GOOD READ: KUROT-DAKOT-UTANG PRINCIPLE

photo grabbed from google

Ano ‘yung Kurot Principle? Ay, ang ganda nitong Kurot Principle na ito. To better understand this, I will tell you a story of a person na balak bumili ng cellphone worth P1,000. Nagkataong mayroon siyang P100,000 na savings. Puwede ba siyang bumili ng cellphone? Puwede, kasi yung P1,000, kurot lang ‘yon sa kanyang savings.

May pangalawang taong balak bumili ng cellphone. Ang bibilhin niya ay worth P1,000 din. Mayroon
siyang savings sa bangko na P1,000. Bumili siya ng cellphone. Anong tawag dun? Dakot na ‘yun! Dinakot lahat ang pera niya!

May pangatlong tao, balak bumili ng cellphone, pero walang savings. P1,000 lang naman ‘yung bibilhin niya. Bumili siya. Anong tawag ‘dun? Utang na ‘yun!

Ang tanong: ano’ng prinsipyo ang ginagamit mo sa buhay mo? Kurot, dakot, o utang?

Magtataka pa ba tayo kung bakit tayo naghihirap o baon sa utang? Ang gagaling nating dumakot! Ang gagaling nating umutang! Gusto mong yumaman? Starting today, matutong kumurot. Kapag may bibilhin, dapat kinukurot lang! Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo? Kapag ginawa mo ito, pangako, yayaman ka.

GOOD READ: 10 LIFE LESSONS TO EXCEL IN YOUR 30'S

by: Mark Manson

A couple weeks ago I turned 30. Leading up to my birthday I wrote a post on what I learned in my 20s.

But I did something else. I sent an email out to my subscribers (subscribe here) and asked readers age 37 and older what advice they would give their 30-year-old selves. The idea was that I would crowdsource the life experience from my older readership and create another article based on their collective wisdom. 

The result was spectacular. I received over 600 responses, many of which were over a page in length. It took me a solid three days to read through them all and I was floored by the quality of insight people sent. 

So first of all, a hearty thank you to all who contributed and helped create this article.

While going through the emails what surprised me the most was just how consistent some of the advice was. The same 5-6 pieces of advice came up over and over and over again in different forms across literally 100s of emails. It seems that there really are a few core pieces of advice that are particularly relevant to this decade of your life. 

GOOD READ: LI KA-SHING TEACHES YOU HOW TO BUY A CAR & HOUSE IN 5 YEARS

Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing shares some of his money wisdom, outlining an inspirational five-year plan to improve one’s lot in life

This article is translated from the original Chinese by Edmund Ng at CeoConnectz.

photo grabbed from google

Suppose your monthly income is only RMB 2,000, you can live well. I can help you put money into five sets of funds. The first $600, second $400, third $300, fourth $200, fifth $500.

The first set of funds is used for living expenses. It’s a simple way of living and you can only be assigned to less than twenty dollars a day. A daily breakfast of vermicelli, an egg and a cup of milk. For lunch just have a simple set lunch, a snack and a fruit. For dinner go to your kitchen and cook your own meals that consist of two vegetables dishes and a glass of milk before bedtime. 

For one month the food cost is probably $500-$600. When you are young, the body will not have too many problems for a few years with this way of living.

RANDOM SIGHTINGS AT GENERAL SANTOS CITY

General Santos the former Dadiangas in the southernmost part of SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao is an elusive place of a visit for the whole existence of me since the family don't have any relatives there to our knowledge nor heard of the unraveling attractions when there's likely a number. I remember I have only been there twice but for a very brief stopover to South Cotabato. That is why, we have to do this trip nothing but now (pack up amigos!); here's to the random sights we've been. (See also Gumasa, Glan)

Rest House at Mt. Zion. I'm afraid to tell this place is not accessible to public because this is owned 
by a  private owner in the persons of Nazareth Family.

GUMASA, GLAN, SARANGANI BEACHING

Every vacation or shall I say work leave I had spent back home (Philippines), I couldn't afford to miss trying new places and often times it happens to be that beach! I mean the BEACH! I don't know, maybe because it's always the time to eat grilled seafoods, barbecues; quench with alcohols and breathe an amount of fresh air out of the city. This time we spend it in the shores of Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani Province. I enjoyed this trip because were in big numbers. (See also General Santos City)

Gumasa Beach

ASIA'S WORLD CITY - HONG KONG TRIP '14

Happy! I get to extend my HK trip a day longer because the supposed side trip to Macau will no longer eat up the much needed time I would take in conquering the spots listed in my itinerary since the urgent call for temporary duty there rise up to the occasion. (see Macau blog)

just trying to be artsy... after I took a shot of this, a number of people smiled next to me and took the same shot... I think it's the bluetooth for "nice idea, move over and let me try it."

WORK & PLEASURE TRIP IN MACAU

Ruins of St. Paul. Usual flock of tourists a.ka. your photo bombers the whole day from 8am. 

I never expected that my supposed 1-day side trip to Macau from HK would turn to be a 10-day duration. Unfortunately, t'was bittersweet for me because the main purpose of the trip is to work my ass off to catch up some commencement delays of the expansion project our company had in there. Heck, I always favoured more the circumstance to the pleasure than the job in any way possible. (See HK blog)

REKINDLED LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE CANINES

When I was young... I never needed anyone... (crap! too many songs in the world, I could barely pop a tune all over me in my head) To the top!

When I was young, I used to turn off my humanity towards dogs; turned my affection for them to abomination. Remember when we’re clumsy kids and we stumble with our face first to the sturdiness of the furnitures? We cried screaming at the top of our lungs (what's going on!) veeerrry angry aiming to get back at the furniture to contain our bitter blaming…That feeling! D’you feel me?

As to why I reach the point of loathing dogs then? (let's say you care.)

First story, my father’s. It was a gloomy morning as I dip and nibble a morsel of bread brushing round my cup of coffee, a little girl with her grandma got down of the trike alongside the highway heading home with a basket full of produce bought apparently from the wet market. Just a few walks away, a very loud howling ‘askal’ (local) dog coming from like nowhere attacked the little girl directing to her face. Quick response from the grandma to her granddaughter’s defense, the basket took charge of the beating but it did not stop the pooch from snatching her wrist all for the killer bite. As the assault progresses, it caught my father’s attention; with no second thoughts, he run into the scenario empty-handed of anything for resistance. (hero be like!) Not as successful as it was hoped to be, the dauntless dog continues to be aggressive managing to crunch both my father’s arms. Patience out and adrenaline is rushing, my father muddles through by grabbing both the dog’s legs and fleetingly followed it with a hard smash to the ground in succession. The dog was weakened and partly unconscious right after that instance and wails a forbearing sound. The hapless victims quickly underwent an anti-rabies shots and it was found out that the dog was deranged for a couple of days in a cage and reached the peak of its twisted fate that fine gloomy morning.

MY TOP SCENIC CATHOLIC CHURCHES IN SINGAPORE

Nothing can be more close to heavenly than attending mass to these beautiful Roman Catholic cathedrals here in Singapore. Of the 31 churches, I find these worship houses below the best in Architecture. And because I haven't tried my new Canon EOS M mirrorless camera into a dry run, these Churches are the perfect feat! Plus, I get to celebrate this year's Holy Week a little bit extraordinary.

1. Church of St. Teresa (1929)
Address : 510 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 099446 (View Map)
Tel : 62711184 / Fax : 62711175
Website : http://www.stteresa.org.sg

Nearest MRT Station: Outram Park (EW21/NE3-Green/Purple Line)
Bus Services to the Church and Carmelite Monastery : 61, 124, 143, 166

FAMILY WEEKEND AT DAHICAN SURF RESORT, MATI CITY, DAVAO ORIENTAL

Aware of the possible progression of low air pressure days before the weekend affair, the family insisted to go in good faith that everything will fall in our favor. Through the years, the insistence is always based on our traditional and superficial ways of asking signs to our Lord Almighty. Given that I have made this blog, God is and always reasonable to his answers. As an overseas worker in Singapore where annual vacation is limited to a maximum of 14 days ONLY, it is imperative sometimes to push the planned pleasure trip against all odds to satisfy your soul. (soul gyud?) But yes, it is for me.  

The whole duration of travel to Mati City was raining with varying rainfall intensity municipality after municipality but it never reached the downpour to heavy. The whole night is no different but the rain took a break around 8pm for an hour and then the raining continues.

I think January is a surfing season in most parts of Mindanao just like Siargao. They say the 
best waves are during the months of December to February- they say.

I WANT FINANCIAL FREEDOM!

According to Wikipedia, Financial Freedom is generally used to describe the state of having sufficient personal wealth to live, without having to work actively for basic necessities. For financially independent people, their assets generate income that is greater than their expenses.

At this point of my life where I reached past the quarter of a man's lifetime, I am really anxious why I don't still have my own house? a car? (that's coming! God at least!) an earning business? and a lot more that makes the becoming of an accomplished man or what I want to say a wealthy man. Fortunately, I am not blinded to know the answers it is more on when is it the time I can win my battles over these struggles of mine? In the early years of my career (scary... it sounded like a success story), I already have had a list of goals to take effect in an unknown time. And I strongly believe that is the Commanding General of the major major problem -I don't set target dates to my goals to bail its freedom from the imaginary world. What I just learned in making things happen, are the convictions to desire a goal and religiously be an iron-fist to say pens up! finished or not finished pass your papers! Metaphorically speaking aside - the deadline!

Another year will come, and I will become a year older then. I really wanted to dig deep in financial literacy this late. And at the moment, I find Mutual Fund a good start to make your money at sleep while generating instead of having it laid on the banks. Of course, there are risks but awareness will protect you from it. What is good news is that you can open or invest in a mutual fund account to a minimum of P5000.00 now without obliging yourself to program it on a monthly basis. It is an invest when able sort of thing.

Below is a compilation of my study to briefly summarize the FAQ's a beginner like me could understand better. I want this blog of mine translates my quest from scratch to a reality starting next year and will claim the glory and success it will take in the coming years. For now, my plan is to get an Equity and Balanced Fund accounts. (Information courtesy of Pinoymoneytalk.com)

Try to look at the Returns and Performance Reports of the Mutual Fund Companies for the last 5 years. In my case, I kept a keen eye on 2 companies --- Philequity Management Inc. (PEMI) and First Metro Asset Management Inc. (FAMI). They are by far the best performers.

SANDS SKYPARK'S MOST RAVED INFINITY POOL

Located 57 storeys above the ground, the most raved pool in Singapore is accessible only to hotel guests from 6am to 11pm that leads to mean that it is not open to public who wants to compensate for the use of the pool. Before, I always get to bring tourist friends at the observation decks on the other stretch of the SkyPark and daydream in the tightest of seconds how it is like to hang out on the other side. Then suddenly, a tap from my friends' hands woke me up, back to the real dimension. And now, the reason that I get here is nothing different from getting into the observation decks, my tourist friends help me out to experience this. It was a stunning night. I felt very rich and famous.

Finally, now I can join the pseudo-elites saying "been there done that".  lol. (It's a climb!)