BOLD Partner: Dare to Ask God for the Impossible

Last Sunday, I had the opportunity to serve at the Feast PICC during Talk 3: Partner of the Bold Series. This may be "off" the financial planning topics, but I want to share it with you anyways. After all, the Truly Rich Club not only teaches us how to gain financial wealth, but spiritual abundance as well.

PRAY FOR ME by Bro. Bo Sanchez

Bro. Bo Sanchez began his talk with the story of the Pope always saying “Pray for Me” during his visit in the Philippines last week. Wondering why the Pope needs to ask us this when he is like the right hand of God, Bro. Bo busted myths about intercession below.

MYTHS ABOUT INTERCESSION

1.       You ask other people to pray for you because you cannot go directly to God.

In the same way that you cannot ask someone to exercise for you, you cannot ask someone to pray for you while you do nothing. You do not ask people to pray for you so that you don’t pray anymore.

2.       Intercession is not a signature campaign.

Prayer does not change God’s mind, prayer changes our mind. Intercession does not increase the generosity of God because God is already generous. Intercession increases the receptivity of the receiver. The problem is our receptivity. The willingness of God as a giver to give is already established since the history of the world began. The problem is our willingness to receive. Sometimes our faith is not enough to receive the blessings that is already there.

 

Intercession gives two gifts. The first is we receive more faith. When people pray with us, our faith opens up. Our eyes open to see the blessing.

 

The second gift is that we receive more love. Prayer is love. And love is the most powerful force in the universe. When people pray for you, your heart is filled with love. And when your heart is filled with love, your life opens up to the blessings, abundance and miracles of God.

 

When we pray for each other, something magical happens that we receive more faith and we receive more love.

Bro. Bo also shared his three battalions of intercessors.

1.       The intercession ministry headed by his mother who fasted and prayed for Bo and the community every Friday evening.

2.       The Carmelite contemplative nuns in Cebu who knew everything about Bo through handwritten letters that his mother sent the nuns.

3.       Bro. Bo prays to Mama Mary to pray for him. He also prays to St. Benedict who is his Feast saint, to St. Francis because Bo is a fan, and to St. Ignatius of Loyola because he studied in a Jesuit school. He prays to all these saints to pray for him. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, Bro. Bo feels that his father and mother are praying for me and sending him their love.

Every day, Bro. Bo prays for us as our spiritual leader. And like the Pope, he is asking us to pray for him.

Begin 2015 With A Strong Emotional Why

  



 

Photo credit: World Vision Philippines

A New Year, A New You

Happy 2015!

As one of my mentor says, the purpose of the new year is not to have a new year. The purpose of the new year is to have a NEW YOU. Unlike before, you will now think of the plans of God in your life, your hands will now do the work of God, your feet will  now be firm and certain of where God wants you to go. You will have a new heart that will desire to serve others more.

 

 ⁷ “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"

Matthew 7:7-11

You can change anything in your life as long as you have found your strong emotional why. This is because we make our decisions based on our emotions, not based on logic. If you have found your strong emotional why or hunger, you can achieve whatever it is that you want in life. This hunger is also our deepest desire that God has planted in our hearts.

The Anatomy of an Emotional Why

1. Fantasy

I have imagined myself sponsoring ten kids to school through World Vision every year. That was my fantasy. I imagine receiving ten handwritten letters from these kids and reading their stories. As of today, I have one sponsored child and being a blessing to her has blessed me so much more in return. Imagine how overwhelming it would be if this happens TEN TIMES.

2. Frustration

Last year at work, I was able to achieve my annual sales quota. I almost had a shot of bagging an award that could have enabled me to fulfil my fantasy above. Unfortunately, I lost my chance because of something that was beyond my control. No hard feelings. Honestly, I am still very thankful. I had nothing to lose anyways. But those kids that I could have helped, they were the ones I was thinking of.

Nothing Great Came Easy

With what had happened, I realized that if I received that award and won the cash, sent ten kids to school, it would be that easy. Just like that. But I now think that God has better plans. His plans will always be greater and more beautiful than all of my disappointments.


I know in time I will be able to help more kids. Right now, I do not how yet, but I am sure that with my strong emotional why and trust in God, MY DREAMS WILL COME TRUE.


What is your strong emotional why? Share it in the comments below. Email me anytime at jssalandanan@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

Have a very blessed 2015!

Stop Faking It: Baskets System For People Who Can't Budget



Happy 2015!

As we begin another year, I am sure many of you have included financial improvement as one of your goals for this year. My prayer is that you become consistently aggressive (in a positive way) towards achieving this goal, among others. May 2015 be the year that you would finally save and invest.

Exactly a year ago, we have read and heard about the 52-week money saving challenge. For the "Pinoy version," you start saving Php50 on the first week, Php100 on the second week, Php150 on the third week, until you reach Php2600 on the fifty-second week through increments of Php50 per week. At the end of 2013, you are supposed to have saved Php68,900, as shown in the table below.

At first glance it looks easy. It seems like anyone can do it. I have a friend who tried it, but by October, she had nothing to put inside the piggy bank anymore. Sadly, it was an epic fail.

I believe many have failed in the 52-week money saving challenge that is why I have recently read about the REVERSED 52-week money saving challenge, wherein you begin with the biggest amount at the start of the year. I am not sure about this, but for those who will be trying to do it, I wish you the best of luck.

What is the Real Challenge in Saving and Investing?

All of us want to save -- to be looking at a growing amount in our bank book payday after payday. Unfortunately, we lack the discipline to do this. We often tell ourselves that since we worked hard for that salary, we can spend it in whatever way we can. And that is where the REAL CHALLENGE comes in.

Putting Php50 in one week is easy. If you are paid well, even the Php2,600 for the last week would still be easy. But what if you are a rank and file employee, working for so many years and thought to yourself, "Where did my hard-earned money go?"

Sounds familiar? In my case, yes, most definitely. Two years ago, I experienced my financial rock bottom moment when I became stressed paying off bills month after month. I just felt exhausted working for money. Then I told myself, "I will never be broke again."

The application of this Basket System was the first step  I took that helped me achieve my financial goals.

Most people have probably heard or are currently using the 30/70 Baskets System. Whenever you receive new money, you divide the money into three baskets: Tithes (10 percent) and Investments (20 percent), and live on the rest (70 percent).

But through the Truly Rich Club I have learned the 5W Baskets System, which works better for me.

Everytime money comes in, whether it be my salary, allowance (since I work in the field), incentive and bonuses, income from my small businesses, and commission from another side line, I divide my income according to this basket system.

 

The 5W Baskets System

First, 10 percent is your Worship Fund (Tithe).

Second, 20 percent is your Wealth Fund (Long-term Investments).

Third, 10 percent is your Want Fund (Yes, Splurge!).

Fourth, 10 percent is your Wellness Fund (Short-Term Savings).

Last, 50 percent is your Wallet Fund (Regular Expenses).

 

10 Percent For Your Worship Fund

This, for me, is the best investment. Where can you find an investment that will give you rewards and dividends up to eternity?

When we faithfully tithe, we are not only giving an offering to God, but an offering to our fellowmen as well.

God is using us as a channel of His blessings. God lent us His money for a purpose, and that is to serve and bless many.

Some would often say, "Why will I give this money to the poor? This is MY money. I worked hard for this -- my sweat, my talent, my time -- to earn this."

Now let me ask you this? Who gave you your sweat? Who gave you your talent? Who gave you your time? Who gave you your life?

Everything we have comes from God.

This is how I look at this. God is our BUSINESS PARTNER. And our business partner gave us EVERYTHING we need -- talent, time and resources. And all that HE is asking is 10% of the profit. Will you still deprive God of that?

Last February 2015, I had an opportunity to bless 16,000 attendees of the Feast PICC by sharing how I was blessed by tithing. This is my testimony that we can never out give God in His generosity. Read the full text of my sharing here >>> Generously Blessed by Tithing.

10 Percent For Your Want Fund

I wanted to reward myself accordingly. I do not want to spend out of control to reward myself, but I do not want to feel deprived either. After all, I live by the rule "Pay Yourself First."

For my Want Fund, I opened a BPI E-Prepaid account, which is a debit card that I can even use for online purchases. With it, I can do guiltless shopping.

 

10 Percent For Your Wellness Fund

This is for short-term savings for specific projects. This can be savings for a new house, a new car, expenses for your daughter who will soon be going to college. In my case, it is for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that I am planning to achieve in 5 years (with fingers crossed).

For my Wellness Fund, I joined our company's savings plan where in they deduct a certain amount from my monthly payroll, and place it in all of the employees' savings account. Since the amount is bigger, it yields higher interest compared to your regular savings account. If you are employed, your company may have this same benefit. Or you can open a separate bank account for this.

20 Percent For Your Wealth Fund 

For my Wealth Fund, which is my Retirement Fund, I invest directly in the Philippine stock market. I opened an account with COL Financial, the biggest and largest online stockbroker, and put Php5,000 every month, buying shares of blue chip companies for long-term. I learned how to do this through Bo Sanchez' Truly Rich Club.

I also invested in the stock market indirectly through Insular Life Wealth Assure. It provides protection (insurance) while enhancing yields. I pay an annual premium of Php80,000 for 10 years, invested in the stock market, and I have an estimated PHp15 Million retirement fund when I reach 65.

Since time is our greatest ally in investing, you will get higher returns if you start earlier.

By the way, there is also this exhilarating thing called "SHOPPING" in the stock market. As long term investors, we do this when the market is down and it is way better than shopping at our favourite mall.

Why?

Because there is no traffic, no long lines at the cashier and no feeling of regret when you get home for buying on impulse.

It is buying shares of SMPH or AYALA at a discounted price! Buying shares of these companies make you part-owner of that company. And when you see a lot of people going to these malls, you can tell yourself, "OUR business is good."

How cool is that, right?

Take Your Pick and Choose What Works

You can use the 30/70 Baskets System, or the 5W Baskets System. They are fund allocation systems that you can apply whenever your income arrives. 

You may always use the 52-week money challenge or its reversed version.

At the end of the day, do what suits you best in achieving your financial goals.

  

Do You Think Living on 50% Of Your Income Is Insane?

I can already hear complaints. Yes, this is living way below your means. And yes, it is possible. Remember how much your starting salary was years back? And yet you managed to survive? You have done it before, you can do it again. The key is simple living.


You can let another half month of your hard labor just pass in your hands by shopping and paying off debts, or you can choose to save and invest a portion of it for your future. After all, who wants to work all his lifetime just paying off debts, right? 



P.S. Do you want to learn how to have multiple income streams and not just depend on your salary? As of this writing, I am earning from five other income streams (stocks, small business, affiliate marketing, networking and as a financial advisor) aside from my salary. I learned how to recognize these opportunities when I joined Bo Sanchez' Truly Rich Club. To register, click HERE.


P.S2 Do you want to learn how to invest in the stock market directly with as little as Php5,000? Click HERE.


P.S3 Do you want to invest in the stock market but do not have the time to learn how? Fill out our financial form HERE.

My First Expensive Lunch

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38211812@N07/7419317256

It was March 2013, almost two years ago, when I learned to graduate from my free lunch attitude and paid for my first expensive lunch. It was in the form of a financial seminar organized by the Truly Rich Club that was worth my one month salary NET! I had initial hesitations, but knowing that it will be lead by my mentor Bo Sanchez and his team, I immediately signed up. With my fingers crossed, I told myself, "For sure it will be worth it!

 

You Need the Pain of Paying

Because that seminar was not for free, I put value in the event. It was early December 2012 when I blocked the date on my calendar. I was committed to it because I really wanted to learn. Not only did I put value in the event, but more importantly, I put value on the learnings. After the Wealth Summit, I did research, signed up for this and that, and read more books on financials. I even joined the Facebook group that was inspired by the Wealth Summit.

It was already my personal investment. As they say, pain is the only way you can grow. And paying for my own lunch is painful. But this pain forced me to grow. 

Avoid the free lunch.
Start paying.
Take responsiblity.

By the way, after that seminar, I have learned to recognize the abundant blessings around me through various opportunites. I met new friends who taught me more on stocks, real estate and business. Not only that, since our incentive trip abroad was scheduled during the Wealth Summit, I had the option to avail of the incentive trip money in the form of gift certificates instead -- and it was worth 3x of how much the seminar cost! I felt truly blessed!

There is Hope

As of this writing, I have turned my financial situation around. From being down with debt, broke and living pay check after pay check, I have now created money machines -- paper assets and business. I have a diversified stock market portfolio and earn passive income from five other sources. All these while I keep and earn from my day job!

Friend, right now you may be in debt with growing bills to pay. Or thinking about how your life will be when you retire. Or you may be worrying about your children's college tuition fees. They may want to be lawyers or doctors one day. Do not allow your financial crisis now to deprive you and your loved ones of the life you have been dreaming of.

If I was able to improve my finances, I am sure you could, too. Stop worrying and start recognizing opportunities to earn more. Invest in learning so you would know which investment product is best for you. Grow yourself and then grow your wealth.

And now I am sharing what I have learned with you. If you find this post helpful, please share it to your friends or post your comments below.

P.S. Finally decided to start investing? I would love to assist you. Send me an email at jssalandanan@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon!

Be very blessed!