Enjoying the ride!!!
Here's the link: http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Fun-Indoor-Activities-With-Your-Kids&id=8548409
Have a great Independence Day everyone! :)
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
My First Ezine Write Up
My first ezine article got published today.
Enjoying the ride!!!
Here's the link: http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Fun-Indoor-Activities-With-Your-Kids&id=8548409
Have a great Independence Day everyone! :)
Enjoying the ride!!!
Here's the link: http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Fun-Indoor-Activities-With-Your-Kids&id=8548409
Have a great Independence Day everyone! :)
Saturday, 10 May 2014
Being Money Wise
Despite having a good-sized family income, most of us are finding it more and more difficult to have a growing savings let alone a savings for that matter. No matter how many boosts our family income gets -- from salary increases, bonuses, allowances, etc., we still find our finances bottomed-out from month to month. What to do to be money wise nowadays? Here are 3 tips on how to save and invest wisely.
1. Save First Before You Spend
A fool-proof way of saving money is to set aside at least 10 to 20% right off the top. I want to mention, however, that as a Christian family, we strongly believe in giving to God the first 10% of our income. It is called the tithe and it belongs to God. So, the 10% I am talking about here is net of the tithe. For years, we have experienced God's Word to be true. As we faithfully seek His kingdom and righteousness FIRST, He does add all things unto us. (Matthew 6:33). If you are a Christian, I recommend that you prayerfully consider doing so too.
As for the 10 to 20% savings, being money-wise would mean making sure that this stays saved. Think of ways to make it "inconvenient" for you to touch that money other than putting it in a piggy bank or a savings account with an ATM. Why not convert them to a different currency, a stable one at that like the US dollar for instance? When it is sufficient enough to be kept in a time deposit account, do so. Go for long term. Remember, this is not emergency fund. This is savings for you and your family's future. I am sure that both the hassle of going to the money changers and the pain of pre-termination penalties would strongly control your urge to splurge.
2. Know Where Your Money Goes
Make a list of all your expenses. This will help you properly pin down your spending habits. Most find that what eats away constantly into their income are small on-impulse purchases that add up.
This will also aid you in making a modest budget based on your newly tweaked income. Living within one's means is not that hard. It just takes getting used to.
3. Do Not Chase Returns
When your money has accumulated and you are ready to move on to the next level, you will do well never to go for high-yielding investment vehicles. Mr. Francisco Colayco, a trusted wealth-management voice in the country is quick to remind first time investors, "growth or making money we can't control, but the risks, we can. 90% of us or focused on the gains, not on what could happen that could make us lose our investment. Having said that, we
should be aware that what we invest we could stand to lose. If we can't afford to lose our investment, we shouldn't risk them."
It doesn't hurt to do your own research too. Find out which investment types out there suit you. You might also want to find yourself a trustworthy and well-informed financial adviser. It's like having a coach who will guide you in this new and exciting journey and make sure that you do not only begin enthusiastically but that you also strongly finish. :)
I hope that these three helpful tips for being money wise helps you gain a steadily growing savings soon.
Enjoy the ride! :)
1. Save First Before You Spend
As for the 10 to 20% savings, being money-wise would mean making sure that this stays saved. Think of ways to make it "inconvenient" for you to touch that money other than putting it in a piggy bank or a savings account with an ATM. Why not convert them to a different currency, a stable one at that like the US dollar for instance? When it is sufficient enough to be kept in a time deposit account, do so. Go for long term. Remember, this is not emergency fund. This is savings for you and your family's future. I am sure that both the hassle of going to the money changers and the pain of pre-termination penalties would strongly control your urge to splurge.
2. Know Where Your Money Goes
Make a list of all your expenses. This will help you properly pin down your spending habits. Most find that what eats away constantly into their income are small on-impulse purchases that add up.
This will also aid you in making a modest budget based on your newly tweaked income. Living within one's means is not that hard. It just takes getting used to.
And while we're on the subject of living within our means, let me just encourage you to think a thousand times before you buy big-ticket items. Most us tend to fall
into the trap of letting our precious money go too easily in
pursuit of a dream car or house. Having downpayment-money is not always a safe gauge of our readiness for the task ahead.
pursuit of a dream car or house. Having downpayment-money is not always a safe gauge of our readiness for the task ahead.
Being money wise would make us hold on to that money until we are most certain that we can sustain the rest of the payments. This way, we spare ourselves from huge losses.
3. Do Not Chase Returns
When your money has accumulated and you are ready to move on to the next level, you will do well never to go for high-yielding investment vehicles. Mr. Francisco Colayco, a trusted wealth-management voice in the country is quick to remind first time investors, "growth or making money we can't control, but the risks, we can. 90% of us or focused on the gains, not on what could happen that could make us lose our investment. Having said that, we
should be aware that what we invest we could stand to lose. If we can't afford to lose our investment, we shouldn't risk them."
It doesn't hurt to do your own research too. Find out which investment types out there suit you. You might also want to find yourself a trustworthy and well-informed financial adviser. It's like having a coach who will guide you in this new and exciting journey and make sure that you do not only begin enthusiastically but that you also strongly finish. :)
I hope that these three helpful tips for being money wise helps you gain a steadily growing savings soon.
Enjoy the ride! :)
Friday, 9 May 2014
Best Value Natural Health Supplements
Our health comes first. We need to be in top shape if we are ever going to enjoy life with our family, see the kids grow up and realize whatever dreams we may have. And, the good news is, natural health supplements need not put strain on our budget at all. Here are 3 best value natural health supplements that will work best for you and your kids.
1. Alive Whole Food Energizer Max Potency and Gummies Multivitamin for Children
After a long search for something that is worth our every cent, comparing one product's supplement facts with another, Nature's Way Alive Max Potency for Adults and Gummies Multivitamin for Children won hands down. The only ones in the market loaded with all the essential vitamins, minerals, fruits and vegetables (no exag here). We have been satisfied consumers for a couple of years now. Our kids, who are picky when it comes to vitamins really love the fruity flavors of their gummies.
For our family, these two are tops as best value natural health supplements.
Go ahead, check out the supplement facts of Alive Max Potency and Children's Multivitamins and be the judge if they do fit the bill. Both can easily be purchased online. We buy ours from Sulit.com
2. Virgin Coconut Oil
I discovered this miracle cure 7 years ago. I read Bruce Fife's book, "Coconut Oil Miracles," did extensive research on this food supplement and do swear by the potency of this cure-all wonder because I took it for a number of years -- during and after my pregnancy and while nursing my new baby. It worked well with me. I lost a lot of postpartum pounds then, was energetic enough to take care of my baby and homeschool my son. Hubby and the kids followed suit and for years Virgin Coconut Oil became a staple in our household.
Virgin Coconut Oil is both a potent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial food supplement. It is dubbed as "the drug store in a bottle" for the countless documented healing testimonies associated with it such as lowering blood cholesterol and sugar levels, treating candida-related illnesses including many cancers, treating coughs and colds, conjunctivitis, promoting weight loss, and even as a topical treatment for insect bites and infections. The list goes on and on.
My son and daughter grew up on virgin coconut oil. Hubby and I also took 1 tablespoon a day regularly until we stopped about two years ago. The good news is, VCO does not expire easily. Its shelf life is a little longer than 2 years (yay!). Thus, when you forget to take it for a long time like us, you can go right back to taking it again, which is what we will do very soon. ;)
One of the things I used do to make my baby eat VCO was mix it with her food like lugaw or blend with fruits. I also tried many times cooking with it. For big kids, the taste would be tolerable enough so they can take a tablespoon of it with no fuss. For starters, take just a tablespoon a day on an empty stomach.VCO is readily available in Watsons and online for a little over one hundred pesos.
3. Kefir
A probiotics wonder, fermented kefir milk has a very sour taste but it promises to reflood us with trillions of live bacteria that will put balance back in our bodies with daily intake. Imagine drinking a bottle of yakult with 10x the potency.
We drink it mixed with honey or sugar, or even strawberry syrup. We attempted to make a fruit smoothie a few times but found it too tedious.
Bottled kefir milk can easily be bought online, but if you are the nurturing type, buy the grains! It is more fun and economical! Kefir grains are very easy to take care of. I bought mine -- just a tablespoon -- at Sulit.com almost a year ago. I just soak the grains in a glass of milk (any milk type will do-- raw, pasteurized, cow's or goat's) overnight. The strained milk the next day should be more than enough probiotics dose for Hubby, me and my son.
The grains multiply so fast in our climate that in the last four or five months, we have been able to give away about 8-10 tablespoon of kefir grains to family and friends. When we ran out of willing recipients, we posted online and actually sold one tablespoon! Just imagine, for a little over one hundred pesos a week (2 boxes of milk) your family gets to enjoy maximum probiotics benefits and gets to have a potential biz on the side. Now isn't that great value for money?
Alive Multivitamins, VCO and Kefir. These are my Top 3 best value natural health supplements. I am certain that these wise choices will serve you well the way they have served our family. Here's to wellness! :)
Enjoy the ride! :)
1. Alive Whole Food Energizer Max Potency and Gummies Multivitamin for Children
After a long search for something that is worth our every cent, comparing one product's supplement facts with another, Nature's Way Alive Max Potency for Adults and Gummies Multivitamin for Children won hands down. The only ones in the market loaded with all the essential vitamins, minerals, fruits and vegetables (no exag here). We have been satisfied consumers for a couple of years now. Our kids, who are picky when it comes to vitamins really love the fruity flavors of their gummies.
For our family, these two are tops as best value natural health supplements.
Go ahead, check out the supplement facts of Alive Max Potency and Children's Multivitamins and be the judge if they do fit the bill. Both can easily be purchased online. We buy ours from Sulit.com
2. Virgin Coconut Oil
I discovered this miracle cure 7 years ago. I read Bruce Fife's book, "Coconut Oil Miracles," did extensive research on this food supplement and do swear by the potency of this cure-all wonder because I took it for a number of years -- during and after my pregnancy and while nursing my new baby. It worked well with me. I lost a lot of postpartum pounds then, was energetic enough to take care of my baby and homeschool my son. Hubby and the kids followed suit and for years Virgin Coconut Oil became a staple in our household.
Virgin Coconut Oil is both a potent anti-fungal and anti-bacterial food supplement. It is dubbed as "the drug store in a bottle" for the countless documented healing testimonies associated with it such as lowering blood cholesterol and sugar levels, treating candida-related illnesses including many cancers, treating coughs and colds, conjunctivitis, promoting weight loss, and even as a topical treatment for insect bites and infections. The list goes on and on.
My son and daughter grew up on virgin coconut oil. Hubby and I also took 1 tablespoon a day regularly until we stopped about two years ago. The good news is, VCO does not expire easily. Its shelf life is a little longer than 2 years (yay!). Thus, when you forget to take it for a long time like us, you can go right back to taking it again, which is what we will do very soon. ;)
One of the things I used do to make my baby eat VCO was mix it with her food like lugaw or blend with fruits. I also tried many times cooking with it. For big kids, the taste would be tolerable enough so they can take a tablespoon of it with no fuss. For starters, take just a tablespoon a day on an empty stomach.VCO is readily available in Watsons and online for a little over one hundred pesos.
3. Kefir
We drink it mixed with honey or sugar, or even strawberry syrup. We attempted to make a fruit smoothie a few times but found it too tedious.
Bottled kefir milk can easily be bought online, but if you are the nurturing type, buy the grains! It is more fun and economical! Kefir grains are very easy to take care of. I bought mine -- just a tablespoon -- at Sulit.com almost a year ago. I just soak the grains in a glass of milk (any milk type will do-- raw, pasteurized, cow's or goat's) overnight. The strained milk the next day should be more than enough probiotics dose for Hubby, me and my son.
The grains multiply so fast in our climate that in the last four or five months, we have been able to give away about 8-10 tablespoon of kefir grains to family and friends. When we ran out of willing recipients, we posted online and actually sold one tablespoon! Just imagine, for a little over one hundred pesos a week (2 boxes of milk) your family gets to enjoy maximum probiotics benefits and gets to have a potential biz on the side. Now isn't that great value for money?
Alive Multivitamins, VCO and Kefir. These are my Top 3 best value natural health supplements. I am certain that these wise choices will serve you well the way they have served our family. Here's to wellness! :)
Enjoy the ride! :)
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Enjoy Summer on a Tight Budget
Summer is here again. Our kids have been bugging us to go just about everywhere -- the beach, the park, Hongkong Disneyland(!), and out of desperation, the malls! ;) What could we parents do these days to have maximum fun with our kids on a shoestring budget? Here are 3 ways to enjoy summer on a tight budget:
Most of us parents have moved away from our hometown far too long we would not even recognize it should we visit this time around. Enjoy summer on a tight budget with style and a bit of nostalgia.
2. Organize a Family Outing
The kids will surely love this. Frolicking with their best-cousins on the beach, gathering seashells, building sand castles, singing and telling silly stories by the bonfire while roasting hotdogs with marshmallows and sleeping in the tent. Happiness! :)
This is a great way to pool your resources together and gear up for SUMMER FUN. So what are you waiting for? Plan away!
Another clever way of enjoying the sun and the sea on a tight budget is to go for day tour -- that would mean waking up early enough to let the kids witness the beautiful sunrise, bask in the sun with their play shovel and pail all day, and marvel at the dreamy sunset.
Choose a resort that allows bringing in of food and drinks with no corkage fees whatsoever so you and the kids can have picnic fun too!
There, with minimum expense, you get loads of hearty hugs and kisses from the kids with this one!!!
It is possible to enjoy summer on a tight budget. It does not really take much to make kids happy. All it needs is for you to be ALL THERE wherever you are taking them this summer. Nothing beats quality bonding time. And with these best value getaway suggestions, your precious little ones will truly have an amazing summer experience and vice versa. And, oh,may I share this great find with you? Check it out. You will be glad you did. ;)
Enjoy the ride! :)
- Visit Your Hometown
Most of us parents have moved away from our hometown far too long we would not even recognize it should we visit this time around. Enjoy summer on a tight budget with style and a bit of nostalgia.
This might be the perfect time to go back to your roots and reconnect with your family and friends back home. A great way for your kids to get to know your clan and childhood buddies. Get away
from the hustle and bustle of the city life and get immersed in the quiet and simple country life. I am sure that a relative or a friend would be excited to host your family for a few days, to see the sights -- visiting scenic places both the memorable ones and the newly-built tourist attractions -- rekindle old ties and most of all feast on your favorite delicacies. Your kids will surely relish the experience and all of you will go home recharged and rooted once more. :)
from the hustle and bustle of the city life and get immersed in the quiet and simple country life. I am sure that a relative or a friend would be excited to host your family for a few days, to see the sights -- visiting scenic places both the memorable ones and the newly-built tourist attractions -- rekindle old ties and most of all feast on your favorite delicacies. Your kids will surely relish the experience and all of you will go home recharged and rooted once more. :)
2. Organize a Family Outing
The kids will surely love this. Frolicking with their best-cousins on the beach, gathering seashells, building sand castles, singing and telling silly stories by the bonfire while roasting hotdogs with marshmallows and sleeping in the tent. Happiness! :)
This is a great way to pool your resources together and gear up for SUMMER FUN. So what are you waiting for? Plan away!
3. Day Tour Is Best
Another clever way of enjoying the sun and the sea on a tight budget is to go for day tour -- that would mean waking up early enough to let the kids witness the beautiful sunrise, bask in the sun with their play shovel and pail all day, and marvel at the dreamy sunset.
Choose a resort that allows bringing in of food and drinks with no corkage fees whatsoever so you and the kids can have picnic fun too!
There, with minimum expense, you get loads of hearty hugs and kisses from the kids with this one!!!
It is possible to enjoy summer on a tight budget. It does not really take much to make kids happy. All it needs is for you to be ALL THERE wherever you are taking them this summer. Nothing beats quality bonding time. And with these best value getaway suggestions, your precious little ones will truly have an amazing summer experience and vice versa. And, oh,may I share this great find with you? Check it out. You will be glad you did. ;)
Enjoy the ride! :)
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
Me and My Mission Statement
Hi! I'm Lou - a forty-something homemaker. Wife to Mr. Computer Savvy. Mom of two adorable children -- both rambunctious, precocious and opinionated. Previously a financial adviser/insurance agent and a homeschool teacher.
In this blog, I am hoping to be able to pass on valuable tips, how-to's, 101's, on life, marriage, parenting, and finance. I believe that the best things in life are free. That is why, here, everything is for free. :) Read, glean and pass it on! I believe that life is a journey and too many times, we tend to be too busy driving we fail to enjoy the ride. I hope that the advice you get here will help you disengage from the unnecessary and plunge into a happier life. :)
Enjoy the ride! :)
In this blog, I am hoping to be able to pass on valuable tips, how-to's, 101's, on life, marriage, parenting, and finance. I believe that the best things in life are free. That is why, here, everything is for free. :) Read, glean and pass it on! I believe that life is a journey and too many times, we tend to be too busy driving we fail to enjoy the ride. I hope that the advice you get here will help you disengage from the unnecessary and plunge into a happier life. :)
Enjoy the ride! :)
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