at the same time having a premium business address, phone number, receptionist to answer your calls in your business name and meeting facilities when you need it.  The vWorkdesk is not for me since I am very mobile. This is quite useful for startups and the small entrepreneur that need an office space without placing huge investment cost on  the lease.

virtual office

vWorkdesk can be leased for a minimum of 1 month but you can avail of discount for longer term lease.

 

table at voffice makatiSo what is included in the vWorkdesk?

1. Quality working desk and ergonomic chair

2. Fast wired or wireless internet for you to plug in

3. Backup internet service provider

4. Professional office setup. Not a call center environment

5. Unlimited light snacks, coffee, tea, filtered water and occasional beer

voffice makati pantry

There are even drawers beside each vOfficeWorkdesk for storage of files.

voffice workstation desk in makati

There is an ongoing promotion of 9,500 pesos a month for long term lease. Check the vOffice website for more details. It is nice to know that  there is real time chat with a service representative.

voffice mavenue makati

Event space at vOffice Boutique center in Makati

Like I said earlier, there is an event space outside the meeting room. One has an amazing skyline with plentiful parking space and centrally located right on Makati Avenue. It costs 20,000 pesos for 4 hours use,  inclusive of roof deck area and meeting room. Additional hours is at 5,000 pesos an hour.

voffice makati event space

 

The event space is 66 square meters. The lease includes a sound system, PA system, Smart TV for presentation, couch seatings, electricity, and great view of buzzing Makati Avenue.

voffice makati event space penthouse

For other needs, vOffice can offer assistance and recommendations in food and drinks catering service, cocktail bar setup, mobile lighting, DH, sound system solution setup, additional tables, chairs rentals, and PR agencies

roof deck in voffice makati

 

New branches in Cebu and Makati for 2015

I am excited with the opening of their second Makati branch in Rufino Pacific tower on February 2015. You might want to check the rates offered. I love that there is a Cebu branch in the Cebu Business Park, opening this first quarter of 2015. That now makes a total of six branches (two in the Fort, two in Makati and one in Cebu). The best part is you can have a meeting room in all of these branches, depending on your plan and number of hours per plan.

voffice in rufino tower

There is so much benefit for start-ups and entrepreneurs that need to keep operating costs low while developing a professional corporate image. Read again the benefits of a virtual office. If you do need a virtual office or vOffice Premier/desk within minutes,  check out the website of voffice.com.ph for their limited time offer for discounted rates. Now as low as 500 pesos a month for their lowest plans.

It’s a new year and there are new goals for whatever work you do.  Depending on your needs, now is the time to consider a virtual office or Voffice work desk.

sinag awards for financial literacy

Allow me to toot my horns for a bit and appreciate the recognition in receiving first runner up of the #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards held December 11 at the Manila Polo Club. The #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism Awards is Sunlife’s way to enjoin online influencers to encourage Filipinos to become more financially prepared and break free from ignorance, worry, debt and financial dependency. When I was invited to submit this blog, I didn’t think I had enough posts in 2014 to be considered. I only wrote three posts for the year: Money management tips for the family, Affirmations of financial success and Making a choice for a brighter life.

Photo via Sunlife

Photo via Sunlife

My family is no stranger to financial challenges. If there is one thing I often remind my children, it is “no matter the state of our financial situation, we need to implement some sort of money management or else all that money will be gone in an instant.” I’d like to think my children have managed their finances well. At least they are financially independent and living on their own. I am so proud of them. It is my belief that a parent should prepare their children to live on their own. I lost my mother when I was a teenager so I wanted my daughters to have a mindset of supporting themselves without me. Of course, giving gifts and a little shopping for them are just perks and me, being a mommy. I miss being a mom of little kids. I know I should have taught them more such as being entrepreneurial and starting a business of their own.

Photo via Sunlife

Photo via Sunlife

This recognition reminds me to write more about money management tips or financial literacy. I actually wrote a lot in the past years but it is now buried deep in the archives.

sinag award.

I am thankful for Sun Life for this recognition. Incidentally , I invested in Sun Life Financial in 2011 because one of the editors in the Philippine Online Chronicles was Kendrick Chua who was very persuasive with his pitch, to place some of my savings with them.

If there is anything I can share, it is that preparing for a financially secure future requires taking action today:

1.Increase your cash flow;

2. Reduce or eliminate debt;

3. Take baby steps in savings and investing;

4. Review your finances periodically;

5. Communicate with your family.

Written by Edel Cayetano , as originally posted on Blog Watch, Philippine Online Chronicles.

WORKING MOTHERS
“A mommy can work and be a mommy too.”

This is what working moms try to tell their kids (and themselves) as they struggle to strike a balance between family life and keeping a career. As a working mom, albeit a first timer, I am still getting acquainted with the changes in my young family’s life and mine, and I tell you: it is not easy at all. Because of this, I have also asked myself whether it is best to transition from being a career woman to a full-time, stay-at-home mom for the sake of my child, and of course, my family.

Experts, however, would disagree with this option. According to the New York Times magazine, quitting your job to be a full-time mom is probably a bad idea. “Women are finding out the hard way that by opting out of their careers at the height of earning power, they’re opting in to a host of unexpected frustrations,” says Erin Gloria Ray of the said magazine. These frustrations include “relying on two completely unreliable entities – a high-earning spouse and the economy,” the risk of starting all over again should you decide to return to the workforce, and increased levels of stress and chances of depression. Feeling regret and wondering where one’s career could have gone are also eminent among those wanting to opt back in.

“Working mothers are happier and healthier than stay-at-home moms”

According to the American Psychological Association, working mothers are happier and healthier than their non-working counterparts. “Employment helps women and their families,” says Cheryl Buehler, a professor of human development and family studies at the University of Carolina, through Time magazine. At the core of Buehler’s study is this: get a job, whether full-time or part-time.

Here are seven ways part-time or full-time work benefits mothers according to Michelle Larowe of Your Tango:

  1. It allows moms to live out their purpose. Every woman is meant for something special, and for many women, this extends beyond being a mother. Passions, talents and interests often guide a woman’s career path and choices, and if these are left unfulfilled, mothers may feel unsatisfied and even resentful.
  2. It gives moms financial control. As valued financial contributors, working mothers aren’t forced to rely solely on the income of their spouses and feel confident in their right to make financial decisions for their family.
  3. It helps moms maintain their identities. Being a mother doesn’t exclude moms from being their own unique individual, and one way to maintain and nurture their sense of self is to have a career. Also, as children grow up and discover they are separate beings from their mothers, this becomes even more vital. “Mothers who don’t have their own identity may have a hard time separating and letting their child grow,” as Your Tango says.
  4. It allows moms to build and maintain social connections. Even though being a mother is filled with busy days and constant companionship, many mothers experience loneliness and isolation. With this, being able to build and maintain social connections could be a sanity saver.
  5. It gives moms a sense of independence. “Working full-time can put a woman in the driver’s seat of her life.” She also has a sense of self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
  6. It forces moms to require more of their spouses. Being a working mom allows cultivating a more involved role for spouses and dads while having a dual-income family.
  7. It gives moms the opportunity to be a special role model for their children. Working moms set the bar for having a solid work ethic, and they also teach their children the value of prioritizing, decision-making and sacrifice.

Watch out for the second part of this feature: survival tips on how to be a happy, healthy working mom

*“Mother and daughter” by Andrea Gutierrez c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved. 

If you do need an office within minutes,  check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

Remember my small office home office? This is in the second level of my home.

workstation

Before the move to my current residence, my home office was beside the kitchen.

virtual office at home

I called it either Home-office, Business-office (HOBO) or Small-office Home-office (SOHO) . Whatever you call it, I’ve been a work-at-home-mom since my second daughter was born in 1987. I like that my home office is a small nook that allows me to be in touch with kitchen activities and family members hovering behind me. Everyone was yelling distance away except for my kids if they are in their bedrooms. That’s because the walls of their rooms are almost sound-proof.

Now that I got even busier as a social business consultant and blogger, meetings took place in coffee shops. Meeting at my SOHO was not ideal because of the distance and secondly I wanted my privacy. Having to meet at coffee shops has its space limitation during meetings. The solution was a virtual office space .

.

I discovered voffice.com.ph,. vOffice in short for Virtual Office, gives you everything you need to efficiently run your business less the cost of maintaining a physical office. It gives you a prestigious business address, telephone & fax number, professional receptionist to answer your call, working space, full equipped meeting facilities, on-demand secretary and more. I got their Platinum plan.  Let me tell you about the benefits of using vOffice, my virtual office.

 

1. Prestigious Bonifacio Global City address at One Global Place (5th Avenue & 25th Street)

virtual office one global

I am always at the Global City so I liked that there are offices there at the Fort Legend and One Global. My Fitness First Gym is just across One Global Place so that is quite convenient for me. They also have a Makati address at Mavenue building. The best part of the voffice experience is I can also use the facilities of the Fort Legend (open 24/7) and Mavenue in Makati. . I like the idea of the Makati office with an open space, fresh air, roof deck area, fresh plants and a cup of hot tea to accompany you while you work.

mavenue makati v office

I have only experienced One Global Place so far but in the next few months, I will be visiting the two others. I can also use the virtual office at Melbourne, Singapore , London, Hongkong, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur Jakarta Selatan ,Jakarta Pusat, Shanghai , Beijing and Bangkok.

2. Affordable rates.

For the platinum plan, it costs 3,600 pesos a month. If you divide that by 25 working days, that is only 144 pesos a day, pretty much the cost of a large sized coffee mug order. One can get more out of the 144 pesos a day.

Screen Shot 2014-08-15 at 5.46.24 PM

Here is what I can get:

1. Receive Mails & Parcels on my behalf.
2. SMS or Email notification.
3. Local & International Mail Forwarding.
4. Scan & Email service is available upon
5. Elegant Reception Service.
6. Calls Handling
7. Dedicated Local Telephone Number.
8. Professional Call Answering.
10. SMS or Email notification.
11. Call Screening and Transfer.
12. Personalized Voicemail.
13. Fax Services
14. Dedicated Local Fax Number.
15. Instant Fax Forwarding to your email

and comes with an unlimited use of a fully WIFI-ed business lounge and

– 8 hours per month worth PHP 7,200 per month
– 2 teleconference at 20 hours per month
– Executive Office Suite at 3 hours a month

I will expand on this more.

3.  Flexibility of using meeting rooms at 8 hours a month in over 25 locations

virtual office

I log on to MyvOffice.me to reserve a meeting room in real time. The voffice was quite useful when I needed to power my gagdets after a storm. My home did not have power for three days.

virtual office meeting room

4. Unlimited use of the fully WIFI-ed Business lounge

virtual office lobby

if you have used up your meeting room hours and are not willing to pay for additional, using the business lounge or pantry is an option. Those nifty white chairs are quite functional. There are power outlets within reach unlike a coffee shop where it is “first come first served”. It can get noisy though since this is the main lobby and there are many people coming in and out.

virtual office chair

5. Unlimited coffee at the pantry

How I love the pantry. There is a ref, a microwave, water dispenser , spoon , fork , glasses and mug.

virtual office kitchen

The best part is unlimited quality coffee . Now that is worth the 144 a day cost of a virtual office, right?

voffice coffee

6. Close to my gym

This is the “The Fort Strip” , a view from the pantry and where my Fitness First gym is located.

virtual office view

Physical activity can’t just be limited to tapping on my macbook finger exercises . My daily routine entails a two-hour gym workout in between my work After a workout, I can just walk towards One Global Place.

7. Receive calls and parcels

The ability to receive small parcels is an advantage. Having been stalked for over seven years now, I do not relish giving out my address or phone number to anyone. In fact, I had to change my landline and mobile phone numbers last year . With a dedicated phone number, the receptionist receives calls for me and then forwards it to my mobile number

virtual office mail box

 

8. An Elite Card Advantage

Having this Elite Card gives me discounted rates from their partner hotels, restaurants and boutiques with as much as 15% discount on selected partners. Click here to see the list.

voffice card

I can see the benefits of a virtual work space for start-ups and small sized entrepreneurs. One does not need to invest in a lease for office space or get a mortgage for a building. My business operates well in a virtual environment. Technically, my office is wherever I am . With the current technology , I can conduct my business anywhere but having an address in my business card is more professional. First impressions mean a lot. I don’t want to use my home address as the business address. With a virtual office, there is relief from the stresses of a traditional one.

If you do need an office within minutes,  check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

money

I often correct myself whenever the kids used to ask me “mom can we afford to buy _______?”. See, my standard reply is always ” I don’t have money” and true enough, money was always tight. I changed my words from limiting ones to those with a positive energy vibration. I say ” I don’t have the cash right now but we will soon have and make priorities for our needs”.

When asked “Do we have enough?” I answer with “Yes there is plenty” which affirms that there is enough for us in the family. If you ask the angels for just enough, that’s exactly what you will get. Try asking for ‘plenty’ and affirming  ‘plenty’ and you’ll always get much better than what you expect.

I soon found out the words that I say have a direct impact upon my finances. of course, there is that matter on financial management. Even if I have enough, I set priorities. One thing I appreciate with my two daughters is that they never ask for expensive or the latest gadgets, just the basic needs like computer or cellphone and don’t really mind hand-me-downs from me. I am proud that they save their hard-earned income for their education or real estate investment.

Sometimes, a painful situation will wake us up to the role that our vocabulary is playing, as a woman named Caryn discovered. After she was laid off from her engineering job, she started telling people, ““I am unemployed.” Caryn desperately searched for a new job, without success. Then she realized that by continually saying that she was unemployed, she was creating that situation. So she stopped using that word, and shortly afterwards, she was offered an engineering position that would pay all of her bills.

Money-Quote

I believe that just changing the words I was using with myself and others brought abundance very quickly into my life.

Here are some affirmations that I often say daily.

I am open to receive.
I am open to abundance.
I am very focused and persistent.
I am wealthy and successful, everyday, in all that I do.
I am always supplied with whatever I require.
I am prosperous, healthy and happy.
I am ready to receive all that I require.
I am worthy of receiving abundance.
I am the source of my abundance.
I am a brilliant and savvy business person.
I am open to opportunities.
I am commited, determined and passionate about what I do.
I am capable.
I am a master at what I do.
I am a success.
I am generous.
I am happy, healthy, and wealthy.
I am wealthy in every areas of my life.
I am open to the flow of great abundance in all areas of my life.
I am so happy and grateful now that I make PHP_____ per month.
I am becoming more prosperous and successful every day.
I am talented and resourceful.
I am building a successful and important business that will assist in making a difference in my life and the lives of those I touch.
I have an abundance of whatever I require.
I have absolute certainty in my ability to generate any amount of income I choose.
I have unlimited abundance.
I have more than enough.
I have all the resources I need right now to become a multi-millionaire.
I have all the skills, intelligence, contacts and money I need right now to create an incredible masterpiece with my business.
I give and receive freely.
I value my time, energy, and money.
I consistently attract success-minded entrepreneurs to assist me to grow my business.
I deserve to be prosperous.
I focus on what I love and draw it to me.
I trust that the universe will always meet my needs.
I give myself permission to have what I want.
I expect and receive the very best.
I accept good things into my life with gratitude.
I have much to offer the world.
I allow myself to enjoy life.
I bring love to everything I do.
I appreciate all that I have.
I always do my best.
I give myself permission to be, do, and have what I want.
I use my thoughts and emotions to attract abundance effortlessly.
I have great abundance flowing into my business, which affords every luxury that I desire.

Indeed, what you say is what you get.

I recall a conversation with a friend of my daughter who spent an weekend with us. While having breakfast, the discussion turned to money matters. She gushed over Lauren’s responsible spending habits despite her financial independence. But of course, I instilled money management early on in their lives. Mind you, my daughters are thrifty but know how to spend and party hard.

condominium project

My family is no stranger to financial challenges. If there is one thing I often remind my children, it is “no matter the state of our financial situation, we need to implement some sort of money management or else all that money will be gone in an instant.” The worst financial challenge we faced was in 2004. Call it martial law, but hard times called for drastic measures.

Under my strong-woman rule, I imposed a few family rules that my loving husband adapted nicely too. He had no choice, right? Let me share a few of my rules that might be useful to you because I know each family sets their own rules. This is what we discussed.

1.First, let’s set up priorities: know our regular expenses.

Take critical look at our expenses and remove out those that don’t give real satisfaction. The number one priority is food, housing, education and clothing but then again there are limits to this. Junk food is definitely the least priority. Buying luxurious home decors is also a no-no. What about clothing? Let’s not buy branded items at all.

2. Limit use of Credit.

We canceled a total of 3 credit cards and kept one credit card each together with a local credit card (BPI credit card). Using a credit card is not all that bad. In fact, whenever we get a housing loan, these loan companies check our 6 month credit card statement to see how good we are in paying our credit on time. Even the US embassy takes a look at your credit card history (when you bring these documents over but they don’t keep it of course). So make sure your credit card history is solid. What we avoid is buying on impulse.

3. Put a plug on those spending leaks

Impulse buying , frittering away small amounts here and there on ““little” things, can add up to a surprisingly big amount.

  • Avoid shopping for groceries when your tummy is grumbling. You’ll buy more of those tempting treats that can run up your bill.
  • Avoid ““killing time” in the malls. (You’re sure to come away with something you hadn’t planned on buying.) Use a budget and keep within it. Once you can resist the temptation of spending ““small” amounts, you’ll have more money for the things you really want.
  • Avoid eating out for dinner and instead, let’s have home cooked meals.

4.  Don’t be careless when shopping

There is always pressure, to buy things. Our wants are greater than our needs. This leads to buying things we don’t really need and to buying without comparing values and prices. Identify your weakness and declare a moratorium in buying it. If your weakness is shoes, for instance, commit to stop buying a new pair in the next six months. My husband is a shoe collector freak which ended when I declared “war”. The kids did not get expensive toys. They were very happy just browsing at the bookstore not minding the toy store at all. Packed lunch for school helped save on meal expenses. The occasional money allowance was necessary to empower them on how to budget.

5. Save even just small amounts.

I told the kids that once they graduate, financial support for most of their personal needs will be cut. Sure they could live with us only to save for their future home. When Lauren started to work in 2007, she suddenly found herself spending her salary. To encourage her to save, I demanded rent from her. I told her that saving just a little will amount to big amounts in a few months. Lauren was only twenty-two years old when she invested on a condominium project. Today, she now lives in this condominium. M, my second daughter moved to Australia using her own money to apply and travel to Australia for a year at around the same age. She has since moved to Europe last year.

6. Establish cash reserve

Financial experts recommend that every family create a cash reserve of at least 50 percent of their annual income. My dad was very good at maintaining liquidity. I fail in establishing that 50% cash reserve because I placed some of our cash in investing on real estate. Though not as liquid as cash, real estate investment protects me from two-digit inflation.

I think I might have ingrained the saving thing too much when I told my girls that I planned on having my birthday dinner in a restaurant. I thought they’d be happy that for once, we will be eating out. I never expected their reaction.

Mom why make other people rich? Let’s just have dinner at home!

I was surprised, But we barely eat out for dinner! It’s a treat and it happens only once a year.

Their firm response: Mom, dinner at home is so much better! Let’s save.

ngek.

There are many ways to live within our means without scrimping our lifestyle. How have you managed?