Thank you 2014, Hello 2015!!!

It's been a while since my last blog. I cannot justify my laziness to post at least once a week because i have so much time wasted at FB. It should be one of my new year's resolution to minimize at least 5-10mins browsing only.

Anyways, so many things happened from the past few days..

Work wise

• 43rd UAE National Day Parade on 29th December - annual celebration in Dubai sponsored by our company.
• Christmas party here and there
• Preparation for New Year's Eve (lighting of Fireworks at Burj Khalifa) - this year it will be grand because as you all know, Dubai always wanted to have the best of everything. I am just glad being part of the team lighting the Iconic Tallest Tower in the world.

• 

  My Downtown Dubai

  Personal/investing
• Got a new property but still have to pay until September 2015 
• Spend more than my budget this month because it is Christmas and so many dues to pay (insurance, real estate tax, fence for new lot, gifts, etc)
• I had a flu and colds for a week due to change of weather in Dubai. First time i used my insurance card and realized that i always have to pay AED75 (around Php900) for every check up. Though that is the only thing i have to pay 'coz everything is covered. Seems the insurance will pay around AED1000 (Php12000) for my doctor and medicines. Not so bad, though. Perhaps, it is the company's strategy not to misuse the card and sick leave:)
• My Fun fund is growing. I never imagined that it's been 10 months since i started my "alkansya".

Moving forward, 2014 has been a great year for me and my family. I have a lot of things to be grateful but the most important one is my parents and family. I am always thankful and blessed to have them  even though i am not always around them. I really hope that we will celebrate more new years ahead and wishing them to be healthy and happy until old age.

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

Please watch the live stream of Burj Khalifa NYE celebration.

http://www.mydubainewyear.com

Salary or Camaraderie?

Would you rather stay in a job with a good salary or because of good camaraderie among your colleagues?

I've been thinking this question while on my way home because I was so upset since my favorite colleague is leaving for good to her home country in Indonesia. 

I became so attached to her, perhaps I looked up to her how she handle and managed to be calm always despite of our busy schedule in our department.

She's kind, adorable, organized with her work, very approachable and so religious.

Ever since I started my new work, she was the one who always support and motivates me to keep going.

I was really saddened when she breaks out the news before I left for the day.

Back to my question..

For me, my main priority for accepting a job offer is because of the salary package and camaraderie comes second. Besides, I know myself that I can easily adjust to a new environment. It's just a matter of positive vibes.

However, in case of some circumstances that I may not be happy with the job because sometimes, there are really difficult people that you may encounter in the corporate world… of course, I will quit.

What is the use of receiving good salary if everyday coming to work is like a torture to you? Getting up in the morning and always planning to call in sick...

Still the answer depends on the situation. If you have dependents and responsibilities, I believed the answer would be the other way around. We, Filipinos are known for being martyr. We can always sacrifice and endure whatever are the circumstances just for our families.

However, since I started being debt free person, with few investments and emergency fund on hand, then I can decide to quit easily.

On the side note, it would be great if we can have both - good salary and good camaraderie.

True to its word, being financially free gives you freedom to be happy. Money is a powerful tool if we will just use it wisely. Wish I was able to know this when I was younger. 

Maybe, I am no longer an OFW living a simple life in our far away island in the Philippines.

Moving on, being frugal is a choice but at the same time, it has given me a choice, which later on makes me realized, I made the right choice :)

Excuse my rhymes. Kulang na lang Ladies Choice. Hahaha! I am not sure if it makes sense. I just want to share my day…

Good night peeps.

My Bucket List in 5 years

Time flies so fast.

It is almost 2 months left and welcome 2015. I have to review and revamp my Bucket List again.

So far, here's my priority list to achieve within 5 years!

• A 5-hectare rice field or "Palayan". 

• Best school for my daughter in Dubai. Gems Wellington it is!

• Trip to Japan, or Canada on 2017 as a 7th birthday gift to my daughter (year 2017)

I am trying to list more but I can't think of anything else. What is happening to me? I used to have an endless list always. Perhaps, I have practiced the simple way of living, being contented and be grateful for every blessings coming to my way.

However, aside from above mentioned bucket list, all i can wish is for the best of health of my parents and family. They are my joy and my life. No amount of wealth can replace my parents. How i wish i will be able to spend more time with them.

This is also my greatest motivation to acquire a 5 hectare property so that within 5 years time, I can go home and live simply with my family.

By that time, I hope i already completed my VUL, UITF, FAMI and COL for my retirement and educational fund of my daughter.

Aja!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Lessons Learned: Never Ever Lend Money out of Emotion

I always thought that I've been wise over the years.

Still i've been fooled by my emotion.

Two years ago (or more!), I easily gave away my Php50K to my sister's friend to use as a pooled money to lend in our wet market at a minimal interest payable in a daily basis.

An extra income, so why not? Besides, I have spare money sitting in the bank as Time Deposit which barely earns an interest.

Along with brother's + niece's savings, we pooled our money and handed it over to our "trusted" friend to manage the lending and collection.

During the first 2 months, she's consistently remitting the collection to my mother but after that she barely pays unless chased by my mom thru text and house visits. So far, until now she didn't even completed half of the money. Grrrr!

VERY TRUE!!!

I was very upset, not for me but for my brother and my niece because those were their hard-earned savings. My brother don't have a permanent job but still managed to save while my niece is just 11 years old that time but she always kept her gift money and allowance. 

The blame is on my sister and myself for pushing them to share and pool their money with the hope that it will grow more in a short period of time. Sadly, we were wrong. 

However, despite of what she did to us, my mother keep on telling me to wait. Be patient and soon she will pay. No need to say any hurting words. Just wait.

Fine! In case someday, she will be able to pay, i will consider it as a bonus. Maybe, I will buy additional shares of JFC :)

Time and again, a distant relative which i never met in person for more than a decade, borrowed money because she have to pay the tuition fee of her children. She's a single mother of 3 and since it was just Php7k, alright, no problem. Anyway, she promised to pay 1st week of November.

Then, 1st week is about to finished and i was contemplating if i will ask or not. No hi, hello after taking the money thru my brother. So, why do i have to be ashamed? 

Thru FB messages: 

I said " Hello, have you sms my brother? I told him that i will not send money this month because you promised to pay this week, right?"

After few, minutes she replied "Hi ate, Sorry, i was about to send you message about that.. is it ok to delay my payment because i was not able to collect my receivables this week?"

I didn't respond yet. Haler! It is not my problem! A promise is a promise! Have you heard "word of honor"?

Once again, i remembered my mother saying "no need to say hurting words, just be patient, it's already there, you cannot do anything but wait".

It was my choice, so i should learn from it.

Don't be so emotional and trust easily to people.

Be cautious with money. It is not because I earn well, i didn't work hard on it. I spend many hours in computer - my eyes are getting weak and my fingers are getting numbed by typing all day.

From now onwards, i have to think those hard work before giving away my hard earned money.

Always say No to money lending!!!

Thanks God, it's Payday!!!

It's payday again!

Let me count the ways!

Gone were the days when i was always looking forward to payday. Perhaps, i realized that it is quite difficult to borrow money from friends or room mate because we also have the same situation - short of cash a day before payday. 

FYI - in UAE, we are getting a salary once a month. This is why you have to be wise in budgeting. Glad i discovered the power of emergency fund.

Since 2010, i became a sucker of any financial blogs, investment related issues/topics. I believed it comes with the age or with added responsibility - a daughter to raise and retirement plan in progress.

Until then, i managed to live beyond my means. As in so below which sometimes i pity of myself because i am not used to that. If you will read my first article, i was a travelholic before and fond of buying nice/expensive items. My travel list posted there was not even complete and just highlighted my favorites. Do note that I spend cash on all those things/travels and NEVER took a credit or loan as well.

Today, when i received an SMS of my salary transfer, I am happy but not eager to withdraw and spend. Happy because i can put something again to my investments/savings.

If you may ask about my "egg nest", i always ensure to allocate 50-55% of my salary to below:

• Ricefield Fund (Cash)- around 33%
• VUL at Sunlife for me and my daughter (8%)
• FAMI account for my daughter (5%)
• UITF in BDO for me (5%)
• SSS (maximum contri)
• Fun Fund (travel fund) in my Alkansya (2.5%)

I used to allocate fund for my COL account but since I already hit my "comfort" fund to risk, i started to allocate the fund to my Ricefield "palayan" fund. Hence, I already have my Emergency Fund, and still have a few hundred dirhams to spare at the end of the month.

Nowadays, i don't care if i don't travel a lot. Not going to shopping here and there. I don't worry about my outfits in office if i change my wardrobes same as the other week. I don't mind if i am not having an i-phone and using the used blackberry q10 of my husband. I don't care at all if we seldom go to restaurants / fine dining. I don't really care if we are living in a small apartment, but happy and worry free.

All because, whenever i look back 4 years ago, checking my SALN (Statement of Asset and Liabilities), I am a proud OFW, that someday, i can go home financially free and retire early.

Thanks to my previous company that i have a lot of spare time to read financial blogs as past time! Ha! Glad i am anonymous here! 

Lastly, i hope my fellow OFW that you will learn something from me. I am not bragging about what i have because I've been thru ups and downs as well. I just learned how to deal with it and overcome in the process.

Now is always the best time to start a brand new beginning.

God bless.

Not an Ordinary Weekend in Dubai

As an OFW, our normal weekend pertains to below:

• washing, cleaning the house
• shopping for grocery
• visit park/beach or malling
• sleep A LOT

Today is not an ordinary day for me. I woke up super early - earlier than my weekdays - 6AM sharp! just to exercise:) 

First time I'm gonna use my running shoes sitting in my cupboards for maybe around 5years!!! 

Thanks to Novie who invited me to join them for a Pink Run to raise awareness of breast cancer hosted by Bodylines at +Amwaj Rotana Jumeirah Beach Residences in Dubai. Followed by a buffet breakfast at Rotana with her family.

Team Bodylines

with my friend, Novie

At 11am, I rushed home to take shower and change clothes for a lunch date with my ex-colleagues from Phils at +Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek compliment of Vilma's belated birthday celeb. Missing good all days with unlimited chikka.

As usual, lot of pictures taken except from me due to my almost extinct blackberry. 

Once again, i am contemplating to buy a new smartphone whenever I attended this kind of gathering.  

Hence, the other side of my brain is again telling me that i don't need and i have to keep and stick to my goal…. 

Perhaps, when Apple will launch iPhone10 someday! hehehe

Meanwhile, i always have to depend on tags in FB and request to send me original copy by email…

JIC friends after a hearty buffet

Moving forward, after 430pm i decided to book an appointment for a massage since my back pain keeps on bothering all week. 

One thing that I cannot resist to spend - my health! Glad i have a very supportive husband to take me anywhere i want.

Here's a snapshot to show how bad the pixels of my BB! Those pictures above were taken by an iPhone and Samsung. 

See the difference and let me know if I really have to buy justifying that i have a blog to keep.

90-minute massage at Thai Elite Spa

Amber stone and Oil 

This is the my first time of having an Amber Massage which i never know that my Thai masseuse was holding a stone. All the while, i thought it was just a deep tissue massage:) 

Overall it was very relaxing and hope i can do this every week. 

My Thai Masseuse said that the reason of my back pain is due to my hands which might be overworked using the computer. 

I said "yes, definitely because of my work". The good thing is, because of my work, I can pay for a massage! so ironic isn't it?

On the side note, this Friday is Fun, another fond memories with friends, and a relaxing weekend. 

Tomorrow will be another day, especially for my family skype-ing and to my loving husband.

Happy weekend everyone!!!

NOW and THEN, a life of an OFW

I've been working as an OFW in Dubai since Aug 2004, in short, more than a decade of being in a rat race. Shall i stay or shall i go? 

The answer is definitely a Yes, I have to stay! because of 3 reasons below:

1. My family is here
2. Retirement plan is still in progress.
3. I have the best job ever so "strike while the iron is hot"

In my 10 yrs working in the corporate world, how do i account myself in terms of achievement in investing?

Here are the highlights to the decade of being an Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW)...

2004 Job start

2005 Got my UAE license in 2nd try. Yaay!

2006 Got my first ever car, Peugeot 206, 2006 model, & my first  

     trip with friends in Bangkok Thailand and Bohol, Phils.          

Me and my red hot Cherry

with my good friends and travel buddies - Judith & Grace

2007 Travelled abroad (Asia, Europe and Middle East, and Southern Phils.)

i was a travelholic

2008 Travelled Italy and The Netherlands (it's addicting, you know!). 

• Sold my "Cherry" and bought "Blu", a 2008 BMW 320i

• Purchased my first property for our future dream house

  

  Soon to build our Dream house!!!

2009 Travelled Greece and Maldives

Athens and Santorini, Greece

Maldives and Palawan

2010 Built my dream house in almost 7 months,got married and got 

     my best ever gift, my daughter!

Our humble Abode

My Family

2011 Save, invest, save, invest! 

2012 Save, invest, save, spend

2013 Spend, spend, save, invest!

2014 Save, invest , save, invest! IT IS SO TIRING!!! i missed being a shopaholic and see the world.

Looking back I never regret that I enjoyed my life while single. At least now, I can focus enjoying with my family. Though, sometimes, I still missed a holiday abroad. 

I changed a lot, I value more time with friends and my new motto is : LESS IS MORE. I have come to realized that material things are all temporary - it doesn't lasts for a long time. You just keep on yearning for more but in reality, you will never be contented and happy. Being happy is from within. All you have to do is find out.

Right now, i am currently in a habit of being frugal, keep on saving and investing. Join me in the pursuit of being free - being financially free and retire early.