CASHFLOW

Have you ever encountered

a board game

that actually speaks of life circumstances

in a sureal way,

its elements can be used in real life?

Living pay check to pay check, always wanting a higher salary to make ends meet, always worried that your pay check is never enough and you can't save up because there's too many things to pay? Then CASHFLOW might just help you sort out a way for you to think otherwise.

With technology on steroids nowadays, it's huge effort to detach to a comfortable lifestyle of getting away from your android for a whole afternoon to "truly" connect to where you are and who you are with at the present. But here I tell you is something worthwhile of your time, most especially if you are planning to retire earlier than 60 years old.

With a purpose of financially educating the world, Robert Kiosaki had created a board game that could actually teach its players the importance of MONEY. I'm pretty sure we all have our own perception of what it's for. But it feels good when you are "financially literate".

After reading his book, RICH DAD POOR DAD, the co-publisher of the book, Sharon Lechter, wrote on its introduction that she was on the verge of finding a way of understanding her son when he said, "Is having a good life due to just by going to school and earning good grades? There's got to be another way. Surely having a stable life is not solely dependent on graduating with flying colours and landing a good job." She was stressed out and was finding this situation very frustrating. In her pursuit of the "other way" herself, she had come across this Monopoly like type of board game called Cashflow. Her husband had encouraged her to partake as a guinea pig of the creator to determine loopholes in the game. It was the answer she was looking for.

In life, there are 3 types of education, according to Robert Kiyosaki, there's:
1. ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE - this is gained in school as we were taught of how to read and write, add and subtract, basically, the fundamentals that we need.

2. PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE - this is the specialty you gain when you finish as a bachelor. When you pursue further knowledge in a certain subject, and you become an expert out of it, the knowledge that you gained falls here.

3. FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE is an understanding of the knowledge that you need to obtain to keep and maintain a lifelong security in terms of finances. This is the knowledge that only life and experience can teach. If you'd notice it, this type cannot be learned in school. Or in school alone for that matter.

You might ask, economics is being taught in school. Correct. But, it doesn't actually give you such awareness of why you should buy assets instead of gadgets and what are the reasons behind the huge gap between the poor and the upper rich. Moreover, it doesn't teach you what the basic laws of money are in which the secrets of the rich revolve in.

Well, here's an education made fun! The objective of the game is to get out of the rat race and experience how being an investor feels like theoretically.

What does it mean when I say, get out of the rat race !

If you'd look at the diagram on the left, a rat never stops running on the wheel. If I'd put a stationary cheese affront, the more it'd run like crazy. You, seeing the situation outside the box, know that the rat can never get the cheese. Now, let's have an open mind as I compare the majority of the working force to it.

An employed citizen goes to work, doing his best to keep his job and if possible doing extensive work to earn extra or to get a promotion. When he gets home, his day ends there and his earning power also stops. Meaning, when he doesn't work, he doesn't earn. He thinks that some changes will happen once he gets promoted but actually, it's just putting you to a bigger wheel for another longer race that just makes you more tied up and disables you to attaining financial freedom.

Now, let's look at what financial freedom means.

A T. Harv Eker Quote defined financial freedom simply as the "ability to live the lifestyle you desire without working or relying on anybody for money to sustain it". Who wouldn't want that?

So in order to win the game, Cashflow emphasises the importance of saving, earning passive income (income other than your current job), investing and reinvesting. It even follows an income statement wherein after you choose your random job, you have to balance out your income with your expenditures. There are some elements of surprise where you get a baby, you get laid off and a lot more. Now, a lot of us are in denial that we need some financial education. Well, in general, in order to resolve a problem is admitting that you have one. Answer the question in this diagram and you'd know what I'm saying.

Get out of it fast!

Well, this diagram actually shows a person who's tied up with his job for 40 years. His day pretty much goes about the same. He goes to work, then comes home and then watches TV for entertainment. Would you want to live such boring lifestyle? Of course not!

At first, learning the mechanics of the game was a work up. But as I played CASHFLOW 101 over and over, I tried to adopt some of the game's principles to win, into my own real life. And I never realised that I'd be bored with the mere fact of landing on to collecting my paycheck after knowing how to earn passive income in the game. When we started, nobody could get out of the rat race. Now, one of my friends can actually get out of the game in 20 minutes.

The beauty of it is that you can get out of the game anytime if you have to do something. And then just list down your investments and money at hand then just continue it whenever. It doesn't matter where your rat is at because it's just basically landing on the same thing again anyway. It is indeed a very smart game because the tool being used as per financial statement can even be used in real life.

For the people who are aiming to achieving financial freedom, you might want to give this a try. It is worth of your time and it will teach you a lot.

Financial statement being used in the game

Related posts:

1. A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL STOCK INVESTING WITH THE EIP COL EASY INVESTMENT PROGRAM - interested in buying stocks in the Philippines? Here's the broker, COL Financial, ready to cater and give you the best advices and deals.

2. 10 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HONG KONG - Here are some of the advantages Hong Kong has that's why it's best to invest here.

3. RICH DAD POOR DAD - was written by Robert Kiosaki who also was the creator of the game, Cashflow.

CELEBRITY STUDDED SESAME STREET VIDEOS

One of the beautiful things internet can do is that it makes virtual lessons handy. When you're a working mom, it's a continuous challenge to juggle responsibilities at work and at home altogether. There's no indication as to who is better, a mom that works or a mom that stays home because let's face it, it's not about "us". But it's about the kids that we raise. And from a working mom's perspective, I find these educational Sesame Street videos handy and lively, as far as animation and element of music is concerned. Not just that, I enjoy watching them myself without that much guilt of not putting too much effort when it comes to teaching my daughter. We both love sitting down together as our special way of bonding, singing along with these celebrities as they put fun stuff to learn in their craft. Here are some of both I and my daughter's favourites.

1. ALICIA KEYS with Elmo - If I haven't mentioned before, I love the soulful attack of her music. I'm surprised that when I played this to my daughter, she literally stopped what she was doing and made time to listen to her voice. Like mom, like daughter I guess.

2. INDIA ARIE  with Elmo - I feel blissful whenever I hear India Arie sing and so does my little one as she plays with ABC notes with Elmo. I find that her clothes are colorful too so both the senses of hearing and vision, there she captures.

3. FEIST singing thru from number 1 to 4 - My daughter seems to have a special ear for a good voice. Here's another favourite of hers as Feist's voice doesn't just soothe the blues but also makes monsters seem cute. Hahaha!

4. USHER - singing ABC's this way will surely make mornings with your little ones revved up just like how my mornings are with my little ball of energy. The power of repetition should never be underestimated for my daughter somewhat does some of the moves of USHER in this video now that she's able to walk on her own. You may also find it benefiting for an early morning workout starter. Let's dance it all out with this next video!

5. JASON MRAZ - My daughter is also fond of hearing the guitar strings since I play the guitar to her whenever I can. So, this is a video where she truly appreciates the song by clapping on her own, along with the kids at the end. I love how this song encourages kids to play outside thru its lyrics as people nowadays are just hooked to gadgets forgetting how to have fun by interacting with others.

6. BRUNO MARS - In addition to the playlist you currently might be putting up for your kid, don't forget to include this empowering song by a much younger looking Bruno Mars. My baby girl learned to do head-turning because of this video. It looks so funny at first. One of the most precious moments I have in my mind about her.

7. ED SHEERAN - as a rising star, Ed Sheeran is known for a unique work. See how he sings about the difference about schooling and staying home. My daughter and I anticipates the part where they all sing, "at ho-ho-Uh-oh-oh-o-o-ohme we go! to schoo-u-u-u-ool, we go!!!!" We love it!

8. JANELLE MONAE - singing the "Power of Yet" with kids makes my daughter swing from left to right because she thinks their moves and second voicing sound cool. I believe she literally jumps to the beat this video exudes when played. I honestly just knew of Janelle here. And then I realized her songs are actually unique as well. Truly an artist!

9. WILL.I.AM - one of the youngest artists to ever establish himself independently. He is beyond talented and he is beyond what he seems to be. As his name says, this song is all about embracing an individual's uniqueness.

10. MICHAEL BUBLE - It is imperative to have alternative mellow music in your playlist to keep everything in balance. Kids are like sponges so, it's good to expose them to a variety of music for them to learn the different moods each music suggests. Establishing a perspective is important and for them to determine preferences, it's good for them to know all kinds of music.

I hope you'll have fun with your kids watching these videos. It's an amazing feeling to see how my daughter grows and develops, learning and embracing the alphabet, some numerics, and some other information as I play this continuously almost every day. She is able to appreciate, join and play all at the same time. On the other hand, I get to finish chores, I get to write and I get to enjoy myself as well, watching these with her.

Related posts:
1. 10 THINGS YOU OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT THE WHOLE SHENANIGAN - my list of experiences as I carry and give birth to my half-Samoan baby. THESE ARE WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ARE NOT IN THE BOOK.

2. BABY SHOWER TIDBITS - here are some of the things we did when I had a baby shower that you may find useful in your own.

3. BLAST FROM THE PAST - are you an 80's baby. Check some of the stuff we grew up with that may never be enjoyed by today's generation.

MAMASAN

Looking for a restaurant where you can lounge in style, eat comfortably and is near Hong Kong's best party hubs? Mamasan is the best place to be. Check out its Indonesian food, worthy of its cost and the Balinese decor that perfectly caters to intimate time with your friends or partners.

A couple of months ago, a friend came over for a special event at work and for their last day, they were given free time to explore Hong Kong. We, Hongkies had squeezed time to be able to have a catch up with her. We knew we would have a lot to talk about since we I wasn't able to attend her go away party because I was pregnant by then and it was a fast forward from there. We have that much to share, we needed a serene place that has an ambiance with the perfect lighting and just the right mellow music to set that relaxing mood after they had roamed around the city. Chesney, my visiting friend, had colleagues with her. One of them is visiting Hong Kong for the first time so we needed a place in the city so that they can just jump into having a taste of its nightlife right after. As I mentioned, they came from exploring the ladies' market, the peak and all that so they wanted to have a couple of happy hour drinks for experience right before going for dinner. Since we are in Asia, we all agreed that we should be able to taste Asian cuisine at its finest. Mamasan was incredible that it catered to all of these considerations we have in mind and the good news there was that it even exceeded our expectations.

Mama San's location:1/F, 46 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong

I was coming from work when they informed me of the plans. I thought I was going to have a hard time finding Mamasan but it was just sitting almost beside Solas. It is located in 1/F, 46 Wyndham Street. I'd share the route from taking the MTR since that's what I took. So you take Exit E of the Central Station then you work your way up to Lan Kwai Fong. Take the stairs to Lan Kwai Fong Hotel (facing Hard Rock Cafe, it's on the right side) all the way up then you'll end up exiting to Wyndham Street. Face your 10 o' clock from that stairway and there it is.

I went up and I didn't expect such serene interior. And then as I remember what the word "Mamasan" meant in Japan or East Asia, she is the one responsible for taking care of geishas in a house or a bar and is the one in authority as to how they would be entertaining guests and masters. She trains them to look their best and to be at their best in all occasions. They said the mamasan is the most experienced amongst all women in a geisha house and is usually the responsible one for all credited acts of the women and for their mistakes as well. The young women serve as her reflection.

So, the brainchild behind Bali's success story, Sarong Restaurant, has this in mind while coming up with an idea for Mamasan. Will Meyrick wanted to infuse that Mamasan care in the ambiance, the food and the service that the people would be experiencing hence, the birth of this gem in Hong Kong.

They said Mamasan is a West meets East kind of a diner. They said it's very Western on the outside and Eastern in the inside. Since the West favours taking their time in eating and adores anything authentic and antique, they kept the place minimal and all Balinese in terms of the hues and kept the food interesting, enough to tickle a critique's senses and flavour preferences. I craved for something refreshing and light that evening so I opted for Crispy Salmon with Green Mango and Sweet Fish Sauce. It was beyond the usual green mango salad. It was superbly delicious and the sweet fish sauce had a little kick off with tiny explosive spicy treats. I don't hail spicy food but the chilli in this one was just truly tolerable. I paired it with the house's glass of "Over the Shoulder" White Cahardonnay and all in all, the serving was truly just. Some of us ordered their curry meal and found it good as well and I got to taste the Pad thai looking meal with sautéed beef but I forgot what it's called. But everything was very good. Thank God for Carlie who had thought of this worthy place.

OK, so, as I researched further, here are some of the additional information any of you who plans to visit need to know.

Meal prices start off from HK$100 up, with a decent glass of wine, hk$150 up. They are open daily from 12-3pm, then 6-11pm. It's advisable to place a reservation, since they only can accommodate 90 people at a time, by calling 2881-8901 since it's making a name already both amongst tourists and locals alike. You can also book online by visiting their website, mamasanhongkong.com .  No corkage fee if you want to bring your own wine, they do cake-cutting upon request, and 10% service charge is billed every visit. This is according to openrice.com. In terms of payment method, no EPS is honoured, just cash or using your credit card (Visa, Mastercard, AE, Union Pay).

I would rate this restau with 4 stars over 5. The prices are sensible considering a great amount of serving. Though we were very curious as a HK1 dollar donation was specifically included in the bill. One of us asked the waitress what's it for but they can't specify as to where it will go. It was unclear to us also that if it's supposed to be a donation, then, it should be voluntary but it's there imposed right there on the receipt, just above the 10% service charge. We wouldn't mind it actually but that was just unclear to us.

The taste of the food will make me go back definitely and this is a good pick if you are with friends who have varied preferences. There's a vegetarian menu and everything is categorised according to which kind of meat there is in each viand. For more details, check out the suggested websites featured in this post. Enjoy the fabulous Mamasan Restaurant!

Related posts:
1. ALCHEMY - a posh cocktail house that you should definitely put in your list for a quick happy hour before hitting the streets of Lan Kwai Fong.

2. RUBY TUESDAY - looking for an authentic American restaurant? This is it! Click for its location!

3. AFFORDABLE FOOD IN HONG KONG THAT WILL SURELY MAKE YOU COME BACK FOR MORE - traveling to Hong Kong in a budget? Here's a list of cheap but good picks.

BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER!

Summer is here! The season of no school, holiday trips and more time to start an adventure. And I would like to share to you a line of activities that you may find exciting, worth it of your time and are just perfect for the season!

1. BRICK BUY BRICK FREE SEMINAR

Yes, you heard it right, it's for FREE. Robert Kiosaki's team is here in Hong Kong from June 28 - July 2 (today) to conduct a free seminar about the do's and don't's of investing on properties. You might be wondering why I had put this here when it's supposed to be all fun activities only. Well, this is for those who are ready to shop for assets (rather than gadgets). The good thing here is it's free. The best thing about it is that you get to be aware of your potential as an investor. You will bring nothing but enthusiasm and an open mind. Today is the last day. So if you have nothing to do, register here and attend the last session at 7pm at Novotel Hotel, in Wan Chai. I had a paradigm shift after attending on one.

2. FROZEN VILLAGE

It is quite an irony that Hong Kong Disneyland had opened a frozen village to share a glimpse of what it's like in Arendelle now that it's summer. But you would need this kind of an escape in beating the heat. Queen Elsa and Princess Anna are preparing for yet another celebration and they would want you to participate in it. Come and experience how snow feels by meeting Olaf, the snowman himself, playing as it melts in your hand and you may even slide down a slope on a sled. Just be early in getting your tickets. As soon as you enter Hong Kong Disneyland this summer, head straight to the frozen village to reserve your tickets for the show and the activities that I mentioned beforehand. Usually, the tickets run out by 11am. I have experienced this myself and my daughter loved everything about it. And she's just 10 months. We didn't get to try the sled because there's a height requirement for kids but overall, she had a magical day. She got to sing with other kids too as a choir in the show in helping out Anna for the party. Find the time to visit since they'll just be here for the entire summer.

I took this when my daughter and I watched the show last week.

3. ENDLESS SUMMER AT THE PULSE

Tired of the usual junk boat trips? Here's a chance to transform your usual kind of party to something unique at The Pulse, in Repulse Bay. For an entrance fee of HK$60/child aged 5-12 and HK$180/adult (which includes a membership and a free meal), it offers another form of a getaway in the city with lively music, bites and booze and an array of colourful water activities. Watch this:

This water carnival is open every Saturday, which had started already, from June 13 until the end of July, from 12nn 'til 8pm. It sits on the Pulse 3rd floor deck, overlooking Repulse Bay's beaches and the rest of its breathtaking views.

4. MAROON 5 CONCERT

The Maroon 5 World Tour 2015, presented by AIA and produced by Live Nation Lushington will be gracing Hong Kong fans of their sought after talent this September 4, 2015, at 8pm in the Asia World Express Arena. The Multi-platinum-selling and Grammy Award winning rock band, has embarked this concert in February in support of their 5th studio album, "V". This album features the Billboard Top 10 smash hit, "Maps", and their hit single, "Animals". "Maps", which Rolling Stone declares "a stomping, funk-soul-gospel breakdown," quickly reinforced the group's status as a powerhouse in popular music, setting a record for the highest debut by a group on Top 40 radio charts in 18 years. Latest smash hit "Sugar" is exploding and has become the band's eighth #1 song in the USA.

Special guest on all shows is Swedish trio, DIRTY LOOPS. Formed in 2008, while attending the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, the band's big break came when their version of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" became an overnight viral sensation. They followed it up with creative covers of pop songs by Justin Bieber, Adele, Rihanna, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. 

Maroon 5 is bringing this massive world tour to 58 cities worldwide. Loyal fans from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines have shown enormous support to the band's highly-anticipated tour since announcements in early April. Hong Kong fans will get their chance to rock with Maroon 5 in September as well.

For additional information, visit this links:

http:// www.maroon5.com 

http:// www.facebook.com/maroon5 

http:// www.twitter.com/maroon5  

5. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

In celebration of its 20th anniversary on the stage, Disney's Beauty and the Beast is visiting Venetian for the first time and will run until end of July to bring forth a musical based on the acclaimed 1991 Academy Award winning movie.

Beauty and the beast is a story about a young girl, owning a provincial life and a prince who is trapped by an enchanted spell. He was transformed into a hideous beast in which he could go back from once he knows how to love and be loved. But time is running out. If he won't be able to find love he and his household will remain casted of the spell forever

With director Rob Roth and choreographer , Matt West, this 13 year old broadway musical  would be uniting the show's original Broadway Creative Team to bring back the classic musical to life. The costume designer, Ann Hould-Ward, who is a Tony award winner, because of her work for the movie, has also participated in this project.

The musical will be in English but sufficed with Chinese subtitles. For more information, visit these official websites:

www.venetianmacao.com
www.hkticketing.com

6. LEARNING FIRST AID FOR KIDS

Related posts:

1. RICH DAD POOR DAD - a post of what I learned from one of the 21st century's best books.
2. NO TEARS THIS THURSDAY, GET INSPIRED INSTEAD - a post about outstanding Filipinos who continuously inspire me everyday with their great talent and humility.
3. HOUSE OF DANCING WATER - City of Dreams, Macau presents a show featuring the powerful element of water, an astounding choreography combined with a flow of fantasy. Click to read about my experience being in this visual theatre.

PARADIGM SHIFT

It is beyond our own comprehension

exactly when and how enlightenment happens.

Simplifying what "enlightenment" means, it is the act of becoming aware of something. It could be of knowledge, discovery, existence and emotion. Awareness is the key to gauge how wide somebody's perception of something is and usually, this is the most essential factor that feeds the conscious mind impregnating it with a realisation. And just before a change is about to occur, there's a fine line that gets crossed. With respect to such realisation, I would name this process a "paradigm shift".

Halfway thru 2015, a paradigm shift concerning 3 important discoveries of the human race happened to me:

1. TIME

The actual moment time was discovered, and as to how, remains a mystery. Being considered the 4th spatial dimension, it's very hard for philosophers, scientists and analysts to pinpoint its exact beginning. There are times that its beginning is described as when men got "enlightened", some uses the past, present and the future and some measure it according to how the moon changes. Hence, the usage of hours, months, years, decades and centuries. I am very sure time had existed way before men did and I know that time never waits for nobody. I've always mentioned in my posts that time is the only thing that's constant in this world. It's because I never really appreciated the concept of time because for me it's the greatest thief. 

I never wouldn't want to dwell with a negative understanding of time. In my pursuit to work my way around it, I had found out that TIME is the most essential gift you can give somebody for it is a commodity that you can never take back. Because of that fact, I realised how precious it is. So, I had a phase in my life that my concept of time was so limited that I keep on convincing myself that it's just really how it is. That I just have to make the most out of it. Y.O.L.O. ("You only live once") if I may label it so, as this is the trend nowadays and it can be easily put this way. I strived to be in the present. Every single time! It's not bad at all. Actually, I believe, this is the secret to a happy life. And then I gave birth to my daughter that countered time's constant power. She made time stand still.

I admit, I wanted to defy time because of my daughter. I had that great desire to destroy it. I even prayed as of how I can make it happen. 6 months of silence. Honestly, I was desperate for about half a year. My throat constricts thinking that no matter what I do, I am at the losing end. I knew I had prayed wrongly because every effort that I made to make this goal happen, never did me good nor was it near to getting accomplished. Then I prayed back to God, and asked, empower me to make your plans happen within the time You would be giving me. Then I saw a sign.

A free seminar was shared by Ela Lisondra, a Filipina gracing the West End with her talent as one of Miss Saigon's cast at the present. This seminar is called Brick Buy Brick (Click Brick Buy Brick if you'd like to schedule and attend a free session). One of Robert Kiosaki's introduction to his Rich Dad Poor Dad Education Series focusing on investing in real estate. One thing that I learned from there is that your mind, is the greatest tool you could ever make use of and that time is your greatest asset. From there, I realised I can work with time for my own advantage. I didn't quite comprehend at first when he said the best asset you could have is TIME. It made me more confused. But then I went back from the beginning and assessed my perception, now infusing everything that I learned from the free seminar, and there it was, a paradigm shift happened.

Let me start with one of the greatest lessons Robert Kiosaki's book had taught me, the difference between assets and liabilities. Assets being anything that puts money in my pocket and liabilities taking out money from the pocket. So, with that given definition, how can TIME become an ASSET? When all it does was just pass by? It doesn't put money in my pocket alone.

But since the shift happened, I understand that TIME, if used wisely in the beginning, may give you timeless rewards. You may find that statement quite weirdly formed but if combined with patience, it may buy you more time. It sounds bull shit perhaps by now since, you cannot make a day extend to another hour, making it 25 hours.

Picture your typical day. How many hours do you allot at work? I bet it's lesser than the leisure hours you normally have. Sometimes you go for an over time, or a 6th day work, compromising your weekend that instead of spending that precious time with your family, you'd go for it just to be able to keep up with your expenses. After the financial literacy from the seminar, I came to realise that saving early could buy me more time of not working and instead, spending that much time with my loved ones. This is what we call financial freedom. So, understanding the beauty of it made me look at TIME differently.

It all boils down to that saying, "Pay now, play later. Play now, you pay later." You may not be able to make your life here on earth longer. Even the best magician could never find that elixir of life just yet.   But you can take advantage of time by using it simultaneously with saving.

2. SAVE

With all honesty, who amongst you feel too obligated to save that they don't do it? I, for one, am a victim of instant gratification. Short term happiness sometimes outweigh what I know should be done because I feel like I owe it to myself every pay day as a form of reward. In the end, I always feel guilty for spending too much and then I'll just go back to convincing myself again that I deserve it and that I wouldn't be able to bring the money in my graveyard anyway. I usually think of saving as something that deprives me of what makes me happy at the moment. And this was pretty much the same time when I was doing YOLO with my time. Same paradigm shift happened when my biggest REASON for doing this was born. My daughter.

You know when they say that it's all different as soon as you have a kid? Pretty much, it's true. It's the maturity of the mind that comes along with the package. You don't want to just live out your life however you want to because somebody is actually looking at "everything" that you do. And, they always copy "everything" that you do, you can't afford to make a mistake. If before all I had purposely done was collect shoes and bags, now, I squeeze my mind into how I can save more to aid my daughter in having a new start. What does that mean?

This may sound morbid but all of us aren't exempted from dying. Of course, you don't want to leave debts nor the responsibility of your own death, for that matter, to the remaining ones. We can't deny the fact that death can happen anytime. With that existing credit card you got? If you die this instant, then your family will have to deal with it. And if that will happen, the coffin you're going to lie in or the urn where you want to be kept in, who's going to pay for that? Let's say these living people got savings, they would have to get it out to pay for everything I said YOU left. So, in my case, my daughter isn't even one. Do I want her to have an underlying debt already? Of course not!!! I want her to have enough funds to start her own life and not deal with a part of mine. She should be able to start anew using her own money. I hope I made sense.

You see, I grew up that the bank can help you save your money. In fact, it helps you to keep your money safe. Little did I know, it actually makes you lose a lot of money. It's not good to save your money in the bank nowadays and to answer the expected WHY from you, I need to present to you the amount of interest the bank gives you. It's usually 0.1% to 1% only per annum. On the other hand, inflation rate in Hong Kong as of May 2015 is at 3%. That simply makes you lose the worth of your money by 2%. Depending on many factors, inflation is always going to be volatile. It can be from -3% where the country's monetary exchange is doing great to a whopping 16% inflation rate when there's global crisis. Check out this diagram.

If you'd look closely, the worth of $20 in 1998 can buy you that much but in 2005 and in 2013, it constantly gave lesser goods. Ladies and gentlemen, this is exactly what inflation is all about and it worsens as time goes by. The value of money depreciates greatly and it's a very sad news. In addition, this will happen to your money as it gets saved in the bank alone. So as I have said earlier, saving "the right way" is the key. How do we do that? By taking advantage of COMPOUNDING INTEREST.

3. COMPOUNDING INTEREST

I never knew the power of compounding interest but it was already happening with my credit card. Let's look at what Albert Einstein had to say about it.

"Compound Interest is the 8th wonder of the world.

He who understands it, earns it.... he who doesn't, pays it!"

This had made me upset because for 8 years that I'm having a stable good paying income, I am paying a compounding interest because of my credit card. It is good that I'm not holding a personal one anymore right now. My husband and I just have one for booking important stuff. And we consult each other in using it. But to share to those who usually swipes it for buying "wants" instead of "needs", beware of the compounding interest that comes with it. Don't just settle the minimum payment highlighted in your credit card bill. Since this is how credit card companies earn, they'd always give irresistible deals for you to use your credit card when you were not planning of doing so. The thing is, it boosts your confidence when you actually paid at least the minimum amount because you feel less guilty. Paying the minimum due makes you think you have followed an effective budget. You are settled into waiting for the next bill and you'll be ok. But actually, it's pulling you down the quick sand. Before you know it, the principal amount you have borrowed before had been imposed of an interest and 6 months after, the initial principal amount + interest had regained some interest again.

For example:

You saw a 1,000 worth of shoes. Let's say your credit card's monthly interest rate is 10%. So, if let's say your extra income (shopping money supposedly) was just 200 but you liked the shoes so you used your card for it, you would end up paying only the minimum because there's no way you can pay it in full with just a 200 worth of shopping money.

1,000 x 0.10 = 1100             1st month
1100 x 0.10  = 1210             2nd month
1210 x 0.10  = 1331             3rd month

But your minimum pay will still be the same. So if you'd only pay the minimum every time, the interest will compound until you are just paying the interest, which the first interest + principal had earned. With that being said, we will get to understand the definition WIKIPEDIA had for a "compound interest".

1. "Compound interest
   is interest added to the principal of a deposit or loan

   so that the added interest
   also earns interest from then on.

   This addition of interest to the principal is called compounding."

Having credit card bills means only one thing. I'm sorry to break it off to you my friend but, YOU HAVE AN EXISTING LOAN. Now, that's not bad. Depending on the loan that you took, it may be at your own advantage or own grave. I won't be tackling here the advantage of having a good debt with bad debt but I am going to present to you how driven I felt to impose a paradigm shift with how compounding interest would be acquired when I had an idea of putting it in "savings". Imagine if that compounding interest would be put into your savings. Now that's a different story.

Now let's put all three together.

Before, I thought, time is actually a cheater, that savings actually deprives me from living life and compounding interest to be such a culprit to financial freedom (when actually, it is the key). As soon as I realised, a paradigm shift had happened, it empowered me to pursue saving up because of my daughter. I continuously find insurance companies of its lifetime savings plan which offer a percentage greater than the inflation rate to make my money grow over time that even if I sleep, it's earning than just letting it sit in the bank. Finding out that the secret to all of this is "to start early", time actually may work into your own advantage once you find out the secret. Now I'm in no 20's, but I believe it's not too late for me to do it for my daughter who is not even one. Now that I'm going to my second year of marriage, I am thankful that a light had shone on me as I keep retirement and my kid's education in mind.... my daughter's sake, as a matter of fact. She is my biggest WHY behind investing NOW. I'll see you in the other side as you figure out yours, YOUR OWN BIGGEST WHY .

Relate posts:

1. HOW FINANCIALLY HEALTHY ARE YOU? - 6 Steps that could help you assess your financial status.

2. A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL STOCK INVESTING WITH THE EIP COL EASY INVESTMENT PROGRAM - the most affordable way to owning mutual funds thru stocks and bonds

3. RICH DAD, POOR DAD - why this is one of the best books ever written about money in the 21st century

LEFT BRAIN VS RIGHT BRAIN

USHUM MUSHU

Hogan and I were just "voluntears" (Disney's way of calling their volunteers)
2008

Mushu Cheerleading, 2012

Team MUSHU, established in 2008, had been performing very well for the past 3 years in the annual Dragon Boat Festivities both here in Hong Kong and in Singapore. My husband and I had participated in our own right since we knew of the team from work. (I started as a cheerleader, then paddled finally in 2013 but got knocked up so he continued with the legacy alone. LOL!) Yes, you read it right. The team was established from the workplace and besides having the common thing, being champions in paddling, you need to know that TEAM MUSHU is "ushum" (awesome) also as performers. Little did their opponents know, paddling is just an extracurricular activity to them.

Each member of the team are trained and honed to possess special skills that no other competitor, (I'm sure) could own because some of them had been starting since they were 8. The team is composed of dancing athletes, special skill performers and gymnasts that as tough as they may seem, they own a special kind of flexibility... may it be physical or psychological.

Awarding Ceremonies, Discovery Bay Plaza
2009

What does that mean? Majority of the paddlers are parade dancers. Meaning, rain or shine, under a chilly or very hot weather, they do what they do best. And I have to give emphasis on "performing". Despite all these forces of nature, they remain real in aiming to give out world class entertainment  And speaking of forces of nature, some of them eat fire... literally. You would understand what I'm saying if you have seen the Lion King Show. In addition, some of them perform as aerialists, uhm.... they defy gravity more or less everyday, 4 times a day if they get lucky. So, it's really hard to pinpoint the ulterior reason behind every gold this USHUM team gets. Definitely not just luck.

Training with the USHUM MUSHU's, 2013

Beyond the expected physical talents they own, they possess the mindset, the right attitude and one heart in battling out there with veteran racers who had been there way before 2008. Today, it is yet again to be proven in one of the most sought after Dragon Boat Race events, the Discovery Bay Dragon Boat Race, how Team Mushu unites with one common goal, TO WIN.

My daughter and I are on our way to support my husband and the rest of the crew at Discovery Pier. If any of you would like to witness the fun come join us. There would be a special performance by the cheering squad as well late in the afternoon before the announcement of winners would be done  Location: DBAY PLAZA

MUSHU's in Singapore
Men's team, Silver - Women's Team, Gold
DBS Marina Regatta 2015

Related posts:
1. BEING PART OF THE TEAM MUSHU - this is one of my happiest times indeed
2. ARIEL REONAL - a sublime theatre actor of Miss Saigon that graced Team Mushu with his talent and commitment for paddling.
3. HOMEBAKERS TURNED ENTREPRENEURS - another trait of TEAM MUSHU is that they are creative and are business minded. See what some of them do and make.

RICH DAD POOR DAD

"The antidote to fear is knowledge."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

You may be indecisive in making your chess pieces move when it comes to investments. But deep inside, you know you need to do this. Let me break it up to you. The best investment you could ever do, is to invest in yourself. There are a lot of tools that are ready for us to choose from. There are mutual funds, stocks, insurances. But like any other tool, it's always smart to get hold of the teaching manual. Here is a book that is best for you to start with.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is a book about a man who was trained to understand how to make money work for him at a very young age.  The good news is, he is not hesitant at all to share the secret of the rich people since he aims to financially educate as many as he can. The rest of the details is up for you to discover but for my #fabfindFriday, I recommend this to all adults who are wary of what are the fundamentals in becoming financially literate. In this book lies a great driving force that is empowering enough for you to be confident in taking responsibility of your finances and that is the knowledge that you didn't realise you needed from Day 1.

Let me tell you something about the author, Robert Kiosaki is an entrepreneur, investor, financial advisor, financial literacy activist, radio personality and is a financial c
ommentator on Yahoo. He's basically a millionaire, a financial advisor turned spiritual, that encourages everybody to wake up and be able to manage life's most in demand form of security, MONEY.

Robert Kiosaki,
a 4th generation Japanese American
that was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii

Things I learned in this book:

1. The difference between assets and liabilities. - Very very important piece of information. Why? Besides your job that brings in cash flow every month, earning while you're sleeping puts more excitement to it. You see, assets, being anything that puts money in your pocket, are now my aim. I would have to say this to myself every time I am in a shopping dilemma, whether what I am about to buy is need or a want, "Buy assets, not gadgets." Liabilities, on the other hand, are those that take money "out" of your pocket. Usually, having a house, purchasing a car and hoarding on jewelries are treated as an investment, after reading this book, rethink again. Because for all you know, maybe the mortgage for the house, the registration plus gas plus parking space (if you're in HK is much more expensive than rent) for the car and depreciating jewelries (such as diamonds) maybe just fall into under liabilities.

2. The equation: 

Salary - Savings = Expenses

Any book about financial education would present this golden rule. It is the holy grail of "staying" rich. We have to remember that our hard earned salary are due to us being hard working. So why not pay yourself first (put away something for your investments, assets and retirement) then consider the expenses. Change your usual way of paying the bills first before paying yourself. Try it for a year and you'll be surprised with the outcome. In addition, don't save to just get it as it matures. Go for savings plans that would earn you interest more than the bank and more than the inflation rate. You would understand what I'm saying more if you read this book.

3. That money can buy happiness.

I realised that that statement actually is true after all because the way it's being used, money is just a tool. It didn't say Money is happiness. Money ables you to meet ends.

Every month, there are bills to pay. Whether you are rich or poor you have monthly expenses. Imagine if these bills would pile up let's say 3 months. I doubt it if you're not going to be stressed out because you cannot pay. Make it pile for 6 months, I don't think you'd be able to go out of your house, you feel so ashamed to show your face. Make it a year, I think that's one of the reasons people commit suicide. And if you die, with that much debt, do you think the ones who are still living would be happy? Let's say your family? That they had to deal with what you left? Ladies and gentlemen, there's nobody exempted from dying. It is just right for you to be ready with things that are out of our control. Shit happens. Divorce, Death and Downsizing, which means before you get too comfortable, you should be open to the fact that you can't be assured of having the job that you have now FOREVER. So, why not make money work for you in the sense that it secures your monthly needs? How long would you be able to afford unemployment keeping up with the same lifestyle you have while you still had the job? If your cash-flow is greater than that of your monthly expenses, then you are one step closer to financial freedom. So to those that disagrees with me, that money can buy happiness, perhaps you don't know how to use money wisely and as to how it's supposed to be used.

4. Truly rich means being able to give.

Donation jars take approximately
1 and a half year before getting filled up each time.

I also know a Philippine evangelist named Bo Sanchez and I continuously keep myself abreast of his teachings. I got hold of his advocacy in imparting financial education to the Filipinos, most specifically to the masses, to eradicate the habit of crab mentality and to help out the poor and the middle class to attain richness. He is an evangelist turned financial advocate while Robert Kiosaki is a financial advocate turned spiritual. Meaning, for the truly rich men, they understand that there's no contentment in being rich alone, in having so much money yet, living without purpose. If you are able to help other people and if you are able to make them become responsible of their own riches, then, there lies the reality behind being "truly" rich. There's no point in keeping the knowledge about investments and the advantage in having passive income a secret. With that being said, there's no point in staying financially ignorant too. So, as you pay it forward, enlightenment happens.

5. Choose your friends wisely.

With that much enlightenment, you would be excited every day every night to start what you think you should've started doing already a year ago, a couple of years ago, or 8 years ago (in my case) and you'll start talking about it nonstop. You get so driven, you want as much friends, loved ones and family to get enlightened at the same time. Don't take this against me but I realised it's not that easy to share what you know because they'd either think that you're a know-it-all or that you've become a worshipper of money. Some closed minded people would even answer, "I don't need anybody to tell me how to save." or "I don't have that much to save because I can't barely make it every month." I tell you, I know a lot of people who dress up so nicely, complete with accessories and the latest gadget to complete their style but their savings are zero. To make it worst, it may be negative since they are living with debts.

Somebody once told me, you would know when a person gets enlightened when that person couldn't stop talking about an idea. I am now blogging a lot of ideas about money because I have been opened up to an affordable, achievable and attainable form of investment and I'd like to impart what I know to my readers. In my experience, encouraging a person to embrace the idea of investing for unexpected situations that may arise anytime (death, divorce, downsizing) is like encouraging somebody to believe in your religion. It's funny but it does feel this way. Some friends who actually got money, love talking about the subject. Because they learn from each other. But for those that actually don't, and are not saving, they find the topic of money rude and disrespectful. You don't have to push the idea. Just find the group that actually has the underlying reason why they're doing this. They wouldn't be there if their aspiration is not as big as yours. Have the information readily available and just cater to those who are ready to do what really works for them.

Check out this book for this is worth your time. Trust me.

Related posts:

1. HOW FINANCIALLY RICH ARE YOU?  - 6 steps on how to assess your financial status.

2. A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL STOCK INVESTING WITH THE EIP COL INVESTING EASY INVESTMENT PROGRAM - a brokerage company that may help Filipinos own some shares of most sought after companies in the Philippines.

3. THE PARABLE OF THE WEEDS - God gave us talents to help us attain richness that would enable us live sufficiently.

A Step by Step Guide to Successful Stock Investing with the EIP COL Easy Investment Program

(To those who wishes to read this in your preferred language, there's a pull down button on the upper left of the site that would cater to your understanding.)

Have you ever dreamed of owning a franchise of Jollibee?
Have you ever dreamed of spending 24/7 with your family
rather than getting employed 24/7?
Are you interested in making your money earn
while you sleep?
You've been wanting to invest but you don't know
with who? where? and how?

My friend, here's a solution if all of these
questions are applicable to you.

START INVESTING YOUR HARD
EARNED MONEY TODAY!
Because if not now, when?
And if not you, who?

One way is to invest in the stock market.

But before you dodge the bullet, fear not, for there's a guide

you could use in learning about stocks as you earn dividends along the way

SAFELY.

Why I emphasised on that?

The reaction of the majority of the people hearing
about investing on stocks? Super scared
with how it operates that they repel from the idea.

I was like that before. But I chose to roll up my sleeves and

know a little about it until I got hooked.

Afterwards, I was thinking that it's not that scary after all. In fact, I have never felt so driven
when it comes to "investing" until I learned
about the Basic Laws of money.
I agree with Edward Lee as he believes

that all of us need to be educated financially.
This way, we would have the advantage of combining

what we know with the single most important commodity in the universe,

TIME.

Last week, I was blessed to be able to attend a seminar that gave me an insight of what I should learn before entering any form of investment. They've taught about how Philippine Stock Market
could help overseas foreign workers to save a portion of their income and make it grow
over time. After understanding how stocks work,
a safe platform by COL Financial Philippines was offered.

"COL Financial Group, Inc. is the leading online stockbroker in the Philippines established in 1999. It aims to be the most trusted wealth-building partner of every Philippine investor by providing value driven, innovative solutions and easily accessible financial tools to help investors achieve their financial goals.

To date, COL is the fastest growing online stockbroker with over 100,000 customers and PHP 55 billion in customer assets. COL is committed to help you build genuine wealth by providing client-focused products and services."

www. colfinancial.com

I have a basic understanding of money that I would like to share to you. Money is a very powerful tool that may aid you in your pursuit of happiness. If you read it carefully, money should be considered the "means" to be happy. It is NOT, per se what will make you happy. Our reason for happiness differ greatly. Mine is to be "truly" rich. And when I say "truly" rich, this means, NOT being wealthy because of money but being wealthy in how many people I've actually helped and empowered to attain financial freedom. As inspired by Edward Lee himself when he gave the talk in the "free" seminar I went to, it's because of his advocacy to help Filipinos to be financially educated, that's why I'm as well, freely giving out this information. Call me a dreamer but I think if every Filipino would take the Basic Laws of Money seriously, the Philippines could also be saved, economically speaking. It's been a long time. I thought with all honesty, Philippine economy is hopeless because of the corruption. But this is our light at the end of the tunnel.

Why is the COL EIP for me?

The COL Easy Investment Program is a convenient and easy investment plan that allows you to build personal wealth in the stock market over a period of time. You no longer need to monitor your investments daily and you can take advantage of the ups and downs of the market by applying the simple strategy of peso-cost averaging.

What is PESO-COST AVERAGING?

PESO-COST Averaging is a time-tested and reliable method of investing that is easy to understand and apply. It is a personal wealth building strategy that involves investing a fixed amount of money to buy shares of stock at regular intervals over a period of time as a passive, long-term investment in the stock market.

When preparing to invest successfully with the COL EIP, ask yourself 4 questions:

1. HOW MUCH DO I WANT TO INVEST (on a regular basis)?

"Our recommended investment amount is 20% of your SAVINGS."

2. HOW OFTEN would I like to invest?

"Choose an interval that you can commit to regularly invest your fixed amount of money - weekly, monthly or quarterly."

Note: There are no penalties if you skip a date, but try to maintain the discipline to invest regularly.

3. HOW LONG would I like to continue my investment plan?

"Tip: The longer your investment plan, the greater your potential returns given the power of compounding."

4. WHAT DO I BUY?

The COL Advantage? Because Peso-Cost Averaging only works when you're invested in good companies, COL provides a Premium Growth Stock List, evaluated by our experienced analysts for you to choose from.

It is imperative to know that Filipino Overseas Workers were placed as the highest contributors to the Philippine's GNP funding it roughly around 21%. Sad to say though, only 1% of that entire 21% are investing. Presented with this data, could you imagine if the other 20% are also investing and are earning while they sleep? I believe there'll be abundance in funds both personally and economically. The investor would gain adequate amount of money (perhaps more) because of the shares bought and since the power of compounding interest is so great, you'd go for long term investing that the Philippines would benefit from its reserves as well. My own personal knowledge is limited that's why COL Financial are putting out youtube videos out there because they believe ignorance of this kind of information is hindering the Filipinos from realising the beauty of investing. Not only that, the beauty of investing EARLY is the key.

Benefits of the EIP:

1. No need to monitor the stock market. Have time for your more important priorities while enjoying the benefits of your COL EIP at the same time.

2. Minimize your risk by investing in the long-term and maximise your potential returns.

3. You only need a small amount of capital to get started. Open a COL EIP account for a minimum investment of P5,0000.

4. All these benefits of a simple and easy reliable investment strategy at the lowest-allowable commission rate of 0.25% of the stock amount purchased.

Get Started!

COL Financial Group, Inc. is the leading online stockbroker in the Philippines established in 1999. It aims to be the most trusted wealth-building partner of every Philippine investor by providing value driven, innovative solutions and easily accessible financial tools to help investors achieve their financial goals.

To date, COL is the fastest growing online stockbroker with over 100,000 customers and PHP 55 billion in customer assets. COL is committed to help you build genuine wealth by providing client-focused products and services.

I would be posting further development in terms of my own investment sans the figures (I claim) I would make. But, if there are stocks that is not worth buying, I'd freely give out the info as given to me as well. For now, I'll establish my COL account first, give it time to earn some and then prove to you readers that it's real. Truth be told, we can all be "truly" rich altogether.

Our Thank God for Financial Literacy Crew with Mr. Edward Lee himself.
Founder and Chairman of COL Financial Philippines
June 4, 2015, Hong Kong

You can leave your comments below if you need clarifications and if you need additional information. The purpose of this post is to educate. To those who know me personally, we have a group called "Thank God for Financial Literacy" that are willing to give effort on how to assist you with further financial education. A couple of our members have already started their accounts and has started trading. Experience wise, it's better to ask those who have it already. Please let us know. There's also a chance for non-Filipinos to join. The potential is limitless. Just have the right mind set and dream with a purpose. God had given us talents and he wants us to use it in its maximum. 

Related posts:
1. HOW FINANCIALLY HEALTHY ARE YOU? - Check your financial status following these 6 steps.


2. HAPPINESS PROJECT - Gretchen Rubin wrote about her journey in pursuing her happiness. Lessons about finances, relationships and self-treatment await.

3. HK Disney Auditions, June 2015 - "Find Your Light". Grab the opportunity.

HK Disney Auditions June, 2015

Related posts:

1. "FIND YOUR LIGHT" - a campaign reaching out to Filipinos that Disney offers world class guest service thru their talents and integrity.
2. "15 THINGS TO GIVE UP"  - don't expect to stay positive if you hold on to anything negative. You want to know what they are? Read on.
3. "DISNEY CALIFORNIA" - Vacation experience by mi familia in Anaheim.

Be Financially Intelligent and Trained

Calling all FILIPINO OFW 'S.

This is indeed a late post but if you're off

and got no commitments made for tomorrow,

come to this conference

that will help you understand a lot

about potential channels for investments.

At the end of the conference,

you'll also gain understanding about

some benefits and perks for being an OFW

as you become members of leading

organizational aids (Philhealth, SSS, Pag-ibig).

For further details, check the poster below.