Three Friends and Three Years

Three friends received their 13th month pay on that faithful day of December 8, 2010. It was Thursday, and they were excited to meet each other over the weekend to plan how they would spend their money, or when they could visit a nearby mall to do some “gadget-hunting”.

These friends share a lot of things in common, including their unhealthy spending habits.

Investments You Can Make With P5,000

Today, we'll try to answer one of the most common question people ask when it comes to investing: 

“Where can I inbest (invest in the best) my <insert value here> Pesos?”

Have you asked this too? Or did someone ask you this question as well?

Ang Superhero na Hindi Mo Kilala

 

Sinong superhero ang hindi mo kilala? Si Superman? Hulk? Spiderman? Iron Man? The Flash? O baka naman si Captain Barbell? Darna? Ang Panday?! Ay teka, si Cardo Dalisay ba??

 

Hmm..? 'Di ba 'yung hindi mo nga kilala?

 

Sinong superhero nga ba and hindi mo kilala? Sirit na?

How to Double Your Money

“We will double your money in just a week! So if you want to be reaaaally riiiiich, sell your properties now and invest the proceeds in our business!” 

But wait, there's more! (Whoever invented this immortal marketing line is genius!) “If you open not just one, but two accounts, your money will earn a commission bonus!”

8 Sari Sari Store Designs and Concepts

Over the years, significant changes have been made on the way we do our retail business. From the traditional store-inside-the-house to the high-end convenience store, it has really been a testament of its huge following here in the Philippines.

We humbly became the ambassadors of retail sales or what we locally refer to as tingi.

Wrong Things About Our Educational System

Let's admit it. Something is wrong with our educational system. It has a bias for logical intelligence, the one that holds the highest standard on our schools and report cards.

People fail to realize that all types of intelligence are equally important to a person's life and the society. Unfortunately, Academic performance is the most important aspect that the system is only looking after. 

Why You Should Stop Being BC

If time and money were not a factor in your life, what would you be doing and where would you be today?

What if there's actually a chance for you to eliminate time and money as factors in what you can and cannot do in life?

Will you take it or will you let you sub-conscious mind to reject such foolish idea?

What's Wrong With Our Educational System?

Have you ever wondered why there are students who make it to High School (worse College) who can't even read? 

No, I do not wish to make fun of these students. Who am I to do that? I feel bad for them. But I don't blame them for such weakness. I blame the system. I blame the system that makes them believe that they are “ready” -- when in cold reality, they're not...or at least not yet.

Why Doing a Business May Not Be For You

Think of a shark placed inside a small aquarium. Do you think he will ever grow to a size as huge as he should actually be? No, because his size will be limited with that of the aquarium. Now put the same shark on the ocean. Will he grow bigger? 

Yes, but the growth will be hard for him. Why? Because living in the wild would be totally different! 

The Book of Salamat

The story below was adapted from “Book of Salamat” (Book of Thanks) which originated here in the Philippines. The characters and the way it was told here will be different from its original version. 

The original version's characters were gardeners while the characters used in this story were businessmen, to provide readers a story that relates with today's trend.

A Noisy Lesson From a Frog

There was once a frog who lived somewhere (I don't really know, trust me). One day, the frog accidentally fell on a hole -- a shallow well. Upon examining, he quickly realized how high it would require to jump over the hole in order to go back outside!

Looking around, he saw many other frogs around him. Some were same his age, some were even older than him.

Change The Way You Think About Investing

Allow me to quote one of my favorite stories from one of my favorite mentors. The story below was written by Bo Sanchez, a preacher and a finance guru in the Philippines. 

The story talks about how to handle risk, especially on the subject of investing. Many of us loved to do something more rewarding, yet not all are brave enough to handle fear -- a product of our own negative thoughts.

Is Your Excuse Bigger Than Your Dream?

I have attended a personal finance assembly when the speaker (who happens to be one of my mentors) told us this story. Well, he was actually the young and successful man in the story:

A young and successful business coach is having a discussion with a young woman who works as an accountant in a local accounting firm. 

The Fable of a Human Dream

On a bright and sunny day, Cat and Dog visited their friends Cow, Pig, Elephant and Monkey on a nearby forest.  Where the exact location of the forest was is none of your business. What you should be asking instead is why on Earth are these two together? 

Well, you might not know this, but Dog used to love Cat so much, until Cat chose to friendzone him one day.

Understanding Mutual Funds

One day, Bron and his friend Kobe went out for a coffee..

Bron: “How's your knee doing?”

Kobe: “It's still a bit swollen. Doc' says it'll take a couple more weeks.”

Bron: “I thought it would be just days and you'd be fine?”

Why You Should Start Thinking BIG

If someone would offer you a good investment worth 20,000 pesos that you can get ONLY today, are you financially and mentally prepared?

Think.

Do you have enough “opportunity savings” in your bank or cash drawer?

Save and Invest Like an 11 Year Old

 

Financial literacy has always been a key problem to many. And unless our education system starts to finally integrate financial awareness for the real world, this will always be a dilemma to many people, including those with diplomas. So I gladly took the challenge upon myself!

My goal? Teach 3 kids how money can work for them.  

Tuparin Ang Pangarap: A Graduation Speech

This was my monumental speech delivered on March 2014 for the graduates of Old San Jose Elementary School, the institution that first held and molded me to be the man I am today. 

While I tried my best to find the original source and authors of some of the quotable quotes I used, some may have still remained uncredited.

Mga Panget Na Mukha ng Pitaka

Ang wallet ay may mukha? Malamang na-curious ka. Well oo, meron nga. Pero kung may natitira ka pang bait, dapat alam mong hindi literal ang ibig kong sabihin. (Peace!) Ang ibig sabihin ng title ng article na ‘to eh tungkol sa iba‘t ibang pagkatao mo tuwing may pera ka at wala. Malinaw ba?   

Hmm...maniniwala ka ba na sa tuwing dadaan ang pera sa mga palad mo, nag-iiba ang pagkatao mo?

Is Your Tax Bigger than Your Savings?

Every time you see your payslip, what's the first thing you check? I guess it would be logical to check your Net Pay first, or your actual “take home money” right after all the deductions have been subtracted to your Gross Salary.

Does it excite you to check your payslip, knowing that someone you don't know was actually the first to get his shares?

Why Your Concept of a Business is Wrong

“That's it! I quit! I'm done with this!”

Have you heard that line? Or should I ask, have you said that line? I bet you do. I'm an employee myself, and I know how it felt to be humiliated, infuriated and embarrassed by the “bosses” and “feeling-bosses”, only to wake up yet another day realizing you'll still be dealing with the same people. Is quitting the solution?

The Most Powerful Poem You'll Ever Read

I first read this poem when I was in high school. Since then, this poem never left me. And while I may have undeniably forgot the exact words and sequence since, the thought remains profound and intact. 

Thanks to Google, I was able to retrieve its actual composition. Unfortunately for me, the author remained unknown or as we better put it, anonymous.

6 Stupid Things You Do After Break-up

 

Not so long ago (and I hope you won't go through it again), you endured pain caused by a once love-is-all-that-matters kind of relationship you had. 

Until it was drifted along the sour shores of empty promises and misunderstandings that one day it became what-used-to-be. And you're left with nothing but what-could-have-been and what-should-have-been.

How to Lose Your Money in the Bank

Banks are still quite a popular choice among many people. And why not? It's easy, convenient, and of course, safer.

Is it? One of the many reasons why we keep ourselves ignorant from most investment vehicles is because of our fear and lack of knowledge to understand “risks”. Remember, we all fear what we do not understand!

8 Scams That Make You Poor

In this article, I'll share one of Kiyosaki's gift to the world: Rich Dad Scams -- the vehicles of the rich they don't want to share with the poor (who love walking anyway).

 

Please understand that by reading further, you agree to keep an open mind for you to appreciate what the article presents. If you do not want to get financial wisdom and stick to the old-age beliefs about money, STOP!

How to Succeed in Your Sari-sari Store

There are quite a number of articles out there on how to put up a Sari-sari store, but I haven't found one yet that actually contains practical and applicable know-hows on how to manage the business itself.

 

I've been a customer, a “taga-bantay” (seller) and now, an owner myself. I've seen our store close, re-open, close and then re-open again, just to see it close again!

A Complete Idiot's Guide to the Stock Market

Investing in the Philippine Stock Market has become more prevalent nowadays, thanks to those few and exceptional individuals who keep on spreading financial literacy all throughout the country.

The stock market is now being actively thrown into discussions of many Filipinos when it comes to managing and growing their own finances.