Category: Investing

The Hidden Costs of Buying A House or Condo

For most OFW’s (and Filipinos as a whole), owning a land or a house is like winning a championship trophy in a basketball game. In fact, that’s an understatement. For the working Filipino, it is an achievement and a dream-come-true to finally own a tangible “investment”.

But if you are someone who has just started working, being tempted to “invest” in a house or lot somewhere outside the Metro or in a condo unit somewhere at The Fort is rather inevitable.

You can not escape from the binoculars of real estate agents positioned strategically inside malls and commercial establishments. They can identify if you have been dreaming to have a house soon. They know if you’re an OFW or a newbie yuppie from Makati. Continue reading The Hidden Costs of Buying A House or Condo

Most OFW’s Families Are Not Protected

Filipinos working overseas (OFW’s) are always exposed to a lot of physical risks. They travel from their apartments/housing camps to work either by train, shuttle bus services, by cars  on highways, bicycles, or even on foot.

In hazardous workplaces like factories, mills, chemical plants, and even offices, OFW’s face everyday fears of accidents and tragedies while thinking about their loved ones back home.

But the most alarming part in this already worrisome conditions of our OFW’s is that most of them and their families are not protected enough with insurance.

When an OFW passes away due to accident or even by natural cause, his or her family back home is left with almost nothing but the last payment from his/her employer. And maybe a few more from the government’s grant or financial aid. Continue reading Most OFW’s Families Are Not Protected

Financial Literacy: Not in DepEd’s Agenda

Most children in the Philippines are financially-spoiled.

And most parents in the Philippines don’t teach their children the real value of money. When kids want to have something, most of the time, the parents will just give in and will do everything they can to look for money. Never mind if the money is credit card money. Or money borrowed from neighbor or officemates.

Most children are not taught to save money and to work hard to get what they want. However small or big that thing is.

What makes it sadder is that most Philippine schools do not even teach basic personal finance subjects to their young students. And saddest, most teachers are financially- illiterate as well. Continue reading Financial Literacy: Not in DepEd’s Agenda