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.