Monthly Archives: February 2009

How to Teach Kids the Value of Money

Posted by Toni on February 28, 2009 None comments

I grew up in a family where kids were not allowed to have money at an early age.  My dad wanted to make sure first that we understand the value of money and that money is not the most important thing in life.

 

During Christmas when kids were showered by presents and even money as gift, our parents made sure that we turn over our money to them for them to keep it and we can only spend them if the thing that we wanted to buy is worth buying.

 

By age 11 or 12, we were already allowed to manage our own pocket money.  In school though, we were not given much money to spend but food to bring and eat during recess.

 

Teaching us how to be responsible in handling money at an early age was not difficult for our parents because my dad was a good teacher and he explained everything to us in very simple words.  Dad said it is not good for kids to get used to money, money, money… because it sends wrong message to kids on how important money is in life.  Too much money can also introduce kids into indulging into materialistic world and can eventually lead to gambling, drugs and alcohol abuse at an early age.  He said that if kids find money very important, kids learn how to be greedy with money and lose interest in studies.

 

When I used to go to the market with my mom at the very young age of 7, my mom had taught me how important to prioritize on things to buy.  We always go to the food section first.  Of course, I was not allowed to ask for extras like lollies, doughnuts, sweets, toys and the like.  If there will be some money left, mom would usually go to the baker or to the fruit stand to buy some that I and my sibling can share.  We also usually share on small portion of whatever my mom bought for us since we had limited budget.

 

As the third child in the brood of four, I would always be the second-hand user of my older sister’s clothes, school uniforms, bags, shoes, text books, and other things.  Although as a kid I would be happy to have new ones I had no choice but to benefit from the old ones rather than go to school without anything.  My mom said I am still lucky that I have things to use and wear, while there are other kids with nothing.

 

Mom had taught us to be always thankful for what we have and make the most out of it. (Read related article)

 

Indeed, small pieces of lessons and advice we have learned when we were kids would definitely make a big difference on how we handle the situations we are into as grown-ups.

 

I teach the same lessons and values to my kids now.  With regards to money matters I have started to teach my daughter to save coins in her coin bank.  She gets so excited when it’s already time to unload all her savings and buy the things that she wants. 

 

I will always remember the first time she made a $75 savings.  She decided to buy the following:  a 24-pack of nappies, a pair of pink shoes, and a dummy for her baby brother.

How To Be Your Own Boss

Posted by Toni on February 18, 2009 1 comments

This is especially dedicated to all SAHMs (Stay-at-home moms) like me…. 

 

Life in the Philippines as well as in other countries all over the world is getting more difficult with the rising prices of goods/commodities, oil, electricity and other basic necessities.  Most households are looking for ways to earn extra income.

 

The best way to go with this is to come up with the most practical small-time business that will bring in extra income to the family without spending too much on the capital.  Here are some ways to earn extra income while at home:

 

Selling second-hand items.  You can do this at least every quarter of the year or every six months depending on the availability and bulk of the items that you no longer need and use at home.  Items may differ from time to time.  It could be old kitchen wares that you don’t need and use as often as before and you can get away with it.  It could be old clothes that no longer fit you or you just got tired of wearing.  It could be old shoes which still look good or old bags.  You can also sell old books and even magazine with interesting articles in it.

 

Food Catering.  This is not necessarily the big time catering you have in mind.  No, not that.  Some have started with cooking and preparing packed lunch for 10 people in a nearby factory, school, office, shop, etc.  If you are able to do this and are successful in keeping these 10 customers on a daily basis, then you can expand your market by getting more orders.  More customers, more earnings.  You can even add up packed snack for additional earnings.

The way I used to do this business is that I cook my specialty and cater them to my friends or neighbours on special occassions.  Since I was catering on special occassions like birthdays and get-together parties, I used to do this only once or, the most, thrice a month.  In doing this kind of catering, think of a recipe that you have expertise in preparing.  Something new.  Something interesting that would catch others’ attention.  If I knew that an office mate will throw a blow out party on his birthday in the office, I would offer him to order my special Pesto Pasta, or my Carbonara, or baked rigatoni, or native pansit bihon (sauted noodles) or maybe a special buko pandan (coconut-pandan) dessert.    My mom, who is also a good cook, used to do this business inside a residential compound.  She used to cook viands for lunch like menudo (braised pork/beef), chopseuy (mixed vegetables), sinampalukang manok (chicken in sour/tamarind soup) and then cook pansit malabon (noodles with smoked fish sauce) in the afternoon.  She earned about Php100-150 per day. And doing this at the most four days in a week gave her  about Php1,600-2,000 in a month.

 

There are lots of ways on how to do this kind of business.  The most important thing here is that you have the specialty or specialized recipes.  People who are passionate in cooking often succeed in this kind of business.  They start from small time and end up being big time restaurant owners and caterers.

 

Financing or Lending.  I have been doing this for the last seven years.  I started from just Php500 which my office mate loaned from me with the interest of 3%.  This is too small as compared to financing being done by banks, financing companies and even independent business individuals.  The principle in this kind of business is that the bigger your capital, the more people you can lend money to, the more income your money will earn.  However, if you will start with just a small capital, you must be patient enough to roll the money in and out for a longer period of time and see your money grow.

 

If you are contemplating on starting with this business, you MUST take note of these important points. 

 

First , make sure that the borrower is someone known to you and capable of paying the loan.

 

Second, if the borrower is unemployed, make sure that someone in his family who is employed can be his guarantor.  A common friend of yours or a relative can also qualify as guarantor.

 

Third, in keeping up with the abovementioned points, require the borrower to sign a promissory note or a simple loan agreement.  These documents shall mention: the name of the parties, you as the lender and the other person as borrower.  It must also outline the schedule of payment, the amount of installments required and the date of payment.  Don’t forget to have this document signed by you, the borrower and the guarantor if you prefer to have a guarantor.  This document is binding between the parties.  (Email this author for a sample format of promissory note/loan agreement)

 

Fourth, if you are lending a huge amount of money (well, the meaning of the word “huge” will depend on how you define it or how much is huge amount to you) it is advisable to require the borrower to issue a post dated check (PDC) as security.   

 

Buy and Sell.  This is a long time favourite sideline of mine.  I used to do this even when I was still a kid, when I would buy some lollies and re-sell them to my playmates and classmates.  I was inspired by my mother who used to buy items from Divisoria and Quiapo (local market places in Manila, Philippines), and resell them.  Most of the items that she got from the market were pre-ordered by neighbours and friends.  Items vary from bed linens and sheets, clothes, school bags, school notebooks, kitchen wares, and small home appliances like table fan, casette player, rice cooker, etc.  Payments are also on installments and you can impose your preferred interest to suffice your fares, food and a part for your income.

 

Tutoring.  Teaching your neighbours’ kids to do their assignments can also be financially rewarding if you love to teach.  You can post a notice in front of your house that you are accepting tutorial class and the notice shall specify the grade levels you are capable of teaching and/or your specialized subject.

 

Online Job/Business.   There are lots of income earning opportunity online/ via internet.  Many of the sites in the web however that offer income opportunities are scams.  Personally, I have already been scammed by few.  There was even a site where a created a domain name and they kept on charging me $10USD a month from my credit card.  The problem was I had difficulty contacting their admin that there was no way for me to tell them to cancel my business with them.  Finally, I decided to deactivate my credit card.

 

Lessons learned: never ever spend a cent online and don’t expect to earn “too-good-to-be-true” income without you doing anything.  There are lots of sites in the web that offer you regular monthly income which are too promising but you will just end up wasting too much of your time for nothing.

 

The best site that I have ever found in the web is a forum where you can write discussions and members participate by posting their responses to your discussions.  I have been a member of this site for more than a year now.  For those who loves to write and express your opinions, this could be a good opportunity for you to earn extra income monthly, ranging from $10-50USD, depending on how active you are in posting.  I assure you guys that this is the most credible post-to-pay site in the internet.  It doesn’t promise you a fortune, but for Filipinos like us, $10-50USD monthly is a “good money”.  There are lots of Filipinos in this site and most of them are unemployed, students and/or fulltime housewives.  Registration is free.  For inquiries and guidance you can email this author at toni_nakama@yahoo.com.au .  You can also simply leave a comment here and I shall reply to you the soonest possible time.

 

The aforementioned home-based earning ideas will only work if you have all the enthusiasm in the world to strive and work hard to uplift your standard of living.  The best possible way to do these income generating ideas is to do two, three or even four of them simultaneously. 

 

I am a fulltime housewife and I am writing online, doing financing, selling second-hand items, doing buy-and-sell, and doing mystery shopping assignments for survey companies.  Earning about $60-100USD (Php2500-4500) in a month makes me happy; better than nothing.  There are lots of moms at home and even career-moms I know that earn really well just doing these side lines or just concentrating writing articles for online publications like Triond, Helium and Associated Content. 

 

It is true that life is how you make it.  Challenge yourself and be creative.  Be passionate about the things that you love doing and make a living out of it.

Job Interview 101

Posted by Toni on February 15, 2009 None comments

Thanks to my interviewees, two of the most successful women I have known…women of strength, intelligence and dedication in everything they do…

 

One of the most nerve-wracking aspects of finding a job is the job interview.  Newly graduates, most of the times, do not know what to expect. The fact is, the interview by the employer always turns to be the most crucial point of the job application process.  Some employers would take advantage of this personal encounter with the applicant to test how smart or intelligent the applicant is; how determined the applicant is in accepting the responsibilities of the certain position he or she is applying for; as well as how the applicant handles stress or pressure which can be apparently observed during the entire duration of the job interview itself.

 

We gathered some tips from those who have been there and are now considered seniors in their respective field of profession.

 

Be punctual.  “Punctuality is very important.  Arriving few minutes early could make a lot of difference. Time is very expensive.   If you value time most employers would feel respected and they will have the impression that you are a disciplined person.  A good job applicant is someone who is prepared not just to answer the interviewer  but is also ready to take the job. And of course, whatever is written on the resume must be truthful”, says Ms. Jasmin Cajiuat, Midway Media Communications President & General Manager.

 

Be confident and natural.  “If you were to start working at a young age, you should have a lot of self-confidence. Every newly graduate worries about having no experience, bear in mind that everything starts from zero. I personally believe that the years spent in the university and the trainings acquired during college are enough to be considered as basic experience. Consider your job interview as an opportunity to prove your knowledge and skills.  Step out of the traditional question and answer portion. Try to converse naturally by adding a little spice in your answers. 

 

Be specific on the kind of job you are applying for. Most first timers, when asked what kind of job they want would say “anything, whatever position is open”.  This kind of answer turns us managers off.  Employers needs workers that are sure about themselves and are most likely to become an asset rather than a liability to the company”, explains Ms. Cajiuat.

 

According to Ms. Mary Jane Aguinaldo, Owner and Operations Manager of Direct Travel And Tours, “An applicant must focus on what he wants and where he wants to work.  The employer, in the interview, can already assess if the applicant qualifies for the position he is applying for and has the potential to be a part and an asset to the company”.

 

Dress up properly for the interview.  Wear the appropriate clothes; formal or corporate attire. Jeans, rubber shoes, slippers, sandals, sleeveless shirts and tops are big no-nos!

 

This is very important especially if you are applying in companies where the job itself requires that employees wear formal attire. For instance, if you are applying to work in an office as administrative staff or assistant, you have to wear corporate attire, like top with a blazer or long sleeves, formal shoes, and trousers.

 

It helps to remember that employers tend to get a first impression from the way the interviewee or applicant presents himself or herself to the company and to others. Personality is a big factor that employer consider in job applications.  However, this does not refer merely to the physical attributes of the applicant which include cleanliness, confident posture and gestures but to the totality of the applicant’s character.

The usual goal of the interviewee is to impress the interviewer or employer. However, this brings danger on how the employer will perceive and assess the applicant as the latter tends to put up a front to make him appear impressive during the interview.

 

So, let’s read on the pieces of advice given by our professionals here.

 

“I don’t believe that first impressions last. An applicant must get the employer’s first and lasting impression.  I have hired several employees that really made a great impression in their first interviews, but during their work period, they have become lazy and incompetent. A good employee must be consistent and always learning”, Ms. Cajiuat emphasizes.

 

Every applicant’s goal is to pass the interview and get hired.  Being alert and ready to give the right answers during the interview will surely put the applicant in the position he is applying for.

 

Ms. Aguinaldo, however, believes that, “It is necessary to impress the interviewer because by doing so you, as an applicant competing with others for the job, place yourself to the most advantageous position.”

Lettuce Salad (Salad dressing recipe)

Posted by Toni on February 15, 2009 1 comments

I always serve dinner with vegetable or green salad. This is for added nutrition and balance that goes with the meal.

 

You can make this simple salad by mixing a variety of lettuce: iceberg lettuce, cos lettuce, rocket lettuce etc.  I originally call this recipe Green Salad recipe, but I had a second thought as you can find a variety of lettuce with purple, red, dark and light green colours.

 

With the dressing, simply mix the following: Olive oil, black or white balsamic vinegar; no measurement, you can put them in the mixture as much as you want. Then salt. 

 

You can add shaved parmesan cheese. Oh, I love parmesan! I love the taste of parmesan with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it’s addictive.

So there you go. Bon apetite!

Spaghetti Ala Oglio

Posted by Toni on February 15, 2009 None comments

This is just one of the recipes I have learned from my lovely mother-in-law. I will tell you some varieties that I have come up with using this simple recipe.

Oglio is an Italian garlic infused oil that is used to dress spaghetti or spaghettini.  This is a very simple alternative to the usual tomato sauce or creamy sauce.  The base of this sauce is olive oil.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

finely chopped parsley – as much as you want

few pieces of finely chopped anchovies; use the preserved salted anchovies

1/4 kilo boiled spaghetti

Directions:

-Heat olive oil in pan

-Saute chopped garlic until golden brown

-Put in chopped parsley and saute for 30 seconds to bring out its flavor and aroma

-Put in the chopped anchovies

-After a minute, mix the oglio with the pre-boiled spaghetti

That simple!  You can make a variety of this oglio by mixing in peeled prawns instead of anchovies.  You can use both anchovies and prawns as well.  You can add chilli flakes if you like it hot!

This recipe may be served with fresh green salad.  That shall be enough to be a complete meal for your family.

You can prepare the oglio whenever you have spare time during the early time of the day and just mix it with the pasta for lunch or for dinner.  I usually serve this dinner when I have lots of things to do at daytime and I have no much time left to cook dinner.

This is indeed a 15-minute recipe! I recommend this for working moms.  This is a sure hit to your family.