Choose Real Games



I see and hear people say that they are addicted to games. I've stopped playing months ago. 

I work as a medical representative and most of our time is spent waiting -- waiting for the doctor to arrive, waiting for the doctor to finish treating his patients, waiting for the secretary's go signal and say "coverage." During these waiting time, that normally takes hours, I have seen fellow medreps passing time through playing games on their phones and tablets. Biotix and Candy Crush, to name a few. Even I play those games (Frozen Free Fall was my favorite) while sitting and waiting, or while standing in line during coverage.

But there was a problem. It was addicting. I would find myself playing Frozen Free Fall even while I am not waiting. I would play as soon as I wake up, spending 30 minutes at least, and checking if my friends had given me extra lives. Worse, I would play while having lunch or dinner with my husband (which happens on rare occasions because of busy schedule). I would even play when I get home from work, alternating "lives" with my two kids.

Here is what I realized.

Writing a blog and finishing an episode at Frozen Free Fall are two similar activities, they both give me joy. But writing a blog gives me long-term joy, especially when my friends compliment me for my posts and they tell me that they have applied what they read in my blog. Yesterday, my workmate texted me saying that she has read about the 10/20/70 Abundance Formula which I was telling her about in one of my posts. She says she will apply this budgeting scheme. Also, last night, one of my doctors commended me for my posts.

Finishing an episode at Frozen Free Fall is short-lived joy. When I have completed the tasks, it's game over. 

Play Real Games

Here is what my mentor suggests: Give up playing computer and video games everyday. It will force you to find real games to play.

What is your passion?
That is your game.

Writing is one of my passion. When I was younger, I would find myself writing my experience and telling stories in my diary. I have enrolled in an online mentoring course. It taught me how to write better through blogs. Aside from financial planning, I have also been blogging about my other passion -- charity work through volunteerism and child sponsorship, and I am serving as a writer in our spiritual community called The Feast.

Through my blog, I have taught workmates and doctor friends to invest in the stock market both directly and indirectly. Some of them are now child sponsors and volunteers of World Vision. 

Building close relationship with my kids is another passion. It is a game to me. A very serious, but a simple game. When I spend time with them, I score points. When I drive them to school, I score. When I bring home a simple pasalubong, I score. When I tell them how much I love them, I score big.

While on the Waiting Game

Because I have learned to give up playing games while waiting, I had time to do something else -- actually, many other things.

While waiting, I am able to read a few chapters of a new book, update an old blog post (like this one), write a new post based on a recent learning or experience, check my stocks pottfolio and see what companies can I buy on the next payday, or schedule an agricultural tour. I am organizing one on May 28 at Stevia Farm in Bulacan. Details to follow at a different post. (Shameless plug lolz!)

And yes, just like mostly everyone, you'll catch me chattin on Facebook during idle time. Today, my fellow agri-investors and I discussed about our upcoming meeting over group chat, I exchanged messages with a workmate about our financial dreams and how we will achieve them, to name a few. 

It's All About Priorities

Let me share something I read on Instagram:

 

"Not having enough time is a myth. It's what you choose to do with it."

We all have the same 24 hours each day. The difference is how these 24 hours are spent.

Look for real games to play and make every moment count. Be very blessed!

Loot Bag: Know What 68-Percent Money Is

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68751915@N05/6355404323

Since last week, my workmates and I have been computing, in anticipation (read: excitement), our payback incentives and profit sharing. Personally, for the past ten years that I have been working with my current employer, these are the bonuses I look forward to the most every single year.

Why?

Because combined, it is more than my 13th month bonus.

But then again, that is just the GROSS amount. Deduct 32% tax to get the NET, and all I could do is sigh. Although I am very grateful, 32% is still a lot of money.


There are only two things that we cannot escape from in this lifetime.

1. Death
2. Taxes

As I have mentioned in my previous article, I do not like ordinary money. This is because ordinary income is the income that I work the hardest for and I am allowed to keep the least of because of taxes.

68-Percent Money

The incentives, bonuses, profit sharing, and other forms of a paycheck, which are ordinary income, are what I consider as "68-percent money".

This is mainly because, no matter how much money you earn, the government always takes at least 32 percent of it or more in one way or another. Worse, it goes to the government even before you get your hands on it, which is through witholding tax. And with the remaining amount, tax continues on. You are taxed everytime you earn, spend, save, invest and even when you die. And when you do not have a plan for your money after you die, the government does.

Most of us do not know the difference so we keep on working hard for 68-percent money. There are even some who would go back to school for them to receive a promotion, and a pay raise. Simply put, they work hard, study hard, earn more, and end up paying more and more taxes because they work for 68-percent money.

As what the famous Rich Dad said, "When you get a raise, so does the government." Spending your life working hard for "68-percent money" is not the financially intelligent thing to do.

Think about it.  Look for financial instruments that will give you more income but are taxed less, like investments. And this money grows without you even doing anything. It's money working for you.

Small Investment Success Story - Hospital Shares

It was July 2015 when my husband and I decided to invest in a new hospital that has a great potential. We were able to buy 1,000 shares at Php165/share, payable in 6 months, at 0% interest.

Good deal, yes. But if we grabbed the opportunity in 2014, we could have bought it at only Php100/share, payable in 12 months, at 0% interest at that time.

Lesson learned: Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.

By December 2015, we were able to complete our payments. Come January 2016, we were notified that the price has gone up to Php250/share. Whoa! We were very pleased.

Then just this week, we were informed that price per share is now at Php400 -- and the hospital hasn't even started its operation yet. We cannot be happier!

Our Php165,000 then is now Php400,000 in a matter of 4 months and without us doing anything.

I am sharing this story with you not to brag, but to let you know that anyone can invest. You may think that Php165,000 in 6 months is a lot of money. But this was the time when our bonuses come, and for some, quickly go. While everyone else did Christmas shopping here and there, my husband and I stick with our budget. And we successfully pulled it off! This is our first investment as a couple.

And for a start, you can invest in the TOP 10 Companies in the Philippine Stock Exchange with as little as P2,000 per month through our Select Equities Fund.

Investing is simple, but not easy, as it requires discipline to do it consistently. In the long run, you will realize that the little sacrifices you made will eventually pay off BIG TIME!

When it comes to planning your future, YESTERDAY is always the best time to invest. The next best time is TODAY.


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If you need help with your financial plans and goals, or if you need some hand-holding in your investment journey, feel free to send me an email anytime at jssalandanan@gmail.com.


Be very blessed!

Find A Strong Emotional Why

Today, over lunch, my workmates and I were discussing about the changes that are bound to happen within our division in the coming semester, which will be announced (read: Surprise!) during our midyear conference in a couple of weeks. These changes have been happening so very often that the saying "change is the only constant thing" can be taken literally!

Working in a pharmaceutical company, these changes may mean a new territory to manage, new products to promote, new set of doctors to target, new supervisor and district mates, and probably even a new quota in the middle of the year. This would mean that the results of hard work that you did or did not do during the first semester may be beneficial or harmful to the person who will be taking your place, respectively. As one of my Bosses would say, "This is a vicious cycle."


Recently, I have started reading the book Retire Young, Retire Rich by Robert Kiyosaki of the Rich Dad Poor Dad fame. It made me realize that I need to plan my retirement now, and not when I am sixty-five. I need a better plan since I do not want to spend my life working hard just to pay the bills. And this plan is not just a back-up plan. It is a plan that I must execute so that when an announcement of an unfavorable change in the company is bound to happen, I can just pack my things and file my resignation.


To be able to do this, I need a strong why I am planning my retirement now. I believe that the how would be easy as long as my why would be strong enough to keep me going when the road gets tough in reaching my goal. 

When willpower is not enough, the WHYPOWER will do it. Here is my list:

1. I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck. Although I am well-compensated and with various perks, the money would just come and simply go. I have been working for years, but zero investments and zero savings at most times. 

2. I still live with my parents. And they take care of our very young kids while my husband and I work. I want my parents to experience a comfortable life. 

3. My husband is currently a second year surgery resident on training at a regional government hospital. He works from 7am to 9pm on average days, and stays in the hospital for at least 24 hours every 3 days. If I am not employed, I would have more time to take care of him. 

4. God made us for a purpose. Purpose is where our potential and our passion meet. My passion is writing and talking to people about money. My potential is also in the financial services. I would want to believe that empowering more Filipinos financially is my purpose, and one way of me living out my purpose is through this blog. And when we live out our purpose, we become a blessing to others, and it is also through this that God blesses us. And when God blesses us financially, He is using us as a channel to bless others. With God's grace, may this purpose become my profession.

5. I have very young kids, ages 5 and 1. They stay in Tarlac with my parents, while my husband and I stay in Pampanga for work. Although Pampanga is only an hour away, there are days when I have to cover doctors early morning or late at night. I want to be with my kids everyday, have enough energy to be able to play with them, and be able to set my schedule based on their schedule growing up.

Here are my whys. I would want to believe that financial freedom is real and achievable. And I will be sharing my journey in this blog.


What is your emotional why? Share it in the comments below, or you can email me at financialplanningforpinoys@gmail.com. 

Be very blessed!

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