WAHM WannaBe....(I Now Am, At Last!)

How to Make A Person Who Owes You Money Pay You Back

2012-01-20T02:51:00.000-08:00

How to File a Small Claim in Iligan City

Do you have a friend who owes you money but never pays you back? Is the amount owed a hundred thousand pesos or less?

Is the person just keeps on promising you to pay but never do? Have you exhausted all 'friendly' means but to no avail?

Someone owed me money and she failed to pay and refused to honor our written agreement so I decided to bring my case to the Small Claims court. This is very educational and refreshing for me because, like many other people out there, I never thought I could easily and inexpensively file a claim against someone who refuses to pay me back.

Filing a case in court takes a lot of time and money which discourages people to sue their debtors.

It's a good thing to know that the Supreme Court has come up with Small Claims which allows ordinary people like you and me file a claim in court against another who conveniently forgets to pay the sum of money owed.

As I have mentioned above, this is the first time I filed a claim and I find the how to video below very, very helpful. (And very entertaining, too!)

So, if someone owes you money not more than P100,000 and that person refuses to pay you back no matter how hard you tried, you can now make them pay back the money they owe you.

What Is a Small Claim?

Small claim is a special legal procedure where money claims for a hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or less are heard.

It is a quick, simple, and informal procedure.
No attorneys are allowed during the hearing (unless of course if you are the plaintiff and you are an attorney)
The hearing and the judge's decision are completed in just one day.
The decision is final and non-appealable and immediately executory.

This document from the Supreme Court website explains everything there is to know about the Rules of Procedure of Small Claims Cases.

How to File a Small Claim in Iligan City

Here are the steps one should take when filing a small claim in the city of Iligan.

1. Obtain the necessary blank forms from the Clerk of Court of the Hall of Justice. You may need to pay P20 for the docs.

These are the documents you need to fill up:

Information for Plaintiff
Statement of Claim
Certification of Non-Forum Shopping

2. Be sure to ask the court employees how to fill up the documents correctly.

3. Attach any important document that will show that the loan occurred, such as written agreements, receipts, photocopies of checks issued which the borrower encashed, promissory notes, etc.

4. Make seven (7) copies of each completely filled-up forms together with the paper evidences.

5. Pay the docket fees at the Cashier. The amount you need to pay depends on the amount of your claim. For a P68,000 claim, for example, the fee is P2,915.00.

6. Submit the forms and get the schedule of the hearing.

If you have learned from this blog post, please spread the news and help others deal with people who goes into the habit of borrowing money but never have the intention of paying back just because they know that filing a civil case for sum of money in court is not worth it.

With the creation of Small Claims court, these type of people will think twice before they borrow.

Most Popular New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

I was making my own New Year's resolution (nah, I won't be publishing them here :P) when I came across USA.gov's post about what citizens of the United States of America want to change about themselves each year. Read on and find out if your own New Year's resolution make to the top 10 list :)

1. Drink Less Alcohol

2. Eat Healthy Food

3. Get a Better Education

4. Get a Better Job

5. Get Fit

6. Lose Weight

7. Manage Debt

8. Manage Stress

9. Quit Smoking

10. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

I think I need to add number 6 to my own list. I feel like I'm getting heavier each day and still I keep putting off buying that treadmill!

Paying It Forward - Year 4

2011-12-28T20:10:00.001-08:00

December 28, 2011

Initao, Misamis Oriental

Thank you, Robert and Sandy of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Alfred of Fendrihan Ltd., and Robin of Funeral Futurists for your gifts. You helped us help a few of our less fortunate brothers more...

Thank you, oDesk for providing a wonderful and reliable platform which allows us to work for businesses and individuals around the globe, without leaving our families behind...

MOST OF ALL -

Thank You, God, for all the blessings we received and continue to receive.

May You continue to use us as a channel of Your love, hope and inspiration to people who need it the most..

Thank You for everything...

The Wrath of Typhoon Sendong (International Code Name: WASHI)

2011-12-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

A heartbreaking tragedy...just 8 days before Christmas..

No words can express the pain and suffering each and every Iliganon feels right now.

The worst typhoon Iligan City has experienced..

Properties are destroyed, thousands of lives are lost - many more are still missing...

Let us pray for the victims of Sendong in Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City - the two cities hit by the typhoon the hardest.

Please help. Donations can also be sent here.

SSS Salary Loan Online Application

2011-10-17T00:24:00.000-07:00

I checked my SSS online a while ago to see the total contributions I have paid so far after 12 years as an employed member and 2 years as voluntary member. When I was logged in, I explored a bit until I came to Transactions menu. I was surprised when I saw Salary Loan Application link. I swear it wasn't there the last time I checked. That was a couple of months ago though. I was thinking, is it now possible to apply for salary loan online? That would be great, I said to myself. Not that I planned to take out a loan from SSS now or in the next few days but I thought it's a great step on SSS part to make members do select transactions online.

So, out of curiosity, I clicked on the link and the max amount I can loan was shown together with my home address where the check would be sent. There was an option to update my home address. Then towards the bottom was the Submit button.

I was thinking, is it REALLY possible to apply for salary loan online? Well, there's only one way to find out and it was to click the Submit button, right?

I clicked it, and lo and behold, a confirmation message that my loan application went through was displayed. I even received a confirmation email. Just like that. No more further instructions to go the office and fill up a form and sign it, show my SSS id and/or the transaction number. No, nothing.

Wow, I really thought that was not possible! But it is. And it's great. Just think about the long queue of members doing transactions in almost every SSS office everyday and you'll understand what I mean. It is now more convenient to apply for salary loan because it only takes an internet-connected PC.

Nice.

I just hope this convenience would not encourage members to take out a loan and spend it on things like shoes, bags, new cellphones, new TV, etc. I just hope they will spend it on more important things. Well, the word important is relative. What I'm saying is that I hope people will make use of their loan wisely.

Now, which TV brand I should buy? A shiny, new flat screen TV would look great in my living room. Oh, I almost forgot, I need to buy a new bag. What about that pair of shoe I saw at the mall the other day? I'd love to see myself wearing it.

Hahaha...just kidding. I'm thankful to God that we don't need to take out a loan for our needs. And our wants (and there's just a few of them). He provides. When my salary loan check arrives, I know where I'd spend it - buy more stocks. The stock market is down and the stocks are cheap. Did I say shopping is one of my favorite things? Yes, it is. Shopping for stocks to add to my portfolio.

Should I buy more ALI, or CEB, or MBT, or AP, or EDC, or FPH, or...

Valuable Credit Card Lessons Learned

2011-10-06T03:48:00.000-07:00

Update:

Less than 24 hours after I published this post, a MetroBank card representative called me to inform me that because I am a valued client of theirs, they are waiving the over the limit fee and the adjustment should reflect in my next bill. I could only say, wow! I did nothing but post my experience in my blog and now I'm getting my 500 pesos back.

Great, don't you think? Now, that's customer service!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last week I got my Metrobank credit card statement of account. I scanned the paper carefully and nearly fell off my chair when I saw this ->

OVER THE LIMIT FEE: Php 500.00

I was never charged for anything - I always pay in full days before the due date. I was able to discipline myself to do that ever since I got the card and I intend to keep that practice as long as I possess a card.

For a self-confessed financial literate person that I am, that hurts. It hurts my pocket much. What makes it a bit harder to swallow is that I was charged 500 pesos for a little more than a hundred pesos over the limit transaction. When the realization hit me, I was like, what?? Why on earth did I allow that to happen? Most importantly -

Why, oh why the credit card company didn't just decline the transaction?

In your dreams..I said to myself. But hey, what's that thing called credit limit for, right?

Well, that's how credit card companies make money.

Lessons learned:

Always check your balance before doing any transaction.
Don't expect your credit card company to make life all too easy for you.

Lessons learned the hard way. Well, you can't just find 500 pesos lying around for you to pick up for free, right?

Video Baby Monitor: Do You Really Need It?

2011-09-06T02:04:00.000-07:00

A video baby monitor is one of the newest inventions designed to help parents keep and eye on and take care of their babies when they cannot be in the same room. Audio baby monitors were invented several decades ago and although they have become more sensitive and reliable, they did not develop very much until the recent invention of the video monitor.

An audio baby monitor allows to hear if the baby cries or makes other noise. A video monitor does the same thing but with the additional benefit that you can see your baby on the screen.

You can also get movement sensor monitors. This is a different type of equipment that is placed in the baby's bed and alerts you with a light or sound when the baby moves.

The Advantages Of Video Over Other Types

There are two main advantages of choosing a video baby monitor over other types.

1. You can see your baby.

It sounds obvious I know, but there is a big advantage to actually being able to see the baby on the screen. With an audio monitor, new parents especially are constantly running in to check on the baby even when the monitor is completely quiet. They think it might have stopped working, or maybe the baby is in trouble but not making any noise. So they waste a lot of time going to check on a peaceful sleeping baby, and they make even wake up baby when they do it.

The same thing can happen with movement sensors. These will alert you whenever the baby moves, but babies can move in their sleep, so again you may be constantly checking on a restless but sleeping baby.

2. You can listen to other sounds.

If you have an audio monitor, you may worry about missing the sound of the baby waking while you are watching TV, listening to music or even talking on the phone. With a video baby monitor that is not an issue. You can even listen to music over headphones to avoid waking the baby, but still be sure that you will know what is happening all the time that you can see the monitor's video screen.

The Disadvantages Of Video

The main disadvantage of video monitors is that they are less mobile than many audio devices. Many rely on a camera which would be permanently focused on your baby's bed. However, you can of course have a video monitor to use at home and a mobile audio or movement sensor monitor to take when you go visit friends or family.

You can of course set up webcam monitoring that would be mobile. You would need two laptops, one with a webcam to video the baby, and the other showing the display. Both computers would need to be connected to the internet wherever you were, and if you wanted to use the computer for work or email it would not give such a good picture of the baby at the same time, so this might not be ideal in all cases. A dedicated video baby monitor is a much better option for most parents.

Got My First Google Adsense Check..Yay!

2011-06-05T22:38:00.000-07:00

I finally got my very first Google Adsense check...yay! The amount is not that significant compared to my affiliate earnings but I know this would be the first of many. Most of the earnings came from this blog. And that was before - the time when I didn't give much thought about Adsense and put much effort on earning online through Google Adsense. Now that I have several other websites with Adsense on it, hopefully the second check will be out next month :)

We'll see..

I Bought My First Stocks

2011-01-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, 1-11-11, I bought my very first stocks. No, I didn't deliberately do it on the eleventh of January, it was just a pure coincidence. I just happened to realize after that it was 1-11-11. There was nothing extraordinary about the date.

I funded my CitisecOnline account on January 6 and it was credited last Monday. I took the time to familiarize myself with COL's interface and then the next day Tuesday, I bought my first stocks.

I bought stocks of Ayala Land, Inc (ALI), Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SMPH), and Manila Water Co. (MWC). I was supposed to buy PLDT (TEL) stocks but I didn't have enough buying power left. PLDT stocks was at 2,500 and I'm not sure if I should have bought it first over the others but I just decided to buy PLDT stocks next month.

I used to think that the stock market was dangerous, very, very dangerous, especially for first-timers like me. But, thanks to my mentor, Bo Sanchez, for opening up my eyes on how stocks investing, not stocks trading, can help me realize my financial dreams.

Stocks trading really is d-a-n-g-e-r-o-u-s, but not stocks investing.

Trading stocks and investing in stocks are two different things. Trading stocks is short-term while investing in stocks is long term. Trading stocks is buying stocks and selling them within a day or a few days. It works for traders who study the stock market like eight hours a day.

When you trade stocks, you do not look at how strong the company is. Any company is game - even those what they call "penny" stocks.

Ordinary people like you and me should leave stocks trading or speculating to the experts. Ordinary people like you and me should do stocks investing instead, and we should be fine.

When you do stocks investing, you buy shares of great, solid companies over a 10- to 20-year period. And with COL's EIP program, you don't look whether the price is up or down, just buy shares regularly each month, quarter, or year, doing money cost averaging. And after ten or twenty years, you retire rich and a millionaire.

Now, who says I can't retire rich and a millionaire? I say I can. I believe I can.

TrulyRichClub.com - Do You Want to Gain Financial Wealth and Spiritual Abundance at the Same Time?

My Financial Goals for 2011

2010-12-28T23:36:00.000-08:00

Before the whole world will officially say goodbye to 2010, let me post my financial goals for the next year. Hopefully 2011 will be much brighter and more prosperous for all of us. So, here goes -

invest in stock market with Bro. Bo Sanchez
continue to do peso cost averaging to all my mutual funds investments (will also do this for stocks)
get a life insurance or at least a medical insurance
increase my emergency fund and continue to put it in TDs at FICCO
increase my equity at FICCO
open accounts at citiseconline for my kids
educate my family about finances and how to save and invest for the future
continue to be a blessing to others...

Advance Happy New Year, Everyone!

Paying It Forward 2010

2010-12-25T20:01:00.000-08:00

The whole family and my GEMS Technologies team spent Christmas this year by giving gifts to less fortunate families back in our hometown in Initao, Misamis Oriental. These are families of "sikad" and tricycle drivers who don't have something to put on their table for the Noche Buena.

We didn't give much - just rice, noodles, and canned goods - but we wanted to give love, hope, and inspiration to these families on Christmas in our own little way...

That no matter how bleak the situation may be, no matter how down we are, no matter how hopeless things may look, there's Someone Up there looking after us..
Just go on living because life itself is a blessing.

My brother John, sisters Edina and Neneng, and Kimboy preparing the gifts...

Nieces Lindsay Jane and Twinkle in action

The recipients

No, we're not rich, we're not wealthy - far from it.

But we are BLESSED to be a BLESSING to others...

Thanks to oDesk - we could not have done this had I not found oDesk to be a viable source of income for all of us here - my brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews.. We could not have earned enough to share a portion of it to others.

Many thanks to Robert Armstrong and everyone at the Academy for the generous gift - because of it we have made a hundred more families happy.

And above all, Thank You, God, for entrusting us this gift and for everything that You have given us. To You, we give back all the glory. May You continue to bless us so we can go on doing this for many Christmases to come.

Why I Invested In Three More Mutual Funds This Year

2010-12-07T01:55:00.000-08:00

This year I have invested my extra money to three more mutual funds and they are FAMI's Save and Learn Equity Fund, PEMI's PhilEquity Fund, and MFCP's ATRKimEng Equity Opportunity Fund. I chose equity funds because I'm investing for my babies' college education which won't happen until after twelve years the earliest. I have a Balanced Fund invested with Sunlife in 2005 and it is intended for my first-born son's college education. He's still in Grade 1 now and I believe that with mutual funds I can be ready financially when he goes to college 9 or 10 years down the road. I actually thought of transferring it to to equity fund for more growth over the years.

Family and friends who knew of my investment inclinations ask me why invest in mutual funds to fund my kids' college education and why not get educational plans offered by pre-need companies instead. Well, I'm no financial expert but I can say that I am a self-made financial literate - thanks to the countless books I've read, websites I have visited, and personal finance advisors I have met online such as Bro Bo Sanchez, Francisco Colayco, Efren Cruz and many others.

There are more reasons than one why a mutual fund investment is much, much better than buying an educational plan that I'm afraid I won't be able to cover them expertly here. Mutual funds have proven to be one of the best investment vehicles to get the most out of your savings long term. Investing in mutual funds is just like entrusting your money to someone hoping that he can make your money grow in time. Of course this someone is not just any one, this someone is an expert in investing and he is called the mutual funds fund manager.

For one, with mutual funds you are buying into the fund manager's expertise to maximize returns and minimize risks. You don't have to spend the time learning about stock investing, for instance, with mutual funds. Your fund manager does all the research, selection, managing and monitoring of your investments.

Second, mutual fund is a 'poor' man's investment vehicle. Well, who among us regular income earner can afford to buy multiple shares of big companies or real estate for as low as P5,000.00? With mutual funds, you can.

Another advantage of investing in mutual funds is its liquidity. Your investment is readily available to cash the moment you need it.

I will do peso cost averaging for all my mutual funds investments to maximize growth.

My next financial goal this month is to invest in another mutual funds for me and hubby's retirement nest egg.

Update:

I will venture into Stocks investing with Bo Sanchez's Truly Rich Club instead to diversify my investment portfolio. Hopefully I can start this month.

Educational Baby Toys: Will They Make My Baby Smarter?

2010-12-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

If you are thinking of buying educational baby toys hoping to make your child develop to the full extent of his or her ability, you may have wondered whether these toys really have any effect. Can small babies actually learn anything from a toy, or are educational toys for babies just a waste of money?

To find the answer we first have to understand how babies learn and what they are learning when they are very small.

Unlike many animals, young humans are completely dependent on their parents for several years of their lives. In this time they have a lot to learn. They must find out how to act on the world in a way that will eventually mean that they can survive on their own. This involves using all of their five senses and their brain.

When a baby is born, the brain is small and undeveloped. It doubles in size in the first year of life, growing from around 30% of its adult size at birth to 60% at the age of one year. This represents a massive increase in the baby's potential ability to learn.

So a baby's brain is undergoing a massive physical growth spurt. This means there is huge potential for the baby to learn. But the brain needs stimulation.

Why? Well, because just like a muscle, the brain has to be exercised in order to grow strong. As it grows, it contains more and more nerve cells or neurons. You can think of these as being like tiny electrical wires. At first, the wires are there but they are not connected to each other. Gradually, as more connections are made, circuits are built which allow the baby to think, understand the world and be more coordinated in his or her physical movements. These connections are made by the baby's response to stimulation that comes from the world around.

So the more stimulation the baby has, the more nerve connections are made in the brain, and the more the power of the brain develops. So yes, the right kind of stimulation can make the baby smarter.

What is the right kind of stimulation? The answer is, anything that stimulates the baby's 5 senses at the right level for the baby's current stage of development. The 5 senses are:

Sight - babies have trouble focusing at first, so the best way to help them learn to identify different objects is to have them in bright colors.

Sound - babies will respond to many kinds of sounds including classical music, bells and familiar tunes.

Touch - a variety of textures will stimulate the baby's sense of touch. Babies will also learn to grip and move objects such as rattles, especially if they are rewarded with a sound or colorful sight.

Smell and taste - most toys do not focus on these senses but they will be stimulated naturally as the baby grows and becomes able to digest a variety of foods.

Good quality educational toys are designed to stimulate the baby's senses in the best ways. Toys alone are not enough - the baby also needs quality time with an adult to be taught how to use the toys - but most parents give this attention without even thinking about it. So educational baby toys can help to make a baby smart, and it is worth buying the best.

Simple Ways on How to Speed Up Vista Computer

2010-09-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

Annoyed with the performance of your Windows Vista? With MS Windows Vista, you can take great advantage of the functionalities and features that this operating system offers. However, when it comes to hardware resources utilization of this OS, some considerations and tweaks will have to be made to enhance system performance and optimize the benefits that you can get with Vista.

How to Speed Up Vista Computer

Upgrade Hardware Resources

• It is recommended to have additional RAM to match hardware requirements of your Vista, particularly with older computer processors. Upgrading your memory will eventually improve the performance and speed of your Vista.

• If upgrading the memory does not suffice and yields nearly the same result, you may opt to purchase a better hard disk with 8MB, 16MB, or higher cache for optimum performance.

Clean your Registry

• Windows Registry refers to the hierarchical database responsible for storing the configuration settings and options of MS Windows Operating Systems; it also serves as a way to access counters for profiling the performance of the system.

• More often than not, the Registry is the most deserted component of Windows; when in fact, it is the best means to speed-up Windows Vista. You speed-up and improve performance of Vista by ensuring that the Registry itself is free from all null and void entries that force Windows to perform needless tasks.

• Cleaning the registry greatly contributes to improving system performance and helps you get rid of Windows Errors that pop-up during start-up or boot-up.

Perform Defragmentation Regularly

• Defragmentation refers to the process of effectively fixing and reversing the problem of disk fragmentation; and thus, optimizing system performance, computer speed and lifespan. This process is done by organizing your files and folders next to each other for easy retrieval and cleaning-up the hard drive for temporary files.

• A Defragmentation tool is equally important as any Anti-virus software. Do defragmentation regularly most especially if your computer is frequently used to perform multi-tasking jobs that typically create multiple temporary files such as in scanning software.

• Most technical people suggest the use of a free third party tool which proved to be more efficient compared to other ways of defragmenting to speed-up performance – Defraggler. You may also search the net for other free Defragmentation Tools.

Get rid of unnecessary Start-up or Boot-up Programs

• When MS Vista starts up, a lot of programs are being executed either as Pop-up Windows or in the Background; some of these programs are not actually needed but tax your system memory resources and skulk in the background.

• The best way to remove these programs is to manage your programs and eliminate these memory suckers. To do this, open Start menu, point to Run then type-in 'msconfig' and select Startup tab. Uncheck the items that you do not want to auto-load upon start-up then click OK.

Turn-off needless Windows features

• Windows Vista by default is integrated with lots of features typically activated based on postulations that may be applicable or may not be applicable. Eventually, the system is enforced to execute unnecessary programs that run underground processes. Thus, it would be very helpful to deactivate these needless programs to boost your Windows Vista.

• To check the list of Windows features and Activate/Deactivate them, go to Control Panel, change to ‘Classic View’ then ‘Program Features’ then ‘Turn Windows Features On and Off’. These are some of the features that may be deactivated: Differential Compression, Windows Meeting Space, Tablet PC optional components, etc.

Turn-off Windows Indexing Service

• Windows Indexing service is purposely designed as a means to speed-up Vista by reducing the files’ search time. Due to the relatively vast increase in the hard disk’s volume when Windows indexed the millions of files in the system, the service has turned out to be taxing system resources causing substantial slowdowns.

• To turn-off this service, choose Start button then My Computer then right click on your C Drive then go to Properties, then General tab and then uncheck ‘Index this drive for faster searching’. On the next dialog box, select ‘Include subfolders and files’ and follow the same procedures for the rest of the drives.

Search the internet for other methods to speed-up computer and enhance system performance and you may utilize recommended free tools to optimize system performance; and thus, enjoy the features and functionalities offered by MS Windows Vista.

Beat Your Food Cravings

2010-03-11T18:54:00.000-08:00

A lot of people, especially dieters, experience the occasional ‘craving’ for food, and scientists have discovered that this craving is not just to satiate hunger, but is actually a craving for a specific type of food group. Whether it is in the form of candies, chocolates, potato chips or several glasses of wine, scientists have noticed that this craving is actually that of our body signalling us to ‘take in’ some sugar or carbohydrates.

Previously perceived as one of the consequences of a person’s bad eating habits or his lack of will power, this craving for sugar or carbohydrates has been found out by scientists to have an underlying scientific (more specifically, ‘biological’) reason, and the psychology of bad eating habits or lack of will power has nothing to do with it.

Scientific/Biological Reasons for Food Craving

You see, when depression or exhaustion strikes us, our body enters into a state wherein the sugar content in our blood is low, and it sends a corresponding signal to our brain, telling it that it needs some ‘pepping up’. This then triggers our craving for sugar or carbohydrates. Serotonin, our ‘feel-good’ hormone, also plays a role in our ‘craving’ behavior, because a condition of low blood sugar levels is usually accompanied by a condition of low serotonin level, and vice versa. Thus, whenever there are low serotonin levels in our body, we also experience a craving for sweets and carbohydrates, to compensate for the corresponding shortage of sugar levels in our blood.

However, what we have described so far is all okey, because that’s how our body works when there is a low level of blood sugar or serotonin. What is not okey is that the sugar or carbohydrates that we usually take, in the form of chocolates and other sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods, only gives us a short burst of serotonin. When this short burst dies down or is consumed/used up by our body, the craving for more sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods returns. And this would lead us into a vicious cycle of wanting more sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods!

Adrenal fatigue could also be another cause of this craving for sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods. Whenever we feel ‘stressed out’, ‘run down’, very tired for no apparent reasons, or have not had a restful sleep for about 2 or several days, we usually suffer a condition called adrenal fatigue, and in severe cases, this leads to what is known as adrenal exhaustion. Nowadays, this health disorder is quite common (what with the our hectic lifestyles), but the sad truth is, it is often misdiagnosed as ‘just stress’ or is even neglected. Anyway, during an occurrence of adrenal fatigue, our body would send a similar signal to our brain, requesting for some ‘pick-me-ups’, which again triggers our craving for sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks or drinks, such as coffee at various times of the day. During nighttime, our body would be craving for carbohydrates or even alcohol. And this exacerbates the problem.

People who have long been suffering from this craving for sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks or drinks have become what is known as insulin-resistant (or at least, partially insulin-resistant), perhaps without even realizing that they actually are suffering from this condition. You see, in a ‘normal’ person’s body, our blood sugar level is regulated by insulin; that is, when the need arises, insulin signals the cells of our body to absorb glucose from our bloodstream. But in an insulin-resistant person’s body, the cells could no longer ‘respond’ to the insulin’s ‘signal’, hence they do not anymore have the ability to absorb glucose. This would then trigger a ‘distress’ signal to the brain, requesting more sugar or carbohydrates. Hence, our craving for sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks or drinks! Now, you would ask, “Since there still are plenty of unabsorbed glucose molecules in our blood, what happens to the excess sugars or calories that we take in during our cravings?”. Well, they will be converted into and stored as fat, and we would start gaining weight even if we thought we didn’t eat much. People who have taken care of their health by maintaining a low-fat and low-carbohydrate diet for a long time (or those who have been taking appetite suppressants) do not suffer from such cravings for sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks or drinks.

How to Beat the Craving

Perhaps now you have finally understood the nature and underlying causes of the craving for sugary or carbohydrate-rich snacks or drinks, but are in an unfortunate situation because you are already ‘into’ it, or are already insulin-resistant? Fear not, because it can be beaten; it can take quite some time, but it can be achievable.

You can start by rethinking your food choices, opting for ‘healthier’ foods instead of sugary or carbohydrate-rich ones (you may have to consult your doctor on this, because some foods ‘disguise’ themselves as ‘healthy’ but are, in fact, sugary or carbohydrate-rich). You may also add diet ‘supplements’ such as fat binders or cholesterol-control medication to the mix (again, consult your doctor), but a ‘natural’ way to curb your cravings is exercise; by incorporating a realistic, achievable exercise plan (one which involves low-impact, moderate activities for initially 20 to 30 minutes, such as jogging or brisk walking), your insulin resistance can be reversed and you might easily get rid of such cravings. This process of incorporating dietary modification, medication or ‘supplements’, and exercise may take some time before you see some results, but no doubt, it will succeed! Good luck, then!

A Baby's Hug

2010-02-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

I came across this article today and the story brought tears to my eyes the first time I read it. A must-read story - very touching and so inspiring - that I thought it is worth re-posting. Hope you will like it.

This sweet story reminded me of a time years back, when I used to help organise Sahaja Yoga meetings in Caxton Hall in the early 70’s. The hall was packed and Shri Mataji had just finished Her program and people were clamouring around Her… I suddenly viewed from the stage the crowd separating just like the parting of the waters, letting through a woman in rags who obviously just wandered in from the streets; well, the scene was surreal, no one dare go near her …when suddenly Shri Mataji came down and headed straight for this woman and hugged her as if she was a long-lost relative. Needless to say the rest of us kept a distance….then as fast as it started it ended, and the woman just left without a word, with a satisfied look on her face!

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, “Hi.” He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.

“Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster,” the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, “What do we do?”Erik continued to laugh and answer, “Hi.”

Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, “Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo.” Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn reciprocated with his cute comments.

We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. “Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik,” I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby’s “pick-me-up” position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man’s ragged shoulder. The man’s eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labour, cradled my baby’s bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, “You take care of this baby.”

Somehow I managed, “I will,” from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, “God bless you, ma’am, you’ve given me my Christmas gift.” I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, “My God, my God, forgive me.”

I had just witnessed Christ’s love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking, “Are you willing to share your son for a moment?” when He shared His for all eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, “To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children.”

If this has blessed you, please bless others by sending it on. Sometimes it takes a child to remind us of what is really important. We must always remember who we are, where we came from and, most importantly, how we feel about others. The clothes on your back or the car that you drive or the house that you live in does not define you at all; it is how you treat your fellow man that identifies who you are. “It is better to be liked for the true you, than to be loved for who people think you are.” You can’t free the rest of the world until you’ve freed yourself. Promoting fear is the easiest way to cause people to feel powerless, and surrender their freedoms and tax dollars to those in power. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

Source: The Australian Sahaja Yoga Newsletter, 7 & 14 Dec., 2007

Challenges of Working from Home

2010-02-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 3-monthsary of being a full-time work at home mom last Saturday by treating myself to a very relaxing day at a salon. I had a foot spa, a manicure and a pedicure, and had my short hair milk-rebonded. What a treat, you would say? Well, I deserve it :)

Working from home can be very challenging; you're shut off from the outside world, for one, and it can get very boring. Though the internet affords me to go to each and every place imaginable, it still feels so much different mingling with friends and acquaintances every day. I had been an employee for the past twelve years and though I love the transition from being an office employee to a WAHM, I'd say it was not very smooth. My body clock has changed. I used to wake up early in the morning to go to work, now I work until the wee hours of the morning and wake up a couple of hours before noon each day. I miss my officemates and the talks and the laughs that we had, I miss the students, the parents and the interactions I had with them. I miss each and everyone I got to mingle with each day that I went to work.

I love being a WAHM, there's no question about it. I had been praying for this since I bore my first child and I am so thankful to God for giving me the desire of my heart. Working from home gives me the freedom and the flexibility I so needed. I get to work at my own hours, no strict time-in and time-out to keep, and I can even work while lulling my baby to sleep in my arms. I work from a little corner in my room in my sleepwear, with unmade-up face and tousled hair. And I love every bit of it. I'm my own boss!

But one thing is for sure - I miss working in an office setting. I have decided that I really need to treat myself to a home office. Why? A home office gives every work from home moms like me the luxury of privacy and space for doing specific tasks that don't fit in the general flow of the household. Any suggestions?

Think You’re Losing The ‘Battle of the Bulge’ And Want To Do Something About It?

2010-02-01T22:11:00.000-08:00

Have you ever been in a situation where, after 6 to 12 months of a dieting and/or an exercise program, you find yourself still not making any headway in your weight loss efforts? And have you ever wondered why?

A lot of people (some say as much as 70% of the population of wannabe weight ‘lossers’) have actually experienced this predicament, and some of them have actually lost weight in the first 3 to 6 months or so, only to gain back the ‘lost’ weight in the end. What they might not realize is that maybe they might have digressed a little from your strict weight-loss plan. You see, just a little deviation from the plan is all it takes to render all your efforts useless or for naught.

So before you look at other possible reasons for your failure to lose weight, you might want to ask yourself, “Am I religiously adhering to my weight-loss plan?”. Because no matter how effective the cholesterol-control, fat binders, or whatever prescribed medications you are taking, if you are not exercising frequently enough, or if you are ‘cheating’ on your diet, then, chances are, you’ll just get back those ‘lost’ pounds!

Also, before we continue, who formulated your diet and exercise plan? Did you seek expert medical advice for that, or did you just ‘copy’ it from the Internet or a book written by a supposed expert? Because you see, your doctor is perhaps the only person who knows a lot about your body type and body processes (such as your metabolic rate), so seeking his expert advice could spell the difference between a well-thought-out diet and exercise plan and one which just works in the short run.

Lastly, have you had yourself checked out for type 2 diabetes mellitus? Because this condition can easily exacerbate obesity, and without the aid of specific medications, it can only be managed through a very strict exercise plan and radical dietary modification. Even just a slight deviation from this strict exercise and diet plan could wreak havoc to your weight-loss efforts and even complicate your obesity problem.

Read more to answer the question you may have been asking yourself, "Why am I not losing weight?"

Panic Attacks Treatment - How to Control Your Agoraphobia Panic Attacks Effectively

2010-01-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

Choosing the right panic attacks treatment can be difficult for someone with panic attacks. Almost anybody has had some type of stress and anxiety problems though there are some people who have them to the point of preventing them to do anything at all. A lot of people experience stress and anxiety so great that they can no longer do their daily activities.

People who have panic attacks on a regular basis usually experience symptoms like trembling, dizziness, breathing problems, and stomach pain. These symptoms may be scary but they are not life-threatening at all. Many people go to the hospital because they feel as though they are having a heart attack.

Recognize What Triggers Your Panic Attacks

In order for you to gain total control of your panic attacks, you need to recognise what triggers them. This is very important because knowing what causes your panic attacks help you deal with the situation. You will be better informed to avoid those triggers so you can have your normal days. Avoid those triggers at all cost.

Stay Calm And Focused With Different Relaxation Methods

There are some relaxation methods that are proven to help you stay focused and calm throughout the day. You need to stay calm and relaxed to avoid panic attacks and to deal with panic attacks. Yoga, meditation, and good breathing techniques can really help you. When panic attack strikes you, it is normal for you to be panicky and react out of proportion which can be very dangerous. By practising good breathing techniques, you are preparing yourself to stay in focus in case panic attack strikes you. It can also prevent a panic attack even before it starts.

Eliminate Caffeine In Your Diet

If you suffer from panic attacks regularly it will do you good if you will eliminate caffeine completely in your diet. Panic attacks set off from within the central nervous system and the caffeine in your blood can stimulate it. Soda, tea, and diet pills should also be avoided.

Sweat It Out Daily

Exercising regularly can help you shed off unwanted pounds but do you know that it will help you control your panic attacks? Doing some physical exercise and sweating it out releases the endorphins into your blood stream. Endorphins give you the natural feeling of euphoria that helps you stay in control.

Panic attacks are dreadful but you can control them. Just follow the above panic attacks treatment methods and control your panic attacks easily. These methods are proven effective you'll start to live your life normally every day.

You can overcome your panic attacks quickly and easily. Click here for a completely natural treatment you won't need to risk addiction or side effects by taking drugs to cope with your panic attacks.

Pssssst! Desperately Searching For The ‘Perfect’ Diet Plan? Read This…

2010-01-21T17:17:00.000-08:00

Since the time when it was classified as an epidemic, obesity has always attracted keen worldwide attention. Diet plans proposed by various people began to emerge, and we see various discussion groups, conferences, and symposia centered on obesity and these various diet plans. In America alone, this obsession about weight loss has turned it into a veritable cottage industry, with various ‘experts’ coming out of the woodwork, bringing forth with them ‘revolutionary’ diets.

To date, there already are several popular diets, all claiming to be effective, with names such as 5-Factor Diet, Anne Collin’s Diet, Atkins Diet, Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, DASH Diet, Fat Smash Diet, Size Zero Diet, and South Beach Diet.. The list goes on, and there are probably many more waiting to be ‘discovered’ and/or proposed by other self-proclaimed weight loss ‘gurus’.

Read more about effective weight loss diet plans here...

New Year Weight Loss

2010-01-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are definitely the most festive occasion of the year. It is during Christmas time that families are gathered together and celebrate the joy and cheer of this merry season. But this is also the time when dieting is a big challenge because of the bountiful food preparations that we all can’t get ourselves out of. And after the merriment of the festive Christmas season, we are then faced with another challenge of scraping out the excess weight we have gathered during the holiday’s eating galore.

Statistics have shown that losing weight is on top of everyone's New Year’s resolutions. But, fact is, it is never an easy task. Many have struggled trying to loose the extra pounds they have.

Check out the best diet pill and start this new year with healthy and sexier body throughout the year. Start by fusing the safe and effective weight loss tips and you’re sure to fire up this year with a healthy body and positive perspective.

2009-11-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

Nothing much to say, except I'm happy..very, very happy.

This Is It!

2009-10-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Twenty-three days from now I'm no longer an employee. I've resigned from my job to concentrate on working online. I feel happy and sad at the time. It's a mixed emotions, actually. I'm happy because working from home is a dream come true for me. It has been my desire to work from home so I can be with my babies and take care of them while I work. I guess I have to change the name of this blog, don't you think? I'm no longer a WAHM Wanna-be.

I'm a WAHM!

And I am happy. Very. Nothing can be more fulfilling for a mother than to take care of her children and nurture them as they grow up. I guess that's the very essence of motherhood. Career-wise, I'm a failure. But I could not care less. Motherhood fulfills me and it makes me a better person, so no regrets.

But, I am sad. Sad that I had to leave something that has become a very big part of me for the last twelve years. Something that has helped mold me into what I am now.

2009-09-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Almighty and eternal God,
those who take refuge in You will be glad
and forever will shout for joy.

Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties.
Protect them with the shield of Your strength
and keep them safe from all evil and harm.

May the power of Your love enable them to return home
in safety, that with all who love them,
they may ever praise You for Your loving care.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Princess Arra's 1st Birthday Pics

2009-07-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

Gabs' Homemade Plane

2009-05-11T02:34:00.001-07:00

See how creative my baby is. And that's because he loves airplanes and helicopters.

Actually he had asked me to make one for him. Unfortunately, he's more creative than I am. This plane is made out of small sticks and nails. He made this plane all by himself.

Just Got Back Online...

2009-05-11T02:13:00.000-07:00

...after 8 days of no internet connection at home. It all started when we had a 12-hour blackout on the first of May. When the power was restored, my Siemens modem failed to function. My ISP replaced the modem, but still, I had no connection because of some technical activity going on my ISP's end. At least that's what they told me. That was so stressful. Imagine, I had to go to an internet cafe so I can make my online job commitments! For 8 days!

My Little Shopper

2009-03-31T16:53:00.001-07:00

My princess had her 3rd birthday last Sunday and we went grocery shopping for her party with friends the day before. Fortunately for me I didn't get to deal with her temper tantrums that time. She enjoyed shopping! I am not sure if I should be happy with that. I don't want her to grow up to be 'buy-me-this-buy-me-that' spoiled brat. Am I overreacting? lol..

It was the first time she went with me shopping and had a say on what to buy. You can see her pointing to a bigger can of milk for her little sister. I chose that 400g myself but she insisted on getting the bigger one. I gave in.

She picked items for herself and her siblings. When she saw items on display that she recognized we use at home, she'd say, "Mommy, that's my shampoo. We'll take that." She also got to say no to something she didn't like. There was this new biscuit flavor that I want her to try but she adamantly said no. "I don't want that. I want this (the old flavor) better." She'd take two of each item every time, one for her and one for her kuya. She got the cart loaded up in no time at all. (Sigh!)

I guess asking her opinion (and respecting it) about the items she want or doesn't want kept her entertained, don't you think? I have heard stories from friends how their kids got bored and misbehaved during shopping. I was glad I didn't have to deal with something like that.

Earth Hour 2009

2009-03-26T15:02:00.000-07:00

I have joined the movement and signed up with Earth Hour. Earth Hour is about taking simple steps everyday that collectively reduce carbon emissions – from businesses turning off their lights when their offices are empty to households turning off appliances rather than leaving them on standby. It aims to bring global climate change awareness to people of all walks of life all over the world.

On March 28th at 8:30pm local time, wherever you are in the planet, you can participate in Earth Hour by turning off your lights for 60 minutes. Over 1,508 Cities and towns in 80 countries around the globe have already signed up to participate.

Since I have little kids around the house, I plan to switch off the lights earlier and maybe enjoy a family dinner by candlelight.

To find out more about Earth Hour, visit the official website www.earthhour.org, sign up and join this noble cause.

We only got one Earth to live in. Shouldn't we take care of it?

Ben Pei’s No Brainer Blog Contest

2009-03-25T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ben Pei has come up with a no brainer contest on his make money online blog Pei Profit Dot Com. It only requires you complete four simple tasks like copying and pasting. The only reason that he is making it so simple to bring home those attractive prizes is that he wants to make winning easy for his readers. Prizes include $50 cash prize via PayPal, Atomic Blogging 3.0, Ultimate Blogging Theme, Banner Ad On GarryConn.com and 1 Year Membership On AdTracker.

Well if you are not heading over and grab your chance, others will! No more complicated reviews, no more linking to 10,000 sponsors. ONLY copy and paste and you could walk away with these big prizes!

Check out all the details of how you can enter the Ben Pei’s No Brainer Blog Contest now.

Too Many Hearts for Me.. :)

2009-02-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

I've changed look..again. The headers and graphics used in my blog's template messed up with Photobucket so I had no choice but to change them. Since it is only a week away to Valentine's day, many bloggers are changing the look of their blogs to something heartsy and romantic. And, I joined in..heheh..See what I've got? A blog with lots of hearts :D

"You can give without loving,
but you can't love without giving."

Love month has come. Many people may despise it, but personally, I simply love everything about Valentine's day. I'm a self-confessed hopeless romantic . Yesterday, I ordered a gift for hubby online from MyAyala.com to be delivered to his quarters on the 14th. I want to surprise him so I'm keeping my lips sealed. I'm not giving away any clues, or hints, or whatever. His past assignments were to places beyond online gift shops' serviceable areas, so this would be the first time he'd receive a gift without him being aware of it. Even now I'm too excited to imagine how he would react when the delivery man give him the gift, with a stem of red rose and heart-shaped ballons. Would he be embarrased in front of his buddies? You bet he would. But, I know he'd love it.

I and my babies will also be having a date this Valentine's day. I'm treating them to Jollibee! My youngest is not feeling well since these past couple of days but I'm doing everything so she won't miss the fun.

Going Green..

2009-01-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

My almost 8-year old 17" AOC CRT monitor chewed up its last byte last week. AOC was my first monitor when I had my very first desktop computer. The system unit had long been gone, 4 years ago I think, but the monitor proved to be long-lasting.

I've been reading about going green with electronics these past few days so I decided to buy an Energy Star compliant LCD monitor. Energy Star qualified products use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment.

Yes, it costs more but it feels good to be more responsible and earth-loving. We've got one Earth to live in so I guess we need to take care of it as much as we can, right? LCD monitors are also energy-efficient compared to CRTs so I am giving my pocket a break for energy costs as well. I am glad my Acer laptop and TV have Energy Star logo on them too.

My Son Wants To Be a Helicopter Pilot!

2009-01-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

These photos were taken from a camera phone by my 5-year-old son Gabriel when we sent off his dad to the airport last week. His dad was off to Philippine Army Headquarters to undergo a 6-month rigorous UN peacekeeping force training. Their batch will be deployed to either Haiti or Liberia this July.

My son can't seem to get enough of helicopters that day. He was unmindful of all the airplanes that hovered in and out the airport all along. His attention was fixed to the three choppers that transported a high-ranking military officer and his escorts. We were having our lunch in one of the canteens at the airport compound when they arrived. We had to go to the back and take the pictures from behind barbed wires.

How he'd love to drive one of those himself! Lol... I told him, not now baby, later when you're old enough. Now I have the reason to ask him to go to school (he hates pre-school!) because pilots go to school, right? Ahahah...

When asked who would be the first one he'd let in for a helicopter ride, he quips, "Yra! And baby Arra, too!"

I and hubby thought he would grow up to be in the Army, but I guess we're wrong. Air Force, here he comes!

My future pilot with one of his favorite passengers.

Goodbye, André...

2009-01-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

My friend André Bergeron (aka excssnrgy) of Edmonton, Canada, a person with a big heart who has touched our lives passed away on January 19, 2009 around 4:00AM Canadian time. It took me this long to post and update my blog about his death because I don't wanna think about it after all.

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be. So He put His arms around you and whispered "come to me." With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away. Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Goodbye, André...I will be forever grateful to you..

That Thing Called Bluetooth

2009-01-13T01:31:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to figure out for many days now how I can connect to the Internet using my Samsung 3G phone as a modem as it doesn't come with a data cable or a bluetooth adapter to hook it up with my laptop. I know I've got to have either of the two to get connected but I was hoping there's a sort of roundabout of doing it. I've looked here and there till my wanderings led me to bluetooth technology articles and wireless bluetooth headsets reviews.

Bluetooth technology allows compatible devices to communicate with each other over low frequency radio waves, thus, these devices don't have to be in line of sight of each other to connect. The technology is becoming a popular way to stay connected wirelessly. Bluetooth enables you to connect to the internet, share or transfer files, stream music and a lot, lot more.

Wireless bluetooth headsets can help you more productive, most of the reviews say, because they are totally hands-free. It can also keep you safe. In the US, new state laws require drivers to use hands-free communications while driving. A lot of road accidents do happen when people hold a phone in one hand talking and grip the steering wheel with the other hand.

The more I read about wireless bluetooth headsets, the more I was getting convinced that I've got to have one. For a multi-tasking mom that's me, the only way to go is wireless, I guess. But no, I won't give in to the temptation to get myself a bluetooth headset no matter how good that sounds. Unless I can find another income-generating activity to fund it. I made myself a promise never to buy wants with my active income...And I'm keeping it. I should have a Bluetooth dongle though.

Money Mistakes To Avoid

2009-01-11T16:31:00.000-08:00

I find this article about money mistakes to avoid very informative so I'm posting it here. Hope you guys will learn from it as well as I found a gem in this.

===================================================================
Money Mistakes To Avoid
by Alvin T. Tabañag RFP(R)

In a time when money is hard to come by, you should be a lot smarter in managing your finances. Previously, I've written about expense busters that can save you thousands of pesos every month. These included avoiding all forms of gambling, excessive drinking, smoking, drug-abuse, designer labels, expensive hobbies and extra-marital affairs. The savings you get from shunning these things can build up to millions over the long-term.

Below are additional common money mistakes that many people commit and cost them loads of money… sometimes, without them realizing it.

1. Having a deck of credit cards. A credit card is not a source of money but a very convenient and efficient tool to let you spend money you still haven't earned. Credit cards tend to give you the power to purchase anything, anytime and once you start to use it recklessly, you can get into financial trouble pretty fast. Get rid of those credit cards; you only need one for emergency use. As much as possible pay in cash; this will help you cut down your spending 25% to 30%. If you have to buy on credit then try to pay your bill in full the next month to avoid paying high interest charges. Credit card balance is one of the most expensive kind of debt (next only to your local "5-6" loan shark), so keeping it to a minimum will save you a lot of money.

2. Impulse buying. Unrestrained impulse buying can put your finances in a bind because money for essential needs is diverted to something else and you could be forced to borrow. Always have a spending plan or a list when you buy things and resist the temptation of purchasing an item that's not on your list. Avoid places where you easily get tempted to spend even if you don't have any plans to do so. And don't let yourself get into double trouble by buying on impulse with your credit card. That's a big no, no!

3. Investment scams. People are victimized by scams because of their burning desire to earn big quickly and without much effort, which is exactly how most investment scams are trumpeted. Who wouldn't want to earn 4-5% monthly doing virtually nothing? When a friend or relative tells you about an exciting, powerful and sure-fire money-making investment or business don't take their word for it. Do your homework and try to gather as much information as you can about the scheme. Ask questions, a lot of questions. Ask professionals like registered financial planners who know about investment risks and what are realistic rates of return. It would also help if you educate yourself about personal finance so that you can easily spot a scam when it presents itself.

4. Low interest accounts. Interests on regular savings accounts have dropped to jokingly low levels. To me, P10,000 earning a pitiful P80 in one year, coupled with being charged P200 monthly for falling below the minimum maintaining balance is a big mean joke. And if you consider the expenses for your regular trips to the bank, it's obviously a losing proposition. So, why even bother to open savings accounts when you're probably better off keeping it at home, saving yourself some precious time and money by not going to the bank? I will never understand people who keep most, if not all of their money in regular savings account. The amount you ought to keep in these very-low interest earning accounts is the minimum balance required to keep you from paying charges plus enough money to cover your expenses in one month. All the rest should be placed in accounts or investment vehicles that pay or have the potential to earn more than the prevailing inflation rate.

For instance, if the average inflation rate stands at 4%, you can put your money in a time-deposit account that earns 5% or more. If you can handle some risks you can place your money in well-managed mutual funds or UITFs, which have the potential to earn double-digit returns. For the more intrepid investor the stock market can be your playground.

5. Buying too many things that decline in value. This has most likely something to do with trying to keep up with the "neighbors." Do you really have to own more than a hundred pair of shoes or dress differently every day at the expense of having zero savings? Do you really have to have a TV in every room in the house just like your best friend? Who made the rule that you have to buy the latest cell phone even if your previous one is only 6 months old and working perfectly fine? Do you really have to own three cars even if your wife can't drive? Try to calculate the amount you are spending to maintain these unnecessary luxuries and you will probably have second thoughts of getting another one.

Before you buy something that is non-essential consider the effect it will have on your finances and how it will take you even farther away from accomplishing your financial goals. Try to look for a less expensive way of accumulating "pogi" points. Come to think of it, a big, fat bank account or investment portfolio will score you a lot of "pogi" points. Your choice!

Paying It Forward with oDesk

2008-12-29T04:27:00.000-08:00

We - the whole family including the babies - just came home from a one-hour travel from my hometown at Initao, Misamis Oriental, a somewhat laid-back province, where we gave gifts of rice, canned goods and noodles (a poor man's rice) to some 60 poor and needy families. The recipients were mostly families of tricycle drivers with almost nothing even an electricity to light up their homes. Some of them didn't have something to cook that day.

This is the second time in my entire life that I was able to share a little of what I am materially blessed to have. I was happy that my hubby came home just in time to share with me the excitement of the event. He was unselfish enough to allow me to do this even if we ourselves were wanting. I spent two weeks' worth of oDesk earnings for the gift-giving. I know this ain't much but I am satisfied that somehow I was able to help in my own little way.

I myself had been touched by people's kindness and generosity. I'd been trying to make money online since a couple of years ago and I met this man named Andre B (aka excssnrgy) from Edmonton, Canada. We were both members of an online program that looked very promising where he benefactored me so I could get into an earning plan. He was not my referrer so the motivation in benefactoring me was not to get some referral money. He was a complete stranger and we never communicated before. I just received an email informing me that I had money sitting in my account. By the way, the program itself had their own benefactor program called Eliteventures Gifts where I was also a recipient.

The program never lasted. But he was still there to lend financial support when my older sister had a CS giving birth to her son we named Andrei Emmanuel . It was not a simple operation because of some complications. Andrei turned one last June.

I can also still remember how we lined up for "pinaskuhan" (Christmas gifts) of rice and canned goods in our local church every December when I was a child so I know how much this gift-giving mean to these needy people.

I am paying it forward now. Thanks to oDesk for making this possible. Had it not been for oDesk, I wouldn't be earning a decent income online and wouldn't have the chance to save up for this charity work. Thanks to all my previous and present oDesk buyers. You're all a part of this. Special thanks to Jon over at Old Time Radio Catalog and Lynda of HomeBased Working Moms. Your gifts help me put a smile on these people's faces and give them hope no matter how bleak their situation may be.

I thank God for His graciousness to let me forget about myself and think about others - specially at this time of the year.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

2008-12-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all. WAHM WannaBe wishes you the merriest, warmest and most enjoyable Christmas ever!

My little baby is sick with chickenpox. I noticed the small, red rashes on her skin just this morning. Chickenpox started with me last month, then my Yra had it two weeks after, and now my poor little baby. I checked with Yra's pedia before and asked if her little baby sister could have chickenpox vaccine but the pedia said only babies one year old and above can have this vaccine. A chickenpox on Christmas day, whew! Good thing I have the pedia's home phone number so I was able to consult her even during her day off at the clinic.

The kids and their cousins had their Christmas party and I played Santa to all of them. Oh, how I love to see gratefulness in their eyes for the gifts they received. I had the gifts wrapped on the 23rd and Yra was just too excited she doesn't wait for Christmas Eve to open her gift. I will post the pics of the party later :)

Aside from giving my babies a gift from their wishlist, I also opened Young Saver's accounts for all three of them at one of the biggest Cooperative in the country. I reckon this is much better than putting their money on bank deposit, letting it sleep while inflation eat the measly interest up! Well, the Coop's interest is not that high enough to forget about inflation but at least it's higher than what banks offer. I also want to inculcate in their minds this early the importance of saving. The accounts came with plastic coin banks with kiddie prints. I hope my babies will be more attracted to put in there loose change.

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

2008-12-18T09:36:00.000-08:00

Found this fun stuff over at Gaynor's blog while on my way to checking cool Christmas craft ideas that I can do for a very short period of time. I'm not done with my Christmas decorating yet, and Christmas is just 7 days away!

You Are an Angel

A truly giving soul, you understand the spirit of Christmas.

What Christmas Ornament Are You?

It's 7 Days Before Christmas and We Got Bombed!!

2008-12-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines – Two people were killed while 27 others were wounded after two separate explosions rocked two major shopping centers in the southern Philippines Thursday afternoon.

A GMA Flash Report said the explosion in Uni City occurred at about 1:45 p.m. while the blast in JBC Shoppers Plaza minutes later.

Both malls are located on Aguinaldo Street.

The report said the bombs were left by the still unidentified men in the baggage counters of the said shopping centers.

The report said authorities have cordoned off Aguinaldo St. The victims have yet to be identified. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV

News Update:
(Updated 5:19 p.m.) ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Two people were killed and 38 others were wounded Thursday afternoon in two separate explosions that rocked two major shopping centers in Iligan City.

The military said at least six people were hurt, but the local Red Cross said as many as 38 people were injured in the blasts that sent Christmas shoppers out in the streets.

An L-300 van was also destroyed in the attack, reports said.

Read more here

It was so shocking and disgusting!

It's Christmas time, and yet we got this! I know these criminals don't believe in Christmas for doing this horrible thing. Is sowing fear and killing innocent people make these criminals happy? If they could only see the pregnant wife of the dead baggage staff. It's so disheartening.

We love this city and we want it to grow. Iliganons are peace-loving people, with a ready smile to greet even a stranger on the street.

I hope everybody will take a minute or two to pray for the victims. And let's pray also, that these ruthless criminals be enlightened to stop hurting innocent civilians.

Cool Christmas Jokes

2008-12-10T08:13:00.000-08:00

I found these cool, clean and funny christmas jokes for the whole family. Enjoy a good laugh!

Q. What kind of bird can write?
A. A pen-guin

Q. What do you get if you cross Santa with a detective ?
A. Santa Clues!

Q. What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
A. It's Christmas, Eve.

Q. Why does Santa Claus like to work in the garden?
A. Because he like to hoe, hoe, hoe!

Q. What happened when the snowwoman got angry at the snowman?
A. She gave him the cold shoulder.

Q. What do snowmen wear on their heads?
A. Ice caps.

Q. How do sheep say Merry Christmas in Mexico?
A. Fleece Navidad!

Q. What is a snowman's favorite lunch?
A. An Iceberger!

Q. What do vampires put on their Christmas turkey?
A. Grave-y.

Q. What did the ghost say to Santa Claus?
A. I'll have a boo Christmas without you.

Q. What do you call a snowman party?
A. A Snowball!

Q. What did the Gingerbread Man put on his bed?
A. A cookie sheet!

Q. What do you get when you cross a snowman with a shark?
A. Frost bite!

Q. What do you call an Eskimo cow?
A. An Eskimoo.

Q. How is the Christmas alphabet different from the ordinary alphabet?
A. The Christmas alphabet has NO EL.

Q. What do the elves sing to Santa Claus on his birthday?
A. Freeze a jolly good fellow . . .

Q. What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmastime?
A. Sandy Claws!

Q. Why are Christmas trees such bad knitters?
A. They are always dropping their needles.

Q. What did the bald man say when he got a comb for Christmas?
A. Thanks, I'll never part with it!

Q. Why did they let the turkey join the band?
A. Because he had the drum sticks.

Q. What do you when if you cross an apple with a Christmas tree?
A. A pineapple.

Q. What did the big candle say to the little candle?
A. I'm going out tonight.

Q. Why wasn't the turkey hungry at Christmas time?
A. He was stuffed!

Q. Why does Santa Claus go down the chimney on Christmas Eve?
A. Because it soots him.

Q. What kind of ball doesn't bounce?
A. A snowball!

Q. What's the best thing to put into Christmas pie?
A. Your teeth!

Q. What do you get when you eat the Christmas decorations?
A. Tinsel-itus.

Q. Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
A. Because every buck is dear to him.

Q. If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get?
A. Missletoe!

Q. What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
A. Claustrophobic.

Q. What does Santa like to eat?
A. A jolly roll.

Q. How does Santa take pictures?
A. With his North Pole-aroid.

Happy birthday, my love of a lifetime...

2008-12-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

It is hubby's birthday today, and he's 12 hours away from me with an unreachable phone! It was like a couple of years ago that the whole family celebrated his birthday together. Oh, 'tis one of the things I hate about the military life. Well, you can't have all the good things, they say. I am blessed enough to have him in my life to spend the rest of my days with.

Hand in hand, we've met life's changes and challenges
Side by side, we've shared our most precious dreams
Together, we've built a beautiful life.
And every year I grow more in love with you..

Happy birthday, Mahal! I love you with all my life!

Christmas Wishlist for My Babies

2008-12-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Christmas is just around the corner. Christmas songs are being played almost everywhere. Well, this early I want to start getting a wishlist for my babies. I just hope I'll have the resources to buy them for a Christmas gift.

I searched for holiday toys list and I've found these great toys from Amazon.

Evenflo Exer-Saucer 3-in-1 Pond for baby Arra
This playmat, exer-saucer, and an activity table-in-one active learning center is great for my 5-month old baby.

Little Mommy Gotta Go Doll for Yra

My little princess loves to act like a big grown up girl already. Her favorite chore around the house is cooking! She always asked me to buy those plastic kitchen utensils whenever we're out on shopping. I can't wait to see how she would react to being a little mommy and take care of her own 'baby'.

Air Hogs for Kuya Gabs

I'm sure Kuya Gabs will go crazy over this indoor battling helicopter set. It comes with 2 helicopters and 2 controllers. He can blast his opponent with infra red beams, sending them into a downward spiral! My little boy just loves anything about helicopters, he has several helicopter toy collections already. In fact, he won't get bored playing Black Hawk Down movie over and over again just to see those helicopters hovering above!

It would be great if I can find these toys in our local malls. Now I have to work harder to buy all these :)

And, oh, in case you're wondering what I want for myself, I have these three adorable kids already plus a wonderful husband so I don't think I need anything. I just wish my hubby will be home for Christmas.

My Articles Content Are Stolen!

2008-11-30T22:25:00.000-08:00

While doing some searches through Google today, I was so surprised to see several of my articles posted in several blogs - copied word for word, same title, but now under different author name!

A blogger named ASWATHY posted my article Find Your Dream Job Using an Online Job Search Engine at this blog address http://onlineofflinemoney.blogspot.com/2008/11/find-your-dream-job-using-online-job.html posted on November 21, 2008.

The same article is also posted in these blogs both by Ada Denis
http://www.kelseypub.com/blog/business/careers-business/2008-11-29/find-your-dream-job-using-an-online-job-search-engine
http://magic1host.com/blog/2008/11/30/find-your-dream-job-using-an-online-job-search-engine/ posted on November 29, 2008.

I posted a comment to this post requesting the blogger to take down my article. It's awaiting moderation so I'm sure it won't get publicly published, but the blogger will eventually read it.

My other article Specialty Search Engines: Everything You Need to Know About Them is posted here http://www.shlady.com/2008/11/15/specialty-search-engines-everything-you-need-to-know-about-them.html on November 15, 2008 with no link or reference to the original author that is me.

This article Looking For a Best Buy Digital Camera? Check This Out! can be found posted here
http://www.techgizmoo.com/looking-for-a-best-buy-digital-camera-check-this-out.html and here http://www.techmanger.com/looking-for-a-best-buy-digital-camera-check-this-out.html I don't know if these two are owned by the same blogger.

I've seen the same articles posted on other websites and their owners are sensible enough to give credit to the original author by either including the resource box at the end of the article or directly linking to the article page at EzineArticles. I sincerely thank them for that. If others do it, why can't they, right?

I've contacted these bloggers already to correct their wrongdoings or else I'll be forced to go and complain to their respective webhosts. With blogger blogs, Goggle can shut down a blog within 24 hours after receiving a formal complaint. Of course, I don't want that to happen, just yet...We'll see..

I'd love to see my articles posted in other websites of course, but not this way. It's not a big deal to me really, but then again I think this practice should not be condoned at the very least. These people should give credit to where it is due. Stealing won't help their online presence, it will surely backfire. I pity them.

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

2008-11-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, November 27th, the whole of the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving. This is this time of the year when Americans give thanks for the blessings of the past year and gather together with their families over a dinner of baked or roasted Turkey, casseroles, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and more.

A spectacular parade organized in New York City by Macy's is a major component of the celebration. Many people brave the cold, the wind, and thousands of other spectators to attend the annual parade. Other people from around the world watch the parade on television. Giant balloons shaped like animals and cartoon characters float above the streets, and bands from high schools nationwide march in the parade.

The following day, called Black Friday, signals the start of the holiday season.

So much to be thankful for, in spite of everything. Have a great holiday to those in the USA!

Find.com Is Evolving

2008-11-22T00:06:00.000-08:00

I went over to Find.com earlier today to do some web search and I was surprised to see some changes. This search engine has got me hooked because of its simple and clean layout, plus the fact that I don't have to know the advanced search techniques to get more relevant results from my queries. I still use Google for most of my searches but I find it a good idea to try and explore other search engines too.

It's good to know that people behind this Find Engine and Directory is constantly improving the site for the benefit of its users.

As a content directory, the site offers articles on popular topics like Computers, Business, and Environment. The search engine will give you brief but useful information about the category when you click the category name. Now, how cool is that? And you didn't even click the Find button yet!

In this case I clicked the Business category and what I got is an article that talks about business and how I go about having one. The article even advises someone considering putting up a business to work with a business plan first.

The new changes also include related search results that will give users the idea what the other searchers are looking for. Sub-categories are organized and listed on the left side of the window. Talk about being clutter-free!

I'm sure the people behind Find.com won't stop making changes and I'm looking forward to any other changes in the future. As their homepage says "We're evolving. Check back soon!"

I'm sick :(

2008-11-21T06:34:00.000-08:00

I'm not feeling really well since yesterday. I'm sick with chickenpox which gave me headaches and makes me feel dizzy most of the time. I filed a leave from my office work and just stayed at home. I am so sad because I have to isolate myself from the kids. I am taking acyclovir so I could not sleep with my baby and breastfeed her throughout the night. So sad :( I thought of giving her a vaccine next week if it's advisable already for babies as young as she. It is so hard to shut myself off completely from my kids because they are all too clingy - they all wanted me most of the time.

I welcome the respite from office work to do my online jobs. It's a relief I can work from home without worrying about my horrible face! Hopefully this will die down this weekend.

Another Quick Post

2008-11-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

I am too slow again to update this blog. Well, I've been very busy but I am loving every bit of it! I'll make this short and hurried post before I'll get busy (again) preparing for my son's 5th birthday party later today.

I got myself enrolled in Globe's Flexi plan last week that comes with a Samsung 3G phone and an extension prepaid phone of my choice. I've been a prepaid user ever since so why the switch? I consume so much prepaid load in a month for calling and texting my husband in Surigao, communicating with my brother who manages my internet cafe in Initao, texting my officemates, friends and family so I find it a good idea to switch to postpaid. At least now I don't have to worry to run out of load in the middle of a call, which is handy during emergencies. With Globe postpaid I can also share a load and subscribe to their unlimited texting promos.

I went grocery shopping yesterday for my son's birthday and I used my oDesk card to pay for my bill. It works like a regular credit card and is accepted anywhere that accepts Mastercard. I think I have to use my card this way if I want to save up on ATM withdrawals. Most ATMs here has a withdrawal limit and I usually end up withdrawing my oDesk earnings two or three times. The bank's charges for those withdrawals are enough to upset a self-confessed personal-finance-savvy mom like me. In fact, starting last week I split up my earnings into two - forced savings will go to my Paypal which is linked to my checking account and leave the rest in my Payoneer (oDesk) card for weekly purchases. I can better control our family's expenses this way. What do you think?

Well, that's enough for now. My kids are up and about now, getting excited with the party later.

I've Got A New Look!

2008-11-09T20:41:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed WAHM wanna-be's new look? If you're a frequent visitor, you will :). I've changed templates for this reason:

I want more colors for my blog, just as my life is colorful!

And in case you're wondering, my life's dominant color is RED - becauseit is full of love, from my family and friends, and most importantly from GOD.

Tangled by a Squid!

2008-11-02T02:21:00.000-08:00

It seems I’m getting addicted to Squidoo. Guess what? I’ve made another great lenses on Squidoo.com. The first one is about laptops and how to take care of them. I am a new laptop owner myself so I find this lens helpful that I bookmarked it! Laptops need to be taken care of so that they will last as long as they may go. This lens offers different ways to guard your laptop’s health.

Christmas is just around the corner and you may want to start making your shopping list this early. Are you thinking of buying a digital camera as a gift for your loved ones this Christmas? Or are you a budding photo enthusiast who is looking for a digital camera to buy for your hobby? The second lens offer ideas on how to buy a digital camera for Christmas.

Check ‘em out, peeps!

A Certified Busy Mommy

2008-10-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

I had been very busy these past few days. Things around here have become so hectic I feel like I’m always running out of time. My baby was sick I had to bring her to her pedia. Thank God she's OK now. And, I have the usual mommy chores to attend to. Good thing I have my sister and my mother-in-law to help take care of the baby and the kids and maintain the house. Then there's my offline and online jobs. I am glad my hubby is not here I can forget for a while my wifely duties though I still check on him every day as every dutiful and loving wife should. And oh, he’s just got promoted to the next higher rank!

People around me are wondering how I was able to do all these things. They’re fully aware I’m no super-woman :). Sometimes I have to literally slap myself on the face to be reminded that I am not, and that I need to slow down a bit. I have this tendency to be obsessed with work that I wouldn’t stop till it’s done, stretching myself too thin in the process.

So how am I able to fit it all in? I have found out that taking even a short, little break in between work and other duties is an excellent way to rejuvenate my tired mind and body. What follows are the little things I do to take a breather and avoid being burned out and feeling stressed.

I do a few stretches at my desk while working. Sitting at a computer for hours can leave my neck, back and shoulders tense. Giving those muscles a little break is beneficial.

I close my eyes for a minute or two and do a few breathing exercises every time I got stressed out during the day. Taking these mini breaks throughout the day keeps me calmed and relaxed.

If stress and worries bog me down, I take a long, warm bath. Warm water soothes and relaxes tension away. It is also beneficial if essential oils such as lavender are added to the water.

I take a walk every time I got stucked. Even a short little walk to my sister's house across the road gives me an instant energy boost.

There you have it! I have found those little timeouts above excellent ways to make me calmed and relaxed, thus allowing me to get more things done in a day.

I've Purchased My GoDaddy Domain Today

2008-10-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

I want to take my online presence to the next level so I decided to purchase my own domain name at GoDaddy just now. Good thing I found a coupon code to get it for $1.99. For now I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do exactly with the domain, but definitely I'll use it once I decided to let go of my offline job and concentrate on working or having an online business from home.

In case you're also in the lookout for GoDaddy coupon codes to get your domain for just $1.99, here's the code you can use: 199test

I Made My First Squidoo Lens...Hooray!

2008-10-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

Today, I made my very first squidoo lens about how a beginner web searcher could make his web search easier, faster, and efficient. It's a very straightforward advice a beginner searcher could appreciate, I hope.

For those of you who don't know what's a Squidoo is, it's a free space on the internet that you can use for whatever you wish - for free. Please visit Squidoo.com to know more about this.

Why I made a Squidoo lens, you may ask? Well, it has been said that everyone's an expert about something. I believe in that so I offered my "expertise" and created a lens.

Wanna see my lens?

2008-10-07T15:20:00.000-07:00

PROFILEROCKER.COM

to me...heheh

I finally got a laptop...

2008-10-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

I finally got myself an Acer Aspire 5720-4126 laptop today. Courtesy of my oDesk earnings. I have long wanted to have one on my own but I just didn't have the resources.

A birthday gift to myself :)

Thank you, God...

2008-10-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you, God
for the beautiful world
for the sun
and the blue, blue sky

for the birds
and the fishes
and the flowers
and the trees
and the cute, little butterfly...

This song my baby has learned from church reminds me to be grateful to God for whatever I have, no matter how small in my eyes they seem to be.

Thank you, God, for everything...

Searching? Don't search for it, Find it!

2008-10-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

I was tinkering on the Net a while ago when I stumbled upon this new search engine that promises to give us a whole new way of searching. It’s called Find.com. Yeah, find. What’s a better name for a search engine than this, so off I go to find out what’s cool about it.

Fresh, clean layout

For starters, the site offers a fresh, clean look. Fonts and colors are friendly to the eyes. The search box is bigger to accommodate larger font size for typing in search terms and the results are also displayed in larger fonts. This comes in handy for people like me whose eyes are no longer in their tip-top condition. Search results open in their own window. It’s no big deal, really, but I like it more than right-clicking to open the search result site in another window, just like what I always do with Google or Yahoo.

Ease of use

With practically nothing on its home page but the search box and a directory of content on many subjects, Find.com is much easier to navigate. Its no-frills design appeals to me. Interestingly, its name is also simple and easy to remember.

Now, what do you need to do when you’re looking for something? Go and find it. They hit the nail right on the head on this one. :)

Relevant results

Find.com provides relevant results compared to Google, Yahoo, and any other search engines. Any average Joe who is not well-versed with sophisticated search syntax will find it easier to find the information he needs here.

How does it compare to Google? Will it be a better alternative? Wanna see for yourself? Your Find Engine. And don’t forget to come back here and tell me what’s so cool and not-so-cool about it.

Just a Quick Post!

2008-10-02T01:45:00.000-07:00

Just want to make a quick post today before I'll bury myself with work.

Early this morning, I was surprised to be awaken by my son's soft voice in my ear whispering, "Mommy, mommy, today's your birthday, right?"

"Is it?", me asking in my still-groggy state. I was so sleepy I couldn't care much about what he has just said or gonna do.

"Yes, and I have something for you." He went away and I was off to dreamy land again. Or so I thought.

I felt something soft and cool brushing my nose. I tried to ignore it and forcefully closed my eyes, trying to shut myself off the world. But it won't just go away!

So i opened my eyes. Do you know what I see? My son, with a bunch of alugbati leaves in his hands. "Flowers for you", he said. "Mama (his grandma) said it's your birthday today. Can't we go to the sea afterwards? You shouldn't go to work because you're having your birthday."

My heart jumped with joy I hugged him tight and kissed him. I was so surprised, so proud, to say the least.

So sweet of him. And a five-year-old at that! I wonder what's in store for me with my equally-sweet-and-thoughtful two-and-a-half-year-old Yra.

I feel so blessed I have them in my life. They are so precious, my little angels.

By the way, it isn't my birthday yet. I'll be celebrating my birthday next week, October 8th. But gifts are already welcome heheh..

And for those who don't know, alugbati is not a flower, and never will morph into one. My son's expression in his face told me that it is, though :)

Me and My Affair with oDesk

2008-09-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

I signed up for oDesk June 6, 2008 while I was on my maternity leave. Actually, I've read a lot about freelance jobs and oDesk before in one of the forums I'm a member of but I didn't jump in right away because of two reasons.

First, I was still skeptical (and hurting) about working and earning from home. You can't blame me. I had been scammed once. And it ain't something I wanna go through again.

Second, I was still skeptical (and hurting) about working and earning from home... No, there's no typo here.. I hope you get my point.

Good thing I conquered my fear or else you won't be reading this post :)

So how did I go about my (love) affair with oDesk?

I went on polishing my profile after signing up. It was difficult at first I didn't know what should I put in there. I frequented the community, read everything there is that I need to know, and kept notes on tips about getting jobs.

My first assignment with an Australian buyer was a data entry job. Data entry jobs don't pay that much simply because of competition - almost anybody can do it and there are more data entry providers than there are jobs I think. Besides, I was still new to oDesk, no experience yet to boot. This is quite a problem with new providers because some of the buyers require prior oDesk experience. Getting your first job is the most difficult.

Every assignment I get is an excellent avenue for me to learn new things. I don't intend to stick to data entry jobs for long so I make it a point to enhance my skills along the way. Right now - with 5 active assignments - I even consider getting myself enrolled in PHP programming class.

Whoa! Are you seeing a data-entry-expert-turned-into-PHP-specialist one of these days? I don't see the reason why not. Besides PHP programmers are one of the highest paid providers at oDesk. That should be a motivation enough, don't you think?

If I want to stay and work from home for good, I have to upgrade my skills and better myself or else...

Freelancing with oDesk or any other similar sites is not at all easy. Talk about competition. It is a global marketplace out there you're competing with more providers than you care to admit. You've got to be focused and motivated to stay on the ground. What motivates me the most is the convenience and flexibility of working from home. I can see my little ones grow and guide them each day while I help put food in our table.

It ain't easy, I admit. But I'm loving every bit of it.

How To Avoid Work from Home Jobs Scam

2008-09-23T01:24:00.000-07:00

Many people especially mommies are looking for a new career where they can work at home and still make money. With this a number of websites pop up almost everyday to offer work at home jobs. However, there are hundreds work at home scams floating around on the Internet that you need to watch out for.

How do you get yourself protected from these scams? You only need a few things to go by when looking for a legitimate work at home job.

First, be wary of jobs that promise you can get rich quickly. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Beware of job ads that ask you to send money first to receive information about the job or ask you to buy something to begin the program. Most legitimate job advertisements do not require an investment on your part except your effort. You are looking for a job, right? So you shouldn't be paying them to get the job in the first place. Shady work at home schemes usually require no experience, yet they guarantee that you will make a large sum.

Avoid work at home job ads with typing errors in them - it is indicative of an unprofessional company. It is also wise to look for the advertiser's contact information in the job advertisement. If there is none, it usually means it is not a legitimate ad. Job descriptions that are vague is also indicative of a scam.

Actually, there are many genuine work at home jobs available on the Internet. There are several freelance websites that post freelance jobs you can do from home like oDesk.

Reputable freelance work forums can be a good source of information about reliable job listings available out there. I came to know about oDesk from a member my_addict_mind's posting at Pinoy Money Talk forum. Once you've found an advertisement for a work at home job, you may want to make sure to check out the company by paying their website a visit.

Take it from someone who had been there..

I Want to Work from HOME

2008-09-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

I want to work from home. I have stated the motivating factor why I want to in my previous post. I have been in the look out for some online income generating opportunities for quite some time now. Fortunately for me I have found an online freelancing site where I could work from home at my own time and pace three months ago. I know this is just the beginning. I still have my regular 9-6 job outside. Hopefully I can really work from home for good so I can have more time with my family.

When my friends knew about my "discovery", questions like "Isn't it a scam? Is it really possible to make money working from home?" arose. Well, I could not blame them. I have had a not-so-nice experience with home-based data entry before.

What usually comes to people's mind while thinking about ways to make money online with a work at home job, is the scare of scam, especially so if they register the program by paying money. It has been said over and over again that if an online money making opportunity asks for money upfront, it probably is not a good thing. Legitimate ways to make money online will not ask you for money to get the job.

Everybody’s afraid of being scammed. Who wouldn’t, anyway? So many work at home scams are sprouting like mushrooms on the Internet nowadays and we read so many sad stories about people wanting to earn a living but scammed along the way by those ruthless scammers.

But one genuinely interested to make money online working from home should not be discouraged by “I-have-been-scammed” stories. There are many genuine work at home jobs available as there are scams. In general, beware of any company that asks you money upfront before you'll be hired to do any work . Beware of jobs that promise you can get rich quickly, with very little effort on your part. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. These are the type of schemes that we need to watch out for.

After spending much time online looking for any information I could get my hands into regarding these work from home jobs, I could say that it would do us no good if we would pass up on a genuine opportunity thinking that everything is a scam. We just have to be very careful and logical in choosing them by doing our due diligence.

Fortunately for me I found oDesk.

Im BAAACCK...with a vengeance

2008-08-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back on my feet..I'm back to blogging...and I hope it's for good :) I kinda thought I might as well revive this blog of mine instead of creating another blog. I missed writing a lot. I couldn't deny the writer in me, I could not suppress it for a long, long time heheh..

So, let's start backtracking the past events of my life after this TI thing.

Where have I been? I've been to London to visit the Queen. Oh, no! Definitely, not :) I'm just around the corner, trying to be a wahm. Working from home is really my dream since I now have three little angels to look after. I'd love to be with them most of the time, to take care of them, to pamper them, to nurture them as they grow. It always hurts me every time I go to the office and my 5-yr son and 3-yr old daughter beg me not to. You see, my kids are so demanding of my time. They should be, right? My son would say, "Mommy, please don't go to work. Stay here." My daughter would then second the motion by saying, "Don't go." Or worst, "Mommy, I want to go to work with you." "No, no, baby, you can't. Just stay here with your kuya and take care of your baby sister. I'll bring you Dunkin' when I come back. I'll bring you..." Oh, my gosh! I feel so guilty I have to offer them food or something material in exchange of my time for them. I feel so inadequate as a mother.

That's why my quest to be a wahm will always be strong...More so than ever now that I am blessed with another angel - my two-month old Zyra Ariana Gabrielle or Arra for short.

So, where have I been? Well, I didn't involve myself with another online data entry job after TI. The trauma was still there. I was more than afraid to try anything online job again. I also stopped doing AS and HYIPs, I lost more than I earned from them. Now I can say I graduated from them and learned a lot. There's only one online business I stick myself to - VIP Global Marketing Solutions of mrsvee. But I won't go to details about that here..hehe..It's good enough to say that I've been there since Feb and I'm more than happy.

I still continue going to a physical office Mon-Sat 9-6pm. At the same time, I keep myself up and about what the Internet can do to help me realize my dream of earning online from home. I tried doing Affiliate Marketing but I just don't have the time and resources needed. I thought of going freelance as a writer or data entry operator but I didn't know how and where I'd get clients to offer my service to.

Not until I got to know oDesk. What exactly is this thing called oDesk? It's getting popular to freelancers as each day passes by. Here in the Philippines alone the growth of oDeskers is quite phenomenal for the first quarter of the year. Many Filipino freelancers - whether a data entry person, writer, programmer, SEO expert - are now getting to know oDesk, and earning good from offering their services there.

What oDesk is all about exactly? From Wikipedia "oDesk is a company with a global job marketplace and a series of tools targeted at businesses that intend to hire and manage remote workers." It is fairly new, having been established since 2003. What makes it different from other freelancer sites is oDesk's use of its proprietary tools which keeps track of providers logged working hours for guaranteed payment.

I'll talk about oDesk more in my next post, my little one is up and crying already, looking for her "moommy" :). See how demanding they can get? heheh...No complaining here, definitely. They deserve my attention more than anything else in this world. I love my kids and I dote on them. All I can say is that, after a little more than a month as an oDesker, I am happy because I got to rediscover myself and my hidden abilities and earn from them as well.

Type International Lied About My Checks

2007-02-16T01:40:00.000-08:00

lSa totoo lang, I am having doubts if "badmouthing the company" is the only and real reason why Typeinternational deleted my account. As I was browsing the net yesterday, I came across this message board and saw this post from an ex-member Alican
http://www.voy.com/113109/695.html

Ganyan din kasi situation ko with TI dati. I had an August check of $124 - they said was sent on August 18, 2006 - which I never got hold of. I then assumed it was stolen in the mail and blamed our local post office.
http://tinyurl.com/26grl8
http://tinyurl.com/34f2ea

Then on October, I had another check worth $118 that again, TI didn't send. This time around, all Philippine checks are being sent to a PHil franchisee in Manila first, then the franchisee will send it to the addressee through courier. When I inquired Mr Bell about my check, this is what he said in an email:

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8037/ti1pi3.png

I then emailed the franchisee and forwarded Mr. Bell's email. To my surprise, she said she didn't received any October check in my name. I requested her to follow it up and this is Mr Bell's reply to her which she forwarded to me.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7137/ti2rf2.png

I then forwarded her email to Mr Bell, and this came the reply: http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/8976/ti3uc9.png

Ano ba talaga kuya??

I was also a member of ozwebresources.com which I believe sa kanila din yon kahit na ideny ng TI. Kym of TI runs ozwebresources and membership fees are paid to Mr. Robert D Bell's name. I was a member for three months; I stopped because ni kusing wla akong nakuha sa kanila. They said my earnings were added to my TI account and TI will send it altogether.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3606/ozweboc1.png

Pati yon naglaho when TI deleted/terminated my account

That being said, laki na utang ng TI sa akin. Aug1 check of $124, Oct15 of $118, ozweb check of $160, 2 December checks worth over $300 plus a Feb1 check of over $100.

Kaya when presented an opportunity, plus the fact that I STOPPED PROMOTING them to others, they deleted my account on grounds of badmouthing them.

I caught them shamelessly lying about my Oct15 check eh.

Actually before I joined TI, I was fully aware of all the negative issues about them. Kaya lang, wla pa kasing Pinoy na nagsasabi na-scam cya ng TI kaya go pa rin ako. I gave TI the benefit of a doubt. It's my nature kasi to look at both sides of a coin. At eto na nga, nakita ko na.

Masakit din pala..But God is good talaga kasi these all happen while kaya ko pa emotionally. It's not much about the money. It's about the feeling of being betrayed, and the GUILT. You know, I promoted the opportunity, stood up for them, bring them new members who are nahihirapan in doing the assignments at hinihintay lang mabawi man lang ang pinambayad na reg fee at stop na. If they don't get terminated first, that is...

I have yet to get over with guilt...and move on..

Type International deleted my account and...

2007-02-02T23:45:00.000-08:00

...accused me of "badmouthing" them. They didn't send my two December checks (supposed to be sent together with other members' that arrived on the 21st) a total of $368. I still have over $100 check scheduled for payment Feb 1st 2007, but wala na rin yon...

I sent an email to the admin asking politely for a reason but I didn't get any reply. I then forwarded the same message almost every two days to all of them - admin, Kym, typist center and customer service - until the first few days of January. CS replied on the 30th Dec that she has nothing to do with pays, everybody's on xmas vacation, and I have to email admin@typeinternational.com, which I had been doing of course. On the 8th, Kym replied and said "I have emailed Robert again to see where they are", referring to my December checks. But I waited in vain as there was never an email from Kym after that. On the 24th I inquired about my status as my commissions page was blanked out and I could no longer log in to my stats center starting the 14th.

And this is the reply:http://tinyurl.com/3d6yqv

Wow! Yun lng naman pala and it took them over a month to decide to tell me that. I asked for a justification about my "transgression" but I never heard from them till now. TI won't give the details, and they could not justify my termination.

Which is unjust and unfair...

My commissions page as you can see below is simply blanked, no message whatsoever about my badmouthing them, which is WEIRD. When a member gets terminated, nakalagay sa comms page yung reason kung bakit. But sa akin, wala...http://tinyurl.com/33xgn3

What are they afraid so much of? That people will see they deleted my account for "badmouthing" them? Is it because I scratched an ugly, foul-smelling wound in there?

When TI started to implement monthly fees for basic and marketing typists sometime in November, I stopped promoting the opportunity because I have lost confidence in them. Instead, I concentrated on doing and completing all assignments within the month. (In short, I became more of a liability than an asset. I was earning a minimum of $250 per month, matiyaga kasi ako gumawa ng assignments eh )

At the back of my head, I said, everything's not looking good. The implementation of so many additional fees does not sit well with me, no matter the reason. One reason they gave was that an additional staff would be employed starting 2007 for the faster processing of assignments and pays. Why should that be a member's expense?

The current changes made me rethink my position about TI.

I expressed my opinions on a forum, shared my thoughts with some members...

..then, bang! I got terminated.

I am not posting this to get even with TI. Far from it. I am just a member, and there's not much I could do about it. It is never my intention also to be a "self-confessed savior" (wish ko lang...to be a savior, that is ) But I could not just keep silent. TI could terminate members for any reason, and if this happened to me, it could happen to anybody also...not unless you're much of an asset than a liability, and you keep on sending new members each month..

Lately ko lng din napag-isip-isip, for months that i had been posting their ads, i have yet to be contacted with someone answering for the ads..which made me think TI's revenues come from members' fees..

I may be wrong...but then again, I may be right.