Traveling Manila, the Green Way!


Bike Philippines Metro
Getting around Manila is a constant struggle for many Filipinos. The congested roads and the infamous traffic will always make it a daunting task for many to find transportation just to get from one point to another. 

Though public transportation (such as MRT and LRT) might prove useful, the long queues that commuters have to face remains a dilemma. Oh, and by long I mean, looooooong!

Three Friends and Three Years


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.

The Charles Schulz Philosophy


Charles Schulz
The following philosophy is openly attributed tCharles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts comic strip (No sufficient evidence has yet to prove it though). Please note that I have modified some of the questions. 

You don't have to actually answer the  questions. Just read the article straight through, and you'll get the point -- an awesome point, that is!

5 Things to Think Before Getting a Loan


Things to Consider when Getting a LoanThere is no doubt that personal loans comes with pitfalls. But if used correctly, they can be used to kick start your dream start-up business or save you from financial trouble. 

However, there are many lenders who may try to deceive you with fees and high interest rates. Anytime you wish to borrow money, you need to be careful when considering if you're making the right decision. 

Join the Made to Enjoy Christmas Contest!


Taiwan Excellecnce - Made to Enjoy Christmas!
And now comes the season of joy! It's the time of the year when we are excited to receive the gift that matters. 

While it is and always will be the thought that counts the most, a lovely tablet or a nice bag would definitely make it on someone's nice-to-have list, if not on his or her wish list. Now, imagine the joy of being able to fulfill one of your loved one's wish list - for FREE! 

6 Types of Loans That You Need to Know


6 types of Loans
There are different types of loans offered by lending companies. But it’s important to understand your options to determine which one best suits your needs. There are generally two types of loans: secured and unsecured loans. 

Secured loans require collateral. In case you could not afford to pay for these loans, the property that you used as collateral will be given to the lender.

Taiwan Excellence in the Philippines


Taiwan Excellence
While it's true that going for cheaper products might save you some cash, this may not be ideal when quality is being sacrificed.

Most people would agree that (sometimes) it's just how you use (and take good care of) a product that will determine how long it can serve its glorious purpose. But at the end of the day, it still boils down to that seal of quality.

The Mexican Fisherman and the Banker


The Mexican Fisherman and the American Banker
An American investment banker was taking a much-needed vacation in a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. The boat had several large, fresh fish in it.

The investment banker was impressed by the quality of the fish and asked the Mexican how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, Only a little while.

Investments You Can Make With P5,000


Investments for just 5,000 Pesos
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?

What Pushed Me to Blog


A letter to a friend
While looking for an old message from my mail's archive today, I saw an e-mail which I sent to someone last year (from the Sent Items folder, of course). 

The date was June 17, 2013. It was an e-mail intended for a friend of mine, doing my mighty best that time to help him move on from a sad and not-so-colorful love affair he just had that caused him some financial tragedy of his own.

Ang Superhero na Hindi Mo Kilala

 
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

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


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.

A Cup of Coffee


Cup of Coffee
A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive. He told the group to help themselves.

Wealth & Wisdom Circle with Fitz Villafuerte!


Fitz Villafuerte
I'm so excited to announce that this blog, Piso and Beyond will now feature individuals who have contributed to the improvement of our financial awareness! 

These are the people we really look up to -- investors, authors, bloggers, financial advocates, businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists -- role models in their own, big way! I call it the Wealth & Wisdom Circle series.

Wrong Things About Our Educational System


See the Lion in You!
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. 


Paid in Full With a Glass of Milk


The story below was inspired by true events:

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door!


How Misjudgment Can Kill Your Dreams


Don't Judge on Basis
Never see the person based from what he has - because you might just miss seeing what he is capable of.

Most of us only see the tip of an iceberg without realizing how huge the hidden part of that tip is! So we often overlook things. But we should look beyond what our bare eyes can see instead. Let me tell you an interesting story.

A Secret You Don't Want to Know


Free yourself from limits
Here's an interesting story about life and limits. 

One day, all the employees reached the office and they saw a big advice on the door on which it was written:
Yesterday the person who has been hindering your growth in this company passed away. We invite you to join the funeral in the room that has been prepared in the gym.


Why You Should Stop Being BC


Not Now, I'm Busy
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?


Philippine 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


Employment to Business
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

15 Rules to Gain Respect as a Leader


Leadership
Leaders must influence others in order to achieve goals, and they must gain the respect of their followers in order to influence them. 

This is no easy task, but if you want to have the respect of your followers and become an influential leader, these simple rules will help you whether you are just beginning your leadership journey or have been leading already.

The Book of Salamat


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.

The 90/10 Principle by Stephen Covey


The 90/10 Principle by Stephen Covey
What is this Principle? Have you heard this before? It's a very powerful principle if you can apply it to yourself!
 
10% of life is made up of what happens to you.
 
90% of life is decided by how you react.
 
What does this mean?

A Noisy Lesson From a Frog


Focus on Goals and what you can control
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.

Good Debt, Bad Debt


Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-selling personal finance book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, had successfully identified the difference between an asset and a liability. He also genuinely dismissed the idea that all debts are bad and even went on to say that the rich have huge debts! 

But what sets apart the rich from the poor if both carry debts anyway? 



Kurot Principle


Kurot Principle
Maaaring nabasa mo na ang article na ‘to dati. Kung hindi man sa libro kung saan ito isinulat nila Vic at Avelynn Garcia, malamang ay sa Facebook, 'di ba?

Ngayon kung hindi mo pa ‘to nabasa, ayos! Pero tandaan mo na ang article na mababasa mo ngayon ay hango lamang sa librong “Kuntento Ka Na Ba Sa Kaperahan Mo?”

Change The Way You Think About Investing


Thirsty Man
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?


Be Serious with Your Dreams
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. 

Differentiating an Asset from a Liability


Assets and Liabilities
One of the many Personal Finance advocates' gifts to the world is sharing their unconventional wisdom regarding their approach to money and investing. 

Robert Kiyosaki, in particular, defined Asset and Liability in their simplest forms none of my Accounting teachers back in High School and College could have explained better (I hope my Accounting teachers forgive me!).

The Fable of a Human Dream


Human Dreams Forest
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


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?

5 Questions to Ask in Every MLM Company


5 Questions to Ask in Every MLM CompanyThere are so many network-marketing companies today, some are decade-old, some are months-old. Often you'll hear that ABC company sells this, XYZ company uses a 123 binary system, DEF company is better than others, and the tireless marketing and branding efforts go on. 

While MLM or simply networking is a great business model, some people are still misinformed about it. 

How My Financial Journey Started


Financial Freedom
One day, I bumped into an old friend.

Hey, I saw your blog! PisoandBeyond.com, right?


I smiled and nodded.
 

What happened? he asked. I looked confused. I didn't get his point. 

Why You Should Start Thinking BIG


Think 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?



What's This Thing Called "Sour Graping"?


Sour Graping
There was once a fox in a forest. He was so hungry and was desperately looking for something to eat when he saw a grape oh so violet! 

Suddenly, the fox had another problem. He was a little short to grab the fruit! So he kept jumping and jumping in an attempt to get his food. He kept on jumping and jumping until he got tired. 


How to Deal with #PogiProblems


PogiProblems
One awkward and naughty moment and you know what you're dealing with. The move is either a make or a break on most of us (men), which often leaves us wonder What's the best thing to do when such situation presents itself? 

How do you deal with pogi problems? I've shortlisted a few of these moments and asked a member of the pogi clan to help me solve our dilemma.

Save and Invest Like an 11 Year Old

 
Save and Invest Like a Kid
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


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


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 Network Marketing Business A Scam?


Network Marketing
One day, a friend from the past has resurfaced from the unknown. One message popped out on Facebook saying Hi, how are you? The next day, a mini chit-chat, and then a text message, then a phone call, then before you knew it, he's selling you something. The worse part? He kidnapped you for what appeared to be a product presentation.

But wait, there's more!

4 Kinds of Love


4 Kinds of Love
This list is basically a naughty humor that has matured over time, until one crazy blogger put it into writing. Ha-ha!
 
But before proceeding, let me remind you that these types of love were just immaturely based on the appearance of each couple so we'd not really give a damn about the X's and O's. 

Is Your Tax Bigger than Your Savings?


Tax
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


Open Your Own Business
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?

10 Remarkable Movie Lines and Speeches


Remarkable Movie Lines and Speeches
Inspiring. Provocative. Engaging. These are just but few of the many things a powerful line or two can bring whenever it's genuinely delivered. They make the scene so pronounced it will move you. 

Few are great movies. Yet fewer are great movies with great scripts crafted to perfection! Movie lines make the actor who delivered it famous, and often, the entire movie itself. 

The Most Powerful Poem You'll Ever Read


Take Time
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

 
Stupid Things You Do After Break-upNot 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.

Why Pig is Used for "Piggy Bank"

Why Pig is Used for Piggy Bank
Dogs bury bones. Squirrels gather nuts to last through the winter. Camels store food and water so they can travel many days across deserts. 

But do pigs save anything? No! Pigs save nothing! They bury nothing! They store nothing!

So why do we save our coins in a piggy bank? 

How to Lose Your Money in the Bank


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!

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