Category: Personal Finance

Posted on

On Living Within Your Means

I came from a lower middle class family. Unlike other families where both parents are working, it was just my dad who had a job. My mom took care of our home, of us. It was in my early years that I fully grasped the meaning of living within your means, through the examples and practices of my parents.

Then, my mom had a budget to follow and I believed she was able to manage her spending most of the time. Maybe it’s because she knew she couldn’t overspend because it would make her children hungry and her husband disappointed. During those times when she did overspend, she was smart enough to cover for it by borrowing money from friends. A not so smart practice, but at least, she was able to feed us and we didn’t go hungry for our dad to notice.

Continue reading “On Living Within Your Means”

Posted on

Managing Credit Cards

UPDATE as of January 2015: I’m back to having just one credit card now. You might want to know how I became credit card debt-free. 🙂

I used to own only one credit card. Then it became two. Currently, I own three credit cards from different banks. So far, and thank God, I’m managing all three well. But it’s not a walk in the park, you know. Like many people, there are times when I get to overspend and end up getting charged with interests and late payment fees.

Untitled

Having credit cards can be stressful, too. That’s why managing your credit cards well is a must. I’m not an expert at credit card debt management but here are some things I do to make sure my credit card debts don’t balloon to alarming levels:

Continue reading “Managing Credit Cards”

Posted on

On Sticking to One’s Budget

If there’s one thing I used to hate myself from doing, it’s my not sticking to the budget I set for myself. Whenever I’d overspend and lack funds to pay for my bills, I’d blame myself for not taking my finances seriously.

Fortunately, I’ve learned my lesson already. I now look at my finances in a more mature way. I make it a point to pay my bills on time and down to the last centavo. The good result? It saves me from headaches and panic attacks. Plus, it gives me peace of mind knowing that I get to pay my obligations and track my money well.

Continue reading “On Sticking to One’s Budget”

Posted on

Investing on Real Estate

Last weekend was quite bitin but still fun. We went home Friday night and left for Manila Sunday evening instead of the usual Monday morning. We just slept and ate and cuddled and the cycle just repeated itself. On Sunday afternoon, we attended the house blessing of our friend at a high-rise condominium in Makati.

These days, investing in real estate is popular whether it’s a town house, a single-detached house and lot or a condominium unit. That friend of ours, who works as an engineer in Japan, plans to have his two-unit condo rented to augment his monthly mortgage payment. Good idea, isn’t it?

Continue reading “Investing on Real Estate”

Posted on

Spending Habits

I noticed that after I got married, my spending habits have changed dramatically. I don’t have the urge to shop now. That or maybe, I’m just not overly exposed to the things women love (e.g. clothes, shoes, jewelries, etc.). And it doesn’t help that we hardly hit the mall these days.

As for the hubby, I think he’s also changed. It’s a given that he’s very fond of gadgets. He’s a techie, after all. If I’m not mistaken, he plans to get an iPhone 5 this year. He also loves looking at cars and model kits when we’re at the mall. But these he can’t buy in an instant as we’re still paying for our car. Haha.

Continue reading “Spending Habits”

Posted on

A Necklace Business

I have this list of dreams in an Excel file kept inside my PC which I update whenever I think of a new dream I want for myself. One of the dreams I have the pleasure of keeping alive in my heart and mind is putting up a necklace business. This is known only to a few but I have a penchant for necklaces. I love wearing them and I love making them, too. Yes, I can make my own necklace made from scratch or from recycled materials.

Actually, I already have a name for my necklace business but I won’t tell anybody just yet. Clue: it’s a secret name derived from a brand of headphones. Haha. Soon I will make my necklace business dream come true. I will sell different kinds of necklaces, from bead necklaces to stainless steel necklaces, from those made from conventional design pieces to those created from indigenous materials. I will make them all and change the world of fashion with my necklaces.

Continue reading “A Necklace Business”