SCRIBBLED NOTES #28: WHO'S READY?

Source

 Some blog posts need so many words to convey its thought, 

while others only need a handful. 

LOVE is such a powerful thing, don't you think? -CMK

I SUPER LOVE SPOTIFY

Blogging is all about sharing, right? And since this is my current rave, I can't help but to share! I'm sure you've heard of Spotify one way or the other. And there's not much to share about it except some personal thoughts.

The HOW?

Download Spotify from the App Store {or its equivalent} for free. You can purchase Spotify Premium for Php 200+ a month. What's the difference from the free version? Premium is ad-free, has unlimited skips and can be played offline.

WHY SO LOVABLE?

Okay, I'm not a tech expert so the fact that I get to play all my favorite songs per album, singer or genre makes me giddy! There's also a radio thing whereby you can play related songs in one go. I also find the Mood selection so funny. Songs you sing in the shower. Afternoon Tea Playlist. Things like that. My favorite of course is the playlist for any movie's soundtrack. 

MONEY MATTERS : FROM PHP 24K to PHP 10.5M AFTER 10 YEARS? (NO, THAT PORTFLIO'S NOT MINE)

Let me have that disclosure first before I got kidnapped or anything! :) More details on this but first: Investopedia has put the right meaning on BUY AND HOLD.  A passive investment strategy in which an investor buys stocks and holds them for a long period of time, regardless of fluctuations in the market. 

An investor who employs a buy-and-hold strategy actively selects stocks, but once in a position, is not concerned with short-term price movements and technical indicators.  

That's the beauty about stock market. Like a lot about life, learning is an everyday process. I have prepared some points about my personal action items towards the buy and hold strategy. But first some history.

I'll never look at the BUY AND HOLD strategy ever again. Before, I'm an avid fan of Peso Cost Averaging method. I reckon it makes sense since you're building your wealth over time compared to the buy and hold strategy that's sort of boring and only requires a one time investment. NOT UNTIL, I had a conversation with my 2 friends J and K. I gathered that this portfolio {see below} is a real portfolio of someone we know. And, the figures shocked me big time. I got inspired! If he can do it, so we can! :)

Let the figures speak for themselves. However, can I just emphasize that after leaving his Php 24,000 to DMCI for 10 years, the investment ballooned to Php 10.56M? How's that?!!! 

After picking up my jaw from the floor, I summed up the following action items:

1. Open another account specifically for long term investment. I have opened my online stock account before but this time I intend to open another for a specific purpose. And that's for my retirement fund. I tried to lump them into one account, however, there's a speculative trader within me. I got giddy when stock market goes bullish, next thing I now is that I'm realizing gains from my portfolio. Not a bad thing at all but I want to try this strategy as I have a feeling it will work {well, it worked for him}. Word of caution though - we still have to be diligent and do our own research. For some instructions on how to open a COL online account, click HERE.

2. Put aside a fraction of my cash inflow and invest into a good company. Not necessarily blue chip but a company that has a good potential. Case in point: DMCI was a second liner stock and who would've thought it will catapult to greater heights? But wait, be aware of this risk: it's a double edged sword. Investing in 2nd liners can work positively or otherwise. How can we know which stocks will catapult? That's a good question. That requires some intentional studying. 

BEAUTY BUZZ : NUDE IS CLASSIC

I miss this! I finally found some time to road test my latest purchases and tadaaan! Here it is. I noticed that there's a common denominator amongst them, they're all in nude shade! I am not heavy on make ups but from time to time, you'll see me testing products that I truly believe in. Most of them are bought, very very seldom you'll see stuff that are part of press kits. It's a good thing since you'll be aware that my reviews are unbiased :)

After applying Olay 7-in-1 moisturizer (Review HERE), I lather some Big Easy (CC) Cream from Benefit. It's a part of my June 2014 BDJ Box purchase. In fairness, BDJ box has the most promising beauty surprises in their kits. Bronzer and brush came from a thrift shop in London. Shop's name is Primark. And of course, my recent favorite lipstick, Pink Nouveau from MAC. Here are some of my recollection on this loot:

Big Easy Cream from Benefit is buildable and long-wearing. I noticed thought that you have to be generous in applying them onto your face plus the fact that they cost so much, you might check some price friendlier product that delivers the same result. My suggestions are MAC Studio Fix NC 35 or Etude House BB Cream.

CMK READS : TOO BUSY NOT TO PRAY

That's the thing when you jump from one place to another, it takes a lot of time for you to get back to usual routines. For some it would take days, for others maybe a week or even a month! It's convenient for us to lose grip on what's important specially when we're up there in cloud 9 for whatever reason. Maybe a career high, or even a prospect of love in sight. Good timing that I saw this book on my to-read spot. It reminded me of things I should not let go, things that should be fighting for whatever it takes. Taking time to pray and have a daily appointment with the LORD is one of those. Here's a handful of my take-aways from the book:

PRAYER IS PERSONAL

Far be it from a highfalutin act that most of us find to be boring, prayer is spending time with the LORD. I read that there's a monk who's a dishwasher and whenever he does his daily task, he talks to GOD. That's the long and short of prayer. When I read that piece, a huge pressure came off my shoulder. I don't know about you but there's a lot of time my mind wanders whenever I pray, as in properly pray {eyes closed, doors locked and all}. However, whenever I sigh and converse during my daily tasks, it comes naturally. Maybe that's what Paul means when he said: Pray without ceasing. 

PRAYER IS DRAWING YOUR PLANS WITH A PENCIL BUT GIVING GOD AN ERASER

And I'm guilty of this. There are times I unconsciously plot out my plans to God leaving no room for him to do His job. I recently had an experience by which I got disappointed because I have carved out my plans only to know that GOD put a pause button. I got sad and whimpered as usual, but here's a screen shot of what got into my bones. Then I realized, I would rather have God's NO answers rather than God's BAHALA KA MAKULIT KA, answers! Shudder! :D

PRAYER IS A CONCIOUS EFFORT

With the advent of technology nowadays, it's nearly impossible to stay still without screen at hand. However, do these things really edify us? Or is it a cheap fix that gives us temporary high? You be the judge. If you can't do this because you're not spiritual, do this because this is a practical thing to do. Do not dare go through the day without God's favor.

PRAYER CHANGES
Either your situation or your attitude towards the situation. To be honest, it doesn't come THAT quickly. It takes a lot of time to digest things and see them from a different perspective. However, just as we can't understand how come every country has a sky above them, we can't also contemplate the height and depth of God's love for us.
*

BLOG GIVEAWAY : ONE SLOT AT PERA MO PALAGUIN MO! WORKSHOP

Our friends from Colayco Foundation for Education has some good news for you! We are raffling one slot for PERA MO, PALAGUIN MO! Workshop. What's up for grabs? Well, the workshop includes:

•  FREE copy of the Pera Palaguin Workbook
• Lunch and snacks, plus
• Certificate. 

The workshop fee is Php 5,500 per head. Again, I am giving away ONE SLOT for FREE! Here are the mechanics:

• Like Francisco Colayco Facebook PAGE.
• Like Call Me Kristine Facebook PAGE.
• Follow me on TWITTER.
• Lastly, let me know why you want to attend a personal finance seminar like this (you can send me an FB Message, Tweet me or send me an email at kristineannelicuanan@yahoo.com).

That's it. Good luck. -CMK

CMK EATS : QUIZNOS

I am nursing a tooth inconvenience as I type this. So weird that my blog post for today is about food! You know sometimes when clients can be so difficult? And you just have to remind yourself that there should be a clear line when business ends and fun begins? As I thought I'm having a bad day, I've watched a Youtube video of Joel Osteen. You may have heard of him before. Video's title is How to Find Peace? What a refreshing reminder specially for people who's caught up with the rat race of today. 

Anyways. So much for catch ups. Last Saturday, I've been to Quiznos with my friend R. It's an American sandwich house and we're lucky to have some franchises within the Philippine shore. I've decided to try their sandwich since it reminds me of Subway but with some interesting sauces. Picture above is their take on SPICY BARBEQUE CHICKEN! If you love a bit of smokey slash spicy taste, you gotta try this. An 8-inch sandwich costs approx Php 200.

CMK HAPPY THOUGHTS:

* Bang for your buck. Php 200 might be a bit hefty for a sandwich {you may think} but this is filling. I even had to take home the other half for my dinner.

* Hands-on Staff. I ate at their Glorietta Branch in Makati and kudos to their staff. They even offered me to have a separate cup for the sauce (take away) so that the quality of their wheat bread won't be compromised. Good job!

* Interesting combination. How would you like a Chicken Carbonara for a sandwich? And as if that's not strange enough, care to try their Sisig number?

* They have an electric outlet. Yes, that's included! I know most of you can very well relate to our phone's #LowBatProblems :P

Here's a peek of their menu:

UNBOXING MAC BOOK AIR 13-INCH (2014)

Hello Guys! Guess what's keeping me busy these days? I decided it would be best for me not to offer excuses why I seldom publish posts the past weeks. Let's just say I'm pre-occupied with so many things and getting used to Mac is one of them. To start with, Pinky (meet her NOW) is due for replacement. I love her! She's been with me when I traveled to Prague and London. However, the fact that she's heavy and approaching 4 years old - it's time for me to let her retire :D

Enter my new challenge. What laptop to buy? I think I've bugged most of my close friends with this question: A windows laptop that's lightweight (Acer Ultrabook, case in point) or a Mac Book Air?

I've been an iPhone user the past years but I'm a windows baby. Since I started working it's always been windows and having this idea of jumping into a Mac bandwagon - that I am not too sure. Short cut keys are so different, not to mention a different interface altogether. I'm ready to give up until I bumped into this quote whilst browsing my FB news feed. Bam! I'm sold!

Scared to be extinct this early, I decided to buy MacBook Air this month :)

CMK TRAVELS : TRAVELODGE KINGSTON, LONDON REVIEW

I'll never forget that Sunday. I alighted from the plane at Heathrow Airport, the wind is a bit chilly than normal, and everything is new to me. I don't know a single thing about London and the homesickness started to kick in. My boss has been very kind, making sure that I'm okay and I have everything I need. For the next 7 days, Travelodge will be my home.

LOCATION

It's a 20-minute walk from our office. The season that time was winter turning into spring. There's a few local shops there. I remember there's Pret A Manger (local sandwich shop), Starbucks, Marks & Spencer, Mc Donalds, to name a few. Kingston is located at the south of London, a very lovely and quiet place, far from the vibes and hustle of Central London. They're both beautiful in their own right.

AMENITIES

They only have the basic ones. A bed, heater, cable tv, study desk, comfort room and that's it. They don't have a fridge or closet since their target market are tourists. The shower heater is working fine and I appreciate that they have a heater that enables you to make a hot chocolate, if needed. There's no washing machine too so it's impossible to wash your clothes in there.

WIFI EXPERIENCE 

Now, this is interesting. They only have I think an hour free of internet surfing and after that, you need to purchase via credit card. It cost me less than Php 300 for 24 hour worth of internet usage. Not bad, but if you'll do this every day {for the next 2 months}, then we're talking. Good thing the company provided for a portable wifi device that enables me to surf the net {a luxury for me those days} to my hearts content.

OVERALL

Travelodge is perfect for short trips. Say, you'll be staying there for a week or two. But if you'll be in for a month, it's highly recommended that you rent a flat. The rate is reasonable plus you'll have your second home. To know more about Travelodge London (i.e. rates), here's their SITE. -CMK

CSM Offers “Books All You Can” at P100 at the 35th Manila International Book Fair

Our friends from CSM has an exciting story to tell ☺ Eat-all-you-can dining is all over town, celebrating the Filipinos’ love for bountiful food and relaxing conversation. Restaurants offering this type of buffet meals give diners reasonable value for their money and serve as great venues for get-togethers and bonding times for families and friends. This concept inspired CSM Publishing to create a similar experience for its customers at the 35th Manila International Book Fair through a Books All You Can treat!

The Books All You Can promo follows CSM’s tradition of providing its readers with a generous buffet of titles with different but complementary flavors: inspiration, family values, personal growth, financial stewardship, leadership, and more. Book lovers can truly feast on these specials as each book is sold at the affordable price of only P100.

Indulge in new books such as He Can Catch You When You Fall by Miriam Quiambao-Roberto, Secrets of the Rich and Successful by Chinkee Tan, Family Life 101 by Clem Guillermo and Bessie Rios, Guarding Your Heart and Mind by Dr. Grace Koo, Biyaya at Bunga: Unli Rice 2 and Filled to Fill: Unlimited Rice 2 devotionals by Joey Umali, The Best of PROTips by Maloi Salumbides, The LEGO Principle: The Power of Connecting to God and to One Another in Conversational Tagalog by Joey Bonifacio, iGod: Rethinking Our Life Story by Dr. Greg W. Mitchell, Breaking Through: A Man’s Journey to Fruitfulness by Jose Feron Cacanando, Kapuso o Kapos? and Isang Tanong Isang Sagot FB edition Vol. 2 by Ed Lapiz, Gabay ni Tatay by Beth Flores, Usapang Worship Ministry by Rommel Guevara, and Loving & Living Christ’s Commands by Art Macarubbo, and The Best Investment: Preparing Your Child’s Body, Mind and Soul for Life’s Adventures by Marnie Moya-Prudencio. Make sure to leave room for more new books like DEBTermined by Jayson Lo, Act Like a Man by Dennis Sy, Money Manifesto by Randell Tiongson, and Thanks-living by Willy Chua. Other new titles include new editions of the bestselling Love Languages book by Gary Chapman, Drucker & Me by Bob Buford, The 7 Minute Marriage Solution by Stephen Arterburn and many more.

CMK EATS : GARLIC SEAFOOD PASTA AT BISTRO RAVIOLI

"When you know how to worry, then you know to pray." Those words are resonating on my head the past few days. It's a good reminder for everyone, knowing that there's Someone who's in control.

Anyways. One Saturday, I was strolling at my favorite hangout place when I spotted a familiar black and yellow pasta shop. I am not sure if I can call this a food review, since due to yours truly being on a diet - I've only ordered one full dish! However, you know me, I always share what I discovered in this blog. Let this be an addition.

SCRIBBLED NOTES #27: I'VE BEEN INVITED TO TALK ABOUT CAREER CHOICES

Last July, I got an invite to talk about career choices by one of the good schools in the South. If you know me, I rarely decline these types of invitations because this is a perfect avenue whereby teenagers sit quietly and absorb {or at least try to} what you need to share about life and in this case, career. School has invited different professionals (accountants, engineers, lawyers, etc.) to give the students a glimpse of each career path. Here are some bolts and pieces that I've shared to the young ones.

There's no perfect career. To say there's one will set you up for disappointment. Truth is, there's no such thing. One has to look within your roster of strengths {and weaknesses} then decide. Once you do, put your mind and heart to it. It's always easy to start something; it's another thing to say: It is finished, your college course, that is. Also, look for something that you enjoy doing, and at the same time will earn you a decent salary. You have to strike a balance between the two.

It's not always about the school or your title. Okay, school matters. Every human resource personnel can attest to this. Specially in our country. However, this is not everything. And so is board examination. I'm sure accountancy students can very well relate to the all-time low passing percentage of CPA Board Examination just recently (19% passing rate). At the end of the day, it's about your attitude not some piece of paper that you're holding.

CMK TRAVELS : 5 FRESH THINGS THAT TRAVELLING TAUGHT ME (SO FAR)

2014 has been interesting in my life book. I've been bouncing from one place to another the past months. I'm happy and challenged about this reality. That's also one of the reasons why I rarely blog these days. However, amidst all the hustles and bustles of life, I've realized that there are lessons meant to be shared:

Be in the present.

It's easy to snap this and snap that and post things to social media sites. I've been a victim of those so many times. Get this: You should be enjoying the here and now. It's sunny day in that side of town? Close your eyes and feel the sun rays.  Your steaming organic coffee is so yummy? Sniff it 5x before gulping it. Lesson? Sometimes the best way to enjoy life is to turn off your phone and feel the moment!

Do something that excites you.

There's a plethora of things to do and places to go whenever you travel. That's a good point to start. However, don't force yourself into doing the must-do's just for the heck of it. Do things that put a genuine smile on your face. And may I add, converse with people that makes you giddy and inspires you to be better.

Embrace your reality.

So, you are not those celebrities who go to Paris just to shop? No problem. That's okay. That's their reality and I think the danger is we only magnify what's nice about their life. What about the perpetual pressures and insecurities? What about the image that they need to forever maintain? The key is to embrace your reality. You're bound to work during 9-5? Fine. At least you have vacation leaves and have friends to laugh with every dinner time. There's always something good to focus on.  Let's start with that.

MONEY MATTERS : SHOULD YOU FOLLOW STOCK PICKS BY COL FINANCIAL?

Hello Gin! Good job! First of all, can I just say that your questions are one of the most thought-about questions I've ever received on my Money Matters Q&A? :) It tackles a wide array of good points, I'll do my best to answer them one by one.

The Quest for Financial Literacy

I am awed when you shared that you are a nurse and living in Tarlac, yet you want to attend a seminar in Ortigas (if not for the constraint)! What's more amazing is that you are only 23 years old! These signs, by itself, position you into a good financial boat - 5, maybe 10 years from now. It's good to attend seminars like these, I for one have enrolled to courses I think will be beneficial on my financial literacy growth (Related Post: WHAT'S A GOOD INVESTMENT STRATEGY?). However, if it's not at all doable, there are options. You can self study but arm yourself with caution. Don't believe anything without doing your due diligence first.

To believe or Not to Believe COL Financial Stock Picks?

It's a tricky question and to answer with an outright YES or No might not be accurate, but from my point of view - I'd say COL Financial Stock Picks are carefully thought about by their financial experts. For a newbie, I suggest that you start with blue chip companies. They are pricier than second liner stocks but you can sleep at night knowing it would only be a matter of time when you reap your rewards from investing (Related Post: WHAT'S YOUR GOAL? START YOUNG. ENJOY EARLY.).

Au-GHOST month? How true?