For Love or Money – A Documentary from Tondo Slums

Back in the late 80’s, we left Caloocan City and looked for other places to live in. That’s when we experienced living near the slums of Tondo.

Life was hard for us but life was harder for the people living around us. They had no food. No money to buy medicine. No new clothes to wear. No jobs. Many are hopeless.

Decades later, Tondo seems to have never changed. Some of them are sincerely industrious but one thing has not progressed. They still bear the poverty mindset.

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Screengrab from Al Jazeera’s “The Slum” documentary

Are we to blame the government only? The media? Or the Church? Aren’t we all responsible for these?

Watch this video and reflect.

Will you still be part of this problem? Or will you be a solution?

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How Can OFW’s Avoid These 3G’s

After years of working abroad, many of our OFWs go home without savings. Those who relied on their paychecks alone usually end up wondering where their salaries went.

Many of the reasons include having luxurious lifestyle, cravings for gadgets, and too much attachment to friends abroad. But some of the most avoided reasons to talk about are infidelity, failed business ventures, and being scammed by strangers or worse, by those they considered as friends.

As we always advise to Filipinos working abroad, the ways to secure one’s future is by planning for it financially and ahead of time, saving and investing regularly, and having a disciplined spending habit.

In order to do that, these three following addictive habits should be avoided.

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How To Avoid These 3G’s (Gadgets, Good Time, and Girls/Guys) While Abroad

1) Avoiding New Gadgets

Having one smartphone at a time is enough. Craving for it every time a new version comes out is not. If the gadget you are dying to grab is not essential to improve your finances, better let it go.

It’s not that it’s bad to have new gadgets. But make sure that you will use it not only to make you feel happy, but to further help you out in your business, investments, or in improving your craft and core skills.

Also, instead of craving for expensive gadgets that lose value in a very short time, it’s recommended that you save up or invest for it. It’s the better move rather than take the money from your salary while you are fully aware that you still have debts and responsibilities to address first.

THINK about the opportunity of your money to grow if you invest it instead of spending it on the latest gadgets just to impress others.

2) Avoiding Good Time

Many OFWs vent their boredom and homesickness by joining other Filipino friends in having parties and worst, sharing with their vices.

There have been a lot of stories of OFWs not being able to save because of their weekly partying and gatherings. The more scarier stories are those who were incarcerated because of forbidden alcoholic drinks or illegal gambling.

It’s good to acquaint and be involved in community activities overseas with different organizations. But if you are shelling out money every time you attend these gatherings instead of addressing your financial woes, then it’s best that you consider looking for a lesser expensive weekly group activities.

Or better yet, LOOK for ways to earn more through the internet.

3) Avoiding Girls

Our single guys would definitely call me “KJ” for including this in the list. But think about this. If you spend an equivalent to at least P1,000 every payday just to satisfy the worldly desires of your mortal flesh, you will be wasting at least P24,000 in two years. That would be enough to pay for your child’s school needs if you are married! Or just enough to start building your emergency fund.

You could have just invested your P1,000 every month in an instrument and make your money grow over time. Why not TALK to your loved ones back home via the internet or through phone calls every time you feel the urge and the temptation to touch someone else’ spouse or partner?

PRAY that you will be able to overcome the physical and emotional distance. And give that HOPE to your loved ones that you will be with them again very soon.      

Follow my posts on managing your finances while working abroad by subscribing to RockToRiches|BurnGutierrez.Com.

Rock your way to abundance!

#moneyliferocknroll


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How Do You Measure A Year in the Life?

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, a year in the life?
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love

Seasons of love (love)

“Seasons Of Love” by Rent cast from the album Rent: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Composed by Jonathan Larson

I just love listening to this song. Aside from my just plain liking sentimental tunes, this song points out a universal truth – we can measure our lives by different metrics. But, the most important measure still seems to be how we have touched lives and how we have shown love to the people who matter most to us.

Our love for them and our desire to show this, drives us in everything we do. This is the reason why I actually got my first insurance policy. I work hard and it’s important to me that my loved ones will be cared for, regardless whether I’m still here or gone.

August, being my most active month of the year as an entrepreneur and traveler, has pushed my life insurance needs to the forefront.

Problem is, I don’t have the time to meet with financial advisors or insurance agents nor do I want the hassle of discussing and reading all those quotations. Neither do I have the time to go to an insurance office (especially with all the rain during this season!).

Tadah! Thank you #Google! A search in the net showed me #AXAion! The search showed that it’s the Philippine’s first online insurance store where buying a life, health, savings and/or education plan seems to be as easy as 1-2-3!

AXAiON-Visit-Apply-Pay-336x280

I decided to try it out. I started with a Visit to: www.axaion.com.ph. There, I found a selection of plans: Savings, Academic, Life and Health eXentials. Finding out how much money I had to put in and grow in these plans was so easy.

Answering the online application form and keying in payment information in the PesoPay (payment gateway) page was a piece of cake. I can’t believe that the whole transaction was paperless from start to finish! There was absolutely no need to print, scan, email or visit a branch! But I did get a quick call from a customer service representative at AXA Philippines. The rep courteously verified my application and some of the things I mentioned in my application

AXA iON is the answer to all of us busy bees who want to get financial products but can’t seem to find the time to get a quotation, apply and pay for this basic financial essential! Easy, convenient, safe and accessible to all!

I think I will get my health and savings plan online again ☺

by Carissa Patag
Editor, Rock To Riches

carissapatag

Carissa is a Philippine licensed stock broker, mutual fund agent, real estate agent, Bonds and Fixed rate Instrument Trader and Insurance Agent. As a financial professional, Carissa held the following positions: Associate Director and Head of Retail Sales and Marketing, Vice president, Fund Manager and Certified Securities Representative.

Carissa ‘s advocacy in financial literacy includes being an Advisor and Contributor in Angat Pilipinas Coalition for Financial Literacy and being a speaker in Corporate and Academe settings.

Carissa has business interests in Retail, Pharmaceutical and Trading Industries and currently sits on the board of various corporations.