Are you Financially Secure?

Image credit to TGFI

Do you have any savings? Are you even aware how much interest it gives you? Is your savings more than 3-6 months worth of your salary? Will it be enough to cover your needs if tomorrow you will be laid off from your work or your family will need money because of unexpected emergencies?

Do you have a house of your own or do you just rent because you think its practical? Do you even have a car or simply commute because you can't afford to get one? 

Have you been paying all your bills, grocery and shopping wants through cash or you charge them as debit from your cards? Do you have some fund set aside to pay for your dream vacation? When you or one of your family members get sick, do you take a loan or ask other people to lend you money because you don't have any left on your wallet? 

Are you debt-free or are you like the others who are buried in debt you don't know what to do with it anymore? Do you have any idea how to free yourself from these debts?

If you have kids, can you even send them to good schools and give them the best education possible? Can you even afford your children's needs without touching your active income and savings? 

What if you meet your maker tomorrow (knock on wood) and you are your family's breadwinner -- who would be left to support them? Are you even ready at the thought that even without you, your family you would be leaving behind will be ok -- financially speaking? 

Do you even know or have the slightest idea how much is your total net worth, assets and liabilities? Are your finances enough to take care -- if not all, some of those needs? These are only few of the basic real-life questions that we all should be able to answer HONESTLY and be actually AWARE to know more about. 

Unfortunately Filipino culture makes us shy and awkward to talk about money and anything about finances. It's a very reluctant topic among family members and a somewhat taboo conversation even with friends especially with those you're only acquainted with or of course with strangers since asking someone about their net worth or assets is clearly a sign of prying and disrespecting one's pivacy. Unless the Government would inquire about one's SALN (Statements of Assets and Liabilities), we don't have a choice but to open and share that private information. But is that even healthy not to know? Or are we just in denial not to really know about it?

Opening oneself to public about your financial status would make you fall between being modest or arrogant. But the only important thing about is not actually knowing what you have but knowing what you need. By being honest about your financial needs, you may be able to think ahead, plan ahead and act ahead to prepare for the worse case scenarios that could happen. 

Kailangan pa bang antayin na may mangyari na hindi maganda para malaman ang mga kulang at dapat gawin kung pwede naman paghandaan ngayon pa lamang?

So how can we know in order to prepare ourselves to secure our family's financial needs? 

The answer is very simple. 

EDUCATION.

If you want to know more, click these links to find out how: TRULY RICH CLUB and 

OVERSEAS FILIPINO STOCKS INVESTORS

The Global Filipino Bloggers Slambook

The Global Filipino Bloggers book where PinayDiaspora has been featured!  

Blogging is an easy and fun way to communicate and connect virtually to a lot of people all over he world but it also gives a chance for everyone - people of all ages - to try something new and enhance their writing, photography and/or video-related skills that could make or break into a hobby or even as an added means to earn a good income.

The definition above that I have given in one of the Basic Blogging seminars that I did recently with OFSI (Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors) to introduce the world of Blogosphere to everyone especially to OFSI members who are also hardworking OFWs here in Kuwait completely explains my love for this past time hobby that I have been doing for the past 5 years. Like what I have stated before and from the posts that I do on this site, it's very clear that my posts show my personal experiences while living here in Kuwait as an expat.

Today before taking my breakfast, I was surprised to receive a message coming from a friend, Gracia, who was a PEBA-awardee and known OFW blogging advocate worldwide. I have featured her before in one of my previous posts in gratitude for including me in her then-upcoming book that we have been talking about as an ultimate goal for aspiring writer and blogger like us. And guess what? The dream book that we were talking about a few years ago and which I partly helped in doing minor edits is now on sale at Amazon! :) I suddenly feel exhilarated from the news that I've received and I immediately googled Amazon to check it out. The cover design looked simple yet stylish and the few basic contents that I read was really familiar. Reading a few paragraph especially the introductory part made me reminisce the conversations that we both have and the ideals that we all share as part of the Filipino Bloggers in Kuwait (FBK) group which she had founded as well. Looking back, this published book is now a great a realization of an OFW's dream to continue pursuing one's goals, passion, advocacy and that God-given set of skills to be a good inspiration to fellow OFWs .


The Global Filipino Bloggers Slambook: OFW Edition has been published successfully last 2nd of February 2015 by Tatay Jobo Elizes Publishing House/CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (USA) and is being sold for $12 ( 3.6 KD or Php 533) only (both Paperback and Ebook editions). The book contains basic information about Blogging and featuring 33 Filipino bloggers worldwide from 2011-2012 with the likes of Fitz Villafuerte, a known OFW Financial advocate based in KSA and of course where yours truly, PinayDiaspora is included! :)

I am just so happy to be part of it and can't wait to get a copy of it! So please let us support the author Ms Gracia Amor, a Filipino OFW Blogging advocate here in Kuwait by buying her book.

Health needs Wealth?

I remember growing up, whenever we'd get sick my Mom would bring us to private hospitals and wouldn't initially bother if we have any cash on hand as admission payment because we always have an HMO card to present. Because of this card, we would get the best treatments possible and be admitted in a comfortable room where we can start to recuperate. Unfortunately, there's this common rule in the Philippines especially for private health care facilities that if you don't have the means, you definitely won't get admitted and given the right kind of treatment that you deserve. Besides, private hospitals function as business entities. Well they do have charities, but let's face it those are very very limited. I also encountered this article from Rappler about how much someone should need in order to pay for one's bill. (LINK)

PhilHealth membership has now been made compulsory for all Filipino Citizens that gives discount for Senior citizens and can slash a couple of pesos from the patient's original bill but would still highly depend if the PhilHealth member has paid his/her contributions

And of course there are the public hospitals and health care centers all around the country. The big ones definitely have the means and capacity as well comparable to known private hospitals and yes, mostly would accept everyone with or without the initial admission fee. Why I say mostly? Because in reality, some public hospitals are now operated under private corporations and because of that you'd need to pay something just to get admitted and treated. So that doesn't seem to have any problem right? Wrong. Why? Because the treatment won't be the same as compared to private hospitals. The facilities were unfortunately either outdated, rusty or that the treatment the patient deserves won't be that good. Just imagine being sick and admitted into a public ward that you share with 10+ sick people like you. That's not comfortable at all. Add the fact that for medicines, you have to pay them separately and the bill would just soar high and people would just be caught in disbelief when they would finally try to settle their bill. They'd think.. Public Hospital ito bakit ganito kalaki ang bill? (This is a Public hospital, why is the bill this expensive?) Truth is -- our government can't shoulder all the bills. They can just help through PhilHealth but unfortunately that's not enough. Seriously.

Receipt and waiting number that I paid for (1KD or 146 pesos) while waiting in line at a public clinic in Kuwait when I got sick the other day

When I went to Kuwait a couple years ago (2011), I was actually fascinated and surprised by this small country's public health care system. Having a health care insurance is compulsory and it is being paid upon getting a valid residence visa here (working or dependent/family). No one is exempted. And from that, every time anyone or any expat resident for that matter to get treated in any public clinic or hospital (from check up to surgeries) you only need to show your valid civil ID or health card insurance (for expats) and pay a minimum amount of 1 KD (roughly 146 pesos as per the current conversion as of this writing) and you'll get the best possible treatment that you deserve. Well there are some issues with Doctors not really checking the problems of their patients carefully where they would just give out packs of Panadol (Paracetamol) for immediate treatment to any disease which coined the term "Ministry of Panadol" but in fairness to those that do are great Doctors, getting admitted to a hospital with first class facilities and given the necessary amount of medicines as part of the treatment for a measly amount of 146 pesos, don't you think that's just good enough? Definitely, especially if you'd compare this country's health care system to the Philippines. Sad reality but true.

Insurance card in Kuwait where it is renewed compulsory together with the Visa

So for ordinary Filipinos like us, how can we be sure that we have enough money to pay for our health care needs if that unfortunate day would come? 

The answer is simple: GET PROTECTION!

This would mean tap into the knowledge of having Medical Insurance, Health Insurance, HMOs and other means possible to build that fund specifically catered to meet that unfortunate need that we would all face at one point in our lives.

How can we know about this?

The internet is an open source for all your questions. Just be sure that you are reading the right articles, going to the right websites and listening to the right credible people in order to safeguard your hard earned income for the purpose of getting this protection.

Or, you can simply go to OFSI website to find out how we can help you. :)

Be financially literate OFW!

Stocks Investing Webinar

In order to reach a huge number of audience, organizers of different advocate groups have tapped the power of technology. Financial literacy groups such as TGFI (The Global Filipino Investor) have started using live webinars as a means to connect with its target audience online not only within the Philippines but around the world all at the same time. Luckily, I got one of the free invites to be part of TGFI Web Academy's recent live webinar last 25th of April, Saturday about "How to Invest in the Stocks Market?" by Mr Aya Laraya of Pesos and Sense and COL Financial. Unfortunately, there's been a couple of glitches during the session due to the tremendous amount of attendees that it tried to accommodate. From the target of 1000+ attendees, the new application that they used limited the attendees to only a 100. This of course created a buzz of disappointed people who have been waiting for hours just to be in sync with Manila's time (majority of attendees are OFWs or based abroad). But since it's a free session, I'm still grateful to have been part of it.

Below is the summary of what went through the one-hour long free webinar session.

Introductions by Mr Floi Wycoco, founder of TGFI

Mr Aya Laraya during the free TGFI webinar

The speaker emphasized on this one which is a HUGE PROBLEM for all types of investors especially the newbies like me.

Mr Aya Laraya, the speaker, differentiated the two methods of Stocks Investing.

The speaker pointed out the strong points of Trading in the stocks market.

But nevertheless insisted that for long-term investors this is the best method of investing in the stocks market especially for those who have a job or other priorities to take care of.

But he of course pointed out that whatever investing strategy that the person would choose, the investor should put a huge emphasis on checking the company's profile and value.

COL Financial is of course one of the Philippine's best and known online stock broker.

Looking back at this experience, it made me realize about the type of investor that I was, if I'm doing the strategy that really fits me and the current application that we are using in OFSI (Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors) for our current batch's online attendees. A couple of questions has also been raised in my mind about its technical efficiency but as compared to TGFI's huge online attendees, we have only limited OFSI's to less than 20. But looking on a larger scale, if in the future we would have that kind of exposure, we should definitely be equipped and ready! This of course made me quite excited especially since a lot of Filipinos are now starting to realize the importance of having a solid financial education and even trying their best to maximize the free learning resources that is given online by these financial advocacy groups.

Great job to TGFI's organizers! :)

Note: To listen to the whole session check the video below.

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See my other posts about my journey towards financial freedom and abundance at Investing 101: The Basics of Financial Freedom, Investing 102: Enriching Financial Literacy and Investing 103: Direct Stocks Investment Part 1

Blogging 101 Seminar

Writing is a passion that I always have. It's the Romeo to my Juliet's love for reading. It's a combination that I always enjoyed since I was young. And speaking is something quite similar as well. It's not just a passion but also something that I know I can naturally do. I'm not bragging or anything, but I am absolutely sure that if I have something to say, I'd say it. More so -- speaking in front a crowd. Funny thing that I don't get the usual jitters whenever I'd try to talk in front of an audience, although sometimes I'd feel a little sweaty but at the time that I would stand up and start to open my mouth, the platform or stage or wherever I'm standing feels like home. Weird, but I do have that kind of feeling. It's like -- you want to share a piece of yourself to your listeners and you're really trying your best to let them know what you want them to know. But unfortunately, that doesn't happen all the time. Some would say I sounded harsh, that I would comment straight to the point to even sound rude or get the tables upside down by making everyone laugh with my crazy humor. Whatever that is, at least I'm still able to get my points across right? XD

Anyway, as part of our group's special sessions, I was tasked to give another talk about Blogging 101 last 17th of April 2015. This time, with only the basics of the basics that I know. This of course made me excited since I would be able to share everyone what I know about blogging. Not that I was an expert since I'm probably still a newbie when ranked on the Blogosphere, but the fact that some people think I have the authority in this matter -- it simply made my heart jump for joy! Too much adjectives? Nah, just feeling happy with what I have accomplished! :)

OFSI Blogging 101 Session last April 17, 2015

Another group picture of future OFSI Bloggers

Oh yeah, they're listening to whatever that I was saying :P

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You can also check these awesome blogs! :)

Goriography

Renz Leano

Georgia

Save the Date Photoshoot

My signature shot? It just looks cute. <3

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."
Song of Solomon 8:6

Who would have thought that I would be doing this PreNup Photoshoot part 2..tho technically speaking it is a Save-the-Date feature. Anyway they're the same for me, I categorized it under PreNup. XD

Now back to my story.. a friend of mine from SFC, sis Jaque (missyleeloo) has seen my shots from my cousin's (LINK HERE) and she liked it! Wow. That's a nice compliment for me. And of course I said Yes! So again, sis Rona (myjoywaterfall) who's in charge with the productions and I took this opportunity to practice our God-given talent once more (ahem). This was actually a late post since I sought permission from the couple first before posting it here and of course waiting for their official Save-the-Date announcement. By the way we took it last 23rd of January and I had edited all the pics below unless stated. Anyway..here it goes! =)

Edited image credit to: Jacque Gonzalez

Edited image credit to: Jaque Gonzales

I just love this shot.

Again, congrats to this lovely couple..and thank you for the trust to take your photos. =)

Officially Dot Com

Finally after 4 long years, PinayDiaspora is now a dot com minus the blogspot name! Not that I'm not happy with blogger, which is still obviously my free web host, but the need to be independent (at least the URL part) seemed more appealing than before.

Thankfully though with the help of my fellow OFSI friend Ms. Georgia Lawas (www.lgeorgia.com), I am now the official owner of this URL link at USD33 (10KD) for 3 years. Thanks to GoDaddy and its cheap domain name registry. =) Hopefully though with this added feature, I would feel compelled to write more and update this baby more often. *crossesfingers*

Official email from GoDaddy(dot)com

So cheers to this wonderful awesometastic year for PinayDiaspora blog! =)

Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors

Education is a key source to uplift one's full potential through learning various trends and knowing the fundamental concepts of an idea by heart. This is not only done through the structured learning process that we undergo from our childhood years but educating oneself is a process that can be done through various means. In order to be effective in a given role or achieve a certain goal, learning has always been a major factor that can help us accomplish our set ideals in life. This is also a MUST in our journey towards creating, planning and achieving our path to financial freedom and abundance.

By learning, we expose ourselves to various activities -- reading books, attending seminars/workshop/talks, listening and watching financial/business-related programs and through different online means. Blogs and other social media platforms like Facebook has paved way for easy and free access to learn more about investment instruments as an example. Different groups has also been established to cater needs of people wanting to find out more options and effective financial instruments. In this era of wanton need to be financially free, people are seeking various ways and means in order to fully sustain that desire for knowledge. Admittedly belonging in that category, I suddenly had that urge to know more ways to prepare for my future and have the life that I have always wanted.

But where would I begin? That's the first question that popped in my head. Thankfully, the internet has provided free access to almost everything that I needed. But the overloaded information in front of me only confused me more. And then, it's as if God heard the desires of my heart. He sent an angel (Renz Leano) that now became my financial mentor. The series of talks that we had about our like-minded set goals and objectives ultimately transpired into a group of other fellow OFWs like us who wished to live a better future for them and their families. Thus the creation of Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors (OFSI) Group in Kuwait.

Overseas Filipino Stocks Investors (OFSI) officer's oath-taking ceremony at the Philippine Embassy in Faiha, Kuwait with Charge d' Affaires Atty. Raul H. Dado last January 24, 2015

Fast forward almost a year has passed since then, my mentor's dream of sharing his advocacy to help our country's economy and stir financial awareness to fellow OFWs and their families has now become a reality. My goal of only knowing where and what to start has now expanded in supporting family, friends and even strangers in planning their own. We have just started and doesn't have much to prove yet but if things are done with humility and honest intentions, positivism will only outshine the negative. This will be a tedious and very, very long journey but I know by the grace of God everything will be on the right track.

Investing 103: Direct Stocks Investment Part 1

For more than a year now, I have carefully tracked my direct stocks investments using my online stock broker, COL Financial. So far I am proud to say that I have attained past my initial target of 10% gain/loss in my portfolio (dividends not yet included).  I've made bad choices along the way due to sudden burst of emotions as a newbie and crazy excitement which led me to jump along the bandwagon to test shallow waters. But hopefully, with those experiences which I now regard as my learning point in my young journey to financial freedom and abundance, it simply taught me two very important things -- stick with the fundamental values of the company and do cost averaging with a twist.

My portfolio as of January 9, 2015. Note the box in red.
NOTE: The Gain/Loss % will vary depending if you have sold your shares, locked in profits and/or added shares to your existing stocks. I will further explain it on my next posts. =)

Stocks investing isn't new, even in the Philippine setting either. The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSEI) had been continuously operating since its inception in the late 1920s. Unfortunately, this method of paper-based investment has not been widely spread among the common middle to lower class population due to its "for-the-rich-only-image". Back in the days, finding a stock broker and seeking platforms for stocks investing is not as easily accessible as it is now and investment products which have low minimum investment deposits are also not commonly offered by financial companies and/or banks unless you'd inquire thoroughly about it. If you are in the stock market know-how and obviously have the means back in the day, you're lucky to know this pot of gold. But as the world changes, people are now in the loop of getting more financially aware and seeking to be literate enough to care more about their financial situation and future retirement options. Thankfully, the technology that we have through the use of internet which paved the way for the creation of easy and accessible online stock brokerage platforms gives everybody a fair chance at this form of investing.

Due to this sudden demand, traditional financial companies opted to upgrade their system and adopt this new technological change. As of this writing there are more than 5 companies that offer accesible online stock investing platforms accredited by SEC. Each have their own different features to boost that entices potential investors. Out of these handful of companies, I carefully chose my online stock broker due to its proven 20 years record in the industry.

On a personal note, I use COL Financial  because of their features. Recommendation from friends and numerous positive reviews that I have read on the internet also added to that decision. But among these, I primarily chose the company because they allow OFWs like me who are living abroad to process my application without any hassle of having to go back home for issues of personal appearance. I also find their site easy to navigate, their updated articles about the stock market easy to understand for a non-business major like me and a lot of friendly-to-use options. I'm not in any way connected with this company nor advertising them but simply putting my two cents on my decision when I applied to start my direct stocks investment. Like what I have stated, there are other companies to choose from and it would always depend on the potential investor's personal preference.

For information on which online accredited stocks broker to choose, I have made a list below with with their minimum amount for deposit. Click the name of the company and you will be directly linked to their site.


LIST OF 2014 ACCREDITED ONLINE STOCK BROKERS IN THE PHILIPPINES
(Some changes may appear as I will try to update this list once in a while)

AB Capital Securities Inc.
Minimum Investment: 10,000 Php

Abacus Securities Corporation
Minimum Investment: 10,000 Php

Accord Capital Equities Corporation
Minimum Investment: 5,000 Php

Angping and Associates Securities, Inc.
Minimum Investment: 5,000 Php

BPI Securities Corporation
Minimum Investment: None if you have an account with BPI

COL Financial Group Inc. (former Citiseconline)
Minimum Investment: 5,000 Php (Easy Investment Program/EIP)

F. Yap Securities Inc.
Minimum Investment: 25,000 Php

First Metro Securities Brokerage Corporation
Minimum Investment: 25,000 Php (initial for new clients)

RCBC Securities Inc.
Minimum Investment: Check with the company for more info.

Wealth Securities Inc.
Minimum Investment: 10,000 Php

Regarding account opening, requirements and other necessary information, it is highly recommended to CONTACT each company and inquire for further details.





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See my other posts about my journey towards financial freedom and abundance at Investing 101: The Basics of Financial Freedom and Investing 102: Enriching Financial Literacy

New Year's Resolutions

All of us every single year, we're a different person. I don't think were the same person all our lives. - Steven Spielberg

January feels special in a very different way. Not only because its my birth month which would remind me that I would age again another year (Thank God) but it's technically the representation of the alpha in the Roman Calendar that is commonly used. This month marks as the official start of another year full of hopes, dreams, desires, wishes, regrets, failures, disappointments, frustrations and so on. Its the start of yet another crazy yet interesting life story. 

Now why does every year people feel compelled to come up with their very own version of New Year's Resolutions? What the hell are these lists really for? According to my ever so reliant best friend Google, a "New Year's resolution is a tradition wherein a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement." So literally speaking, people are making lists of good deeds to do to reform oneself to probably be a much better citizen of the world. That's awesome. Really.

But only if these things are not just written on paper and would soon be forgotten after 24 hours.

Unfortunately, I, myself has failed so many times in making sure that I would follow or even do my supposed New Year's resolutions. Since I was a kid I always have this habit of listing the top 10 things that I would need to do to change myself for the better. But sadly, out of these usual 10 things that I would come up with, it would already be a miracle if I would have done at least one of them! Most are actually so-good-to-be-true, nonsensical dreams that only appears great on written paper.

What's supposed to be the problem here?

The answer is Me. Myself. And I.

It's that simple.

Honestly, I tend to be lazy in doing them or probably less inspired to achieve them. But looking back at my favorite yearly New Year's resolutions that would always be a repetition of last year, they seemed quite impossible to accomplish at some point. Imagine, promising myself not to argue with anybody for a year or to be always nice to everyone no matter what?  That would make me a Saint already! But kidding aside.. reviewing them now, I now that I would've done them only that I just need to push myself more and that's what has been lacking for the past years. 

My old 2013 Journal

But somehow, a miracle occurred. When I was cleaning my stack of yearly journals and stacking the old ones in a box, I came to read a page where I did my 2013 New Year's resolutions. And guess what? I actually, seriously, surprisingly and honestly did 90% of them! That really put a smile on my face like a crazy kid. Maybe I did have a change of heart somewhere. Because of that, it suddenly inspired me to continue my own tradition of self-improvement on a yearly basis. It may be very difficult and unrealistic most of the times, but the fact that I decided to list them down simply means that I honestly admit to myself all of my negativity and I fully accept the challenge of changing them to make myself a much better version of me. Besides, change would always need to start within oneself by accepting oneself fully -- from the worst to the best.

So did I continue to be successful with my 2014 New Year's resolutions? The answer is surprisingly yes again, which of course made me more than excited to write now my 2015 New Year's Resolutions. :D

1. Be more thankful and happy.

2. Be more accepting and forgiving.

3. Be more patient and understanding.

4. Be more honest and open.

5. Love more.