If there is one thing we cannot ignore in our monthly roster of bills, it is the electricity bill — Meralco bill, for us who are based in Manila. Trying to ignore it is really not an option. Else you will find your family literally walk in the dark. I have mentioned in a few of my previous posts that I have a mom who is very prudent. I would like to think that this is one of  the few values I acquired from her through my growing years.

Meralco AppCal (Meralco Appliance Calculator)

I grew up being conscious of our Meralco bill/electricity consumption. Hence, it is a default for me to not just turn off but unplug appliances that are not in use. My 6 year old son is benefiting as well even as I see him doing the same. It was during an event by Meralco last week that I learned that the Meralco AppCal is now available for download via our gadgets - iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Talk about giving us zero excuse to not be informed when it comes to us being able to take control of our electricity consumption. Thank you, Meralco! My mom will really love this App! I will have to get her an Android unit though. Wait, did I mention that one of her routines during the day (aside from blogging and her soap operas) is checking the electric meters and jotting the readings on her notebook? It used to really annoy me. But then again, it’s the OC in her that we all can actually learn from. Maybe to help us become better stewards of things that are given us.  :-)

Aside from Meralco providing us this ingenious AppCal phone application, Meralco furthers their reach to their customers by their online presence. First, their improved website, which now has 2 sections: The Customers and The Company. The Customers provides the answers to customer concerns including electricity consumption, bill-related matters, and new account applications. While The Company is the section for corporate reports, business partnerships, stakeholder relations, and investor information. Aside from the website and the AppCal, Meralco customers can also interact through other Social Networking sites like Twitter (@meralco), Facebook and YouTube. How cool is that?

I especially find it convenient that I can Tweet and contact them via Facebook in the event that there is power outage.  Since everyone is basically connected through various social networking site through our mobiles, this actually can come in very handy.

Meralco is towards furthering their service. Here are a few that we can look forward to: Wider Power Distribution, Prepaid Electricity, Meralco Power Generation, the Automated Area Network, and Meralco-Powered Electric Vehicles. Check out meralco.com.ph and take a tour around the recently revamped, very user friendly and informative website.

If there is one credit card issuer I am happy with, it is RCBC Bankard. I’ve been a subscriber since 1999 and we never had any major issues with them. I have 4 cards with them to date. I wish I can say the same for other credit card companies. First off, we have to remember that credit cards are not for everyone. If you do not have self-discipline, then use cash or debit card instead. I am happy to report that every single cent on our billing statement gets paid in full every month. It is the only way you can do to make the interest rate NOT work against you.  This works for us even as we get away from having to pay annual fees because of our good credit standing with them.

RCBC Bankard cardholders and shoppers have one thing to look forward to very soon — The 2nd Mega Brands Sale at the Megatrade Hall 2 & 3, 5th Level, SM Megamall on September 30 to October 2, 2011. With over 120 brands participating, and with discounts of up to 70%, who says you have to go to Divisoria for your Christmas shopping? In fact, with the wide array of high quality brands to choose from, you could end up shopping more for yourself than for friends and family.

This year, I don’t plan to do last minute Christmas shopping like I did the previous years. I want this coming holiday to be as stress free as possible. I’m not sure if I can score the kenneth cole reaction shoes that I failed to get for the hubby for his birthday. But I’ll make sure to check out the 2nd Mega Brands Sale at the Megatrade Hall 2 & 3, 5th Level, SM Megamall on September 30 to October 2, 2011.

Being frugal is not exactly popular whether it comes to the homestead or just one’s regular daily activities. Consumers’ minds are directed towards the “need” to acquire things as these numerous brands and products create that urgency for us to. And it is plain to see that the advertising world is very effective at it. Now here is another attempt to share how our family is able to afford some random luxuries because of our being frugal about regular things, activities in the house.

Merriam-Webster defines frugal as “characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources.” And it is exactly that. I have to thank my mom for raising me well especially in this arena.  Two sentences that will sum up this topic:

Prioritizing is the key.
Living within our means.

Like using these laundry balls, for instance. They do not just keep clothes from bunching together while inside the washer. They also reduce drying time by 15%. Not only will your clothes be at their best shape, you also get considerable amount of savings when you sum up all your laundry time in a year.

Energy saving, compact fluorescent light bulbs use 75% less energy than the regular ones. Enough said. We also use surge protector, as it becomes very handy, especially when the power goes out. It keeps our electronics from getting fried.

One of the things that we hope to instill in our son is the importance of good stewardship of whatever God has given us. The littlest of efforts pay off in the long run.  A more concrete proof of this is the electric bill that only shot up to less P3,500 one time during the height of summer. That was it. That is something, considering we have a household with two functioning air conditioning units.

Coupons. Use them when you can. Like if you can at all use HerRoom Coupons whenever you need to buy underclothes, that will give you huge savings. Because truth be told, things wear out and need to be replaced from time to time.

Being frugal does not necessarily mean you have to forget wants altogether. When you come to think of it, being frugal will actually allow you to afford indulging too, from time to time. Those little perks. There are Avelle Coupons or Charlotte Russe Coupons for that, while you are at it. Those handy shopping companions for frugal moms like me.

The main reason why people fail at being frugal is that advertisements get the best of them. And to say that I am not the least affected is untrue. To want to be one and to actually become “it” are two different things. In the process, you struggle. But struggle to win and eventually you will. It is way better to live without debt and know that you are on your way to becoming a better steward of the wealth that God has entrusted you with.

My original ArtsCow.com collection of photos that I uploaded for printing contained, give or take, 400 photos. I decided to trim it down to the online promo I am entitled to, as a new member. A hundred prints of 4R photos for only $5.99. Free shipping! That, more or less amounts to P2.70/photo or $0.06ea.  Sweet!

Paying was fuss free via PayPal. I just had to try this 100pcs of 4R prints for $5.99 before I indulge to getting more photos printed. Most of which are replacements of those we lost during typhoon Ondoy, which you can read about here, here and here.

The most inconvenient it got was the waiting part. I had to wait for 23 full days before I got a notice from our local post office that I have a package waiting for me. I thought it was another book sent by Navpress or Thomas Nelson. The wait took longer than I expected. So when the package was handed to me, I was thrilled.

Fellow blogger, Mommy Rubz, was the one who introduced this via Plurk and she said she got her package in a couple of weeks or so. After a couple of weeks have passed and I still didn’t have my ordered photos, I emailed ArtsCow.com and they were immediate in their response and I was told to give them to a month to ship to the Philippines. Which I’m perfectly fine with, as long as I receive them. I’m not in a hurry, anyway. By the way, for the record, although I may not be an expert at photo quality, my glossy prints don’t look like they’re of cheap quality.

Needless to say, I’m off to order from ArtsCow.com my photo books, alongside the other photos I still got on queue to get printed. Thank you ArtsCow.com! Now that’s something worth recommending.

I feel so blessed. The Lord has definitely made Himself known to me and my family several times over, all these years. There is truth in His promises. I am mighty proud of the hubby especially for keeping to God’s calling of Him to pastor SBC-Makati, despite some odds along the way. And when I say odds, they were not just minor ones. They were huge enough that we would cry over them in prayer for years! But God saw us through. He saw our hearts. My husband who has always been the diplomatic type would always choose to step back and have the Lord fight for us and that He did!

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
Psalm 37:23-24

If there is anything about the ministry, it is definitely NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED. Although there were challenges, everything will be bearable when your calling is clear and your purpose is set before you. Despite my being driven person, I found grace in the Lord for me to be able to submit to my husband despite the many hardships. I have several thoughts on this but I’d rather not spill everything because I know my God is bigger than all the imperfect things in this world.

God’s grace came through the people who believed in us enough. My Tita Sally, who has been like a second mom to me. My sister in Christ, Ashley for ministering to my heart during the toughest of times. Then the Lord led the hubby and me to this blessing of a person by the name of Neil Maranan who has essentially taught us how to monetize our blogs. And the rest, as they say is history. Right now, I am very much grateful to my boss who is in the other side of the world. My VA job has been a great blessing to our family. I am happy that I don’t need to look through pa job listings and get a physical job. This remote job that I have is what’s best for our family’s set up.

The Lord has been ever so gracious and His blessings just keep coming. All of these are tangible manifestations of how God can be ever so real in a person’s life. The intangible though, is still what’s best. The personal relationship, the peace that can only come from Him. Priceless.

This video started off the Sun Life Financial It’s Time Bloggers Event that the hubby and I were invited to, held at Buenissimo (By Café Ysabel) at the Eastwood Mall last Saturday. Although the statistics is not really new to me, it can still be pretty overwhelming when you get to the grips of how real it is.

I can say that I am blessed when it comes the influence my mother has on me. She is one prudent woman who has made sure she took care of things ahead of time. If it was not for her investing on my educational plan for college, it would have been an a challenge for my folks to send me to college, a reputable one at that. Given the tumultuous time our family was going through during that time.

Without her probably meaning to, my mom handed down this virtue to me. I figured that out when I got a hold for myself a Pension/Life Insurance plan during my first year in the bank where I was previously employed right after college. As someone who has benefited from these type of pre need plans, I was able to appreciate it as young as I was. I was probably around 22 years old then and I paid off the entire plan 5 years after.

with fellow mommy blogger Mauie

Pia Magalona and Bam Aquino shared their thoughts and experiences on insurance and financial investments. The hubby and I happen to believe that it is just right to be good stewards of whatever riches that were given to us. Even the Bible is keen about this that a good man should leave an inheritance to his children (Proverbs 13:22). If there is anything that we could do now to prepare for the future, then we should be at it.

my husband Jeff with Bam Aquino

If we should at all look at things, even young professionals could easily afford to invest, if they would just go easy on patronizing consumerism.

Pia Magalona with us, lady bloggers- Brigitte, Mauie, Moi, Tanya, Shen and Edel

So there. I’m just going to have you guys watch the video we took of Pia and Bam’s talk during the It’s Time Bloggers Event and listen to what they have to say.

Sun Life Financial is currently promoting this advocacy and further encourages people by taking the challenge and you get a chance to win a trip for 2 to Switzerland. And to bring the advocacy closer to the people and to engage the public better, an on- the- ground activation was launched Feb 5 to encourage participation and engagement of the target public and to finally transform awareness of the advocacy into action.

The It’s Time Activation kicked off in Shangri-La Mall on Feb 5 and will tour different malls in Metro Manila and the provinces until May 10.

Take the It’s Time Challenge on the following venues: Eastwood Mall (Feb. 26-28), SM Mall of Asia (Mar. 5-7), SM Lucena (Mar. 19-21), Ayala Center Cebu (Apr. 9-11), Limketkai Mall Cagayan de Oro (Apr. 16-18), SM Davao (Apr. 23-25), SM Iloilo (Apr. 30 – May 2), and SM Bacolod (May 7-9).

For more information, visit www.itstime.com.ph.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial (SLF) is an international leader in protection and wealth management with key operations in Canada, US, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Bermuda, and the Philippines.

Wanting more or the desire to have more causes a great amount of conflict in families. George Gallup says that the number one cause of arguments in families is family finances. Sixty-five percent of all marriages argue about money.

Why do we always want more? It isn’t the money itself. It’s what we think the money will bring. We think money will bring three things.

LIES:

1. More satisfaction. All the advertisements tell us that. If you have more, you’re going to be more happy. The problem is your yearning will always exceed your earning.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.”The desire to acquire just keeps on growing. So it doesn’t bring more satisfaction.

2. More significance. We think, “If I have more then I’ll be more important. I’ll be more respected. I’ll be more powerful. I’ll be more admired. I may even be more famous. I can afford all those status symbols that prop up my ego.”

Yet Jesus said this, Luke 12:15 ”Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

In other words, your net worth is not the same as your self worth. You should never confuse your value with your valuables. How much you own has nothing to do with your personal worth.

We think that having more will make us more happy, that it will give us more satisfaction, that it will make us more significant, but it doesn’t.

3. More security. The problem is, how big must your pile be in order for you to be secure? You can never have enough because you can lose it overnight in a million different ways. So you don’t really gain any security.

Proverbs 23:5 “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”

Solomon says we think it will bring more significance and more satisfaction and more security but it doesn’t bring that at all. In fact, he tells us what having more really produces and he ought to know because he was the wealthiest man who ever lived. In fact, the Bible says he was so wealthy that even his plates and his glasses were made of pure gold. That meant they not only had to clean them and wash them they had to polish them after every meal!

Solomon says that having more does three things, it gives us…

TRUTH:

1. More expenses. As income goes up, so do your expenses. It always costs more to have more. I say, if the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can be sure that their water bill is higher too! It just costs more to have more. You never seem to have enough. More brings more expenses.

Ecclesiastes 5:11 ”As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?” It’s true. The more you’ve got, the more you spend. Having more actually creates more expenses.

2. More worries. Ecclesiastes 5:12 “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.” The more we have the more we worry. We worry about how to save it, how to protect it, how to invest it, how to insure it, how to spend it, and how to avoid taxes on it. The blue collar worker, he goes to work, he punches his time clock, he forgets his job, he goes home and he doesn’t think about it any more. He goes home, watches tV, has a nice meal, makes love to his wife, goes to sleep and sleeps like a baby.

The rich man, he says, goes home and he worries. He takes the job home with him in a briefcase. He’s thinking, “Is the deal going to close? Am I going to make the sale? Did the stocks go up? Did the stocks go down? Did I hire the right people? Did I fire the right people?” He can’t let go because he has to fuss and fume and worry through the whole thing.

A working man will get a good night’s sleep but the more you’ve got, the more you stay awake worrying. I read a study recently that insomnia increases with income.

A chiropractor once said to a patient, “You carry a wallet?” The patient said yes. He said, “When you set with a wallet it puts your spine out of balance. In fact the bigger the wallet you have, the more pressure on you.”

Having more creates more expenses. It creates more worries.

3. More pain if it’s lost. Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 “ I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, 14 or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. 15 Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? 17 All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.”

During the first year of our marriage, we started off with the hubby taking care of our finances. Everything was jotted down. A checking account was opened for better monitoring. We were idealistic. An influence of what I have picked up from Fascinating Womanhood. It teaches about the importance of the husband take control of the family finances so that the burden will be upon him like it is designed to be.

As years went on, the hubby became overwhelmed with several things that he had to take care of and he had me take over the financial management. We were better off from then. He stays on as the provider, but had me take care of monitoring alongside every single household concern. Finances have been a major part of concern in marriage. An executive director of Evansville nonprofit community of Marriage Builders said, “Finances are certainly one of the top five, if not top three, problems that marriage faces.”

It is true that money can be a major cause of discord between couples and this is the very thing that we refuse to take over our marriage. Having both come from family of origins that did not exactly practice the biblical way of handling finances, we chose to do it God’s way. We’re still not perfect but we are happy to report that with God’s help, we are able to pull through the challenges that were thrown our way. Having each other to be accountable to for every financial concern keeps us from wavering. Even as simple as the purchase of the last Adidas shoes the hubby bought, was planned. Athletic shoes can be very pricey these, so we do not just buy without considering our budget. We make sure not to mindlessly indulge and continue be good stewards of what is given us.

Personally, I give it to my mother to have instilled upon me a prudent way of living. I would honestly go for discount shoes than the pricier brands. Of course I still go for comfort so that could be a challenge but not impossible.

Money matters in marriage. In fact, it could easily cause friction if issues are not immediately resolved. Open line of communication between spouses is important to be able to talk freely about several matters, including the finances. Security in the relationship is very important. Without this, financial talk about marriage could just about be looked upon as an issue of control.

The issue of finances weighs heavily as one of the major concerns in a marriage. Even statistics have it that a lot of marriages break apart because of financial problems. As for our marriage, we have decided right from the beginning that we will keep a unified account that will represent what’s ours. Nothing like what we had when we were still dating. Marriage binds us as one and whatever we both earn separately goes to a single account — defined as ours. This is our stand and believe it is but biblical.  It is included in the premise that we are not two but one.  We have seen a handful of marriages crumble and it all leads back to how they handle their finances.  This is especially true that majority of households all over the world are double income ones. 

If you happen to have financial issues to settle, I believe it is always best to erase bad credit and prioritize it. If you do not know where to start, you might want to check with Legacy Legal. I have been reading one testimonial after another that they do such awesome service on legal credit repair. If you have issues about this, better to get assistance from a reputable credit repair company and settle things so you are back to a clean slate.

I remember my mom telling us when we were still little that when we marry, we have to still keep a separate account wherein we could pull funds from just in case my sister and me would be in need. It does make sense and this actually does not have to go against our stand on marriage and finances. For the longest time, the unified resources really worked best in our marriage. Because of this, we do not have any questions about whatever expenses because we both know where the money goes and where we stand — whether up or down.

After having made the big switch and now that we are two months in, we are definitely satisfied with the service of our current internet provider. There really is no reason to be stuck if there’s an alternative that will provide better service. Except that in the previous years there was really no other option for us from the internet offers and we refused to go back to a dial up connection.

One of the better alternatives that goes with a bundle is ATT satellite tv. Availing of a bundled service almost always guarantees you savings. Like if you really intend to subscribe to a satellite tv, you can actually subscribe to one that goes with a DSL internet connection and a phone line — both of which are also included in your budget to begin with. Not to mention the convenience of paying one bill to what can be considered three different utilities. ATT offers services that will to their clients’ advantage.

Would you believe that the test speed from my mobile goes to as high as 17.4Mbps. No wonder the loading of pages is so instant, even when a page is actually heavy with images. There is practically no wait time!

Do you own any regular payments coming from structured settlements, annuities, lottery winnings, government and commercial contracts and other secured future payment obligations? I you are, I encourage you to visit SetCap.com. This website is managed by Settlement Capital Corporation and its affiliates. They are committed to providing liquidity to those who own or hold periodic payment contracts like structured settlement annuities, royalties commercial contracts, etc.

 

This financial service highly recommend its reliability, high quality service, flexibility, competence and diversity of products. The leaders of this investment company and are very credible in the jobs they hold, promoting revenue and growth and great reliability in treasury, planning and budget functions.

 

Their services include buying structured settlement annuity in the last 18 years and they assist those who own such payments to receive liquidity from their future annuity payments. Other things they offer are the option for lottery winners to sell their long-term payment streams in exchange for a lump sum payment right away which also allows them to prepare widely for the future. SCC offers the best value in the industry with a variety of payment options.

 

I personally think that this is a great option for those who want to liquidate their assets which they can’t enjoy because they are yet to be available. Getting a lump sum amount during the early stage of the scheduled periodic payment contracts is a viable option and the money received can be also be invested somewhere else. Finding an investment that at a high interest rate can possibly yield a higher return than choosing to receive the money through scheduled payments in the future, taking inflation nto consideration.

 

So, if you fall own or hold secure payment obligations and are considering immediate liquidation, visit their SetCap.com now and inquire about their flexible plans.

Two days ago, I called up my life insurance provider with the intention to have my account terminated for the reason that it was hooked to my credit card and I was set on canceling all my credit cards save for one, for emergency purposes. The first thing I did was check with them if there were other ways I could pay the premium aside from the automatic charge that they make via my credit card. They don’t.

To make the long story short, I was left with no other choice but keep this card that was hooked to my life insurance and that of my little guy. I know it can be very convenient, because I need not worry about forgetting to pay the monthly premium. But then again, it would have been better if they had other options for clients to pay for the premiums aside from what they solely offer.

After having paid of the hubby’s life insurance during the third year of our marriage, it was but prudent to get mine and then our son’s.

The younger the child, the cheaper the premium is. I would like to think that prudence is one of the things that my dear mother has passed on to me and I am happy that she lives to witness that good example benefit the generations after her.

Incidentally, if you would like to learn more about the benefits of getting insured and learn the best way to finance them, check with USALifeInsurance.com or better yet call to inquire at 877-927-7243.

With the current global economic crisis, people cannot help but think of ways to cope and rise in the situation. As a work from home mom, I have personally felt its sting this past couple of months. Even the trivial amount we placed on a diversified investment recently sent us a report that to date we have lost 37 percent. It was more than three years ago that we gained more than 50 percent of what we invested before we had it liquidated. Everything around us tells of a crisis.

I personally look up to people who see through beyond the surface. More specifically to those who take risks despite the odds. If I only have the means, I will prayerfully look into franchises. As FranchiseGator.co.uk put it, “Be in business for yourself but not by yourself.” The route it gives to business ownership through names that have already been established could really spark hope and provide income in no time. It is only responsible to learn about the franchise opportunity that you are to consider. Make sure you check in with FranchiseGator.co.uk for a list of various reputable franchise UK companies.

During our prayer times and devotions, the hubby would I agree that as true as there is a global economic crisis, it is still the Lord who provides for the things that we need, even the ability to produce and make wealth.

During the first few years of our marriage, the hubby and I maintained a checking account wherein we kept track of every expense our household income went to. We both found it very convenient. It allowed us to see the balance between our income and expenses, or even the lack of it. After sometime, we decided to terminate our account with our former bank because of the sudden hike of the balance we had to maintain, considering the fact that it is a non-interest earning checking account. Having been employees of banks ourselves, the hubby and I knew better. We transferred to another bank but soon after it was bought by the first bank we were with. So we really did not have the choice but to close our account.

If only something like that of a WaMu personal checking account was within our reach then, I believe we would have stuck with our bank. Aside from they give out free checks with the account, safekeeping of checks is provided for free also, as well as wire transfers. We all know how expensive wire transfers cost. They also offer platinum checking accounts. It is an interest bearing account with free identity theft service. Make sure to check this site out to find out which account is right for you.

I am glad to report that we are definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel from where we are at. We have completely paid off the outstanding balance of one of our credit cards. The hubby and I collectively have a total of four credit cards, minus the supplementary card, which generates one bill with its primary.

When I went to check with EliminateDebt.org I was encouraged to press on to eliminate debt and be more vigilant against accumulating them back. Their site reports that most adults have a minimum of two credit cards – sadly, we fall under this category. That is also one of the reasons why we paid off the aforementioned credit card balance. Before the next cycle of renewal, I would have to call them to terminate my account. That Citibank Visa was a pre-approved one awarded to me for having had a good credit standing with them the previous years. Now I know better than to accept extra cards when they come calling to bug me with another.

As opposed to other individuals accumulating debts out of instant gratification, we accumulated ours because of the medical emergencies I had in the past, most of them required very expensive medicines. That is why we really understand to the very depth of its meaning the quotation, “health is wealth.”

Eliminating debt is one tough decision families have to make. It always coincides with sacrifice, leveling down from the usual lifestyle. Sticking to life’s necessities will be your best bet in debt elimination. Commitment and oneness of mind for both the husband and wife should be there. Utter determination despite the odds that will continually hunt us, especially the hurtful rising prices of commodities. It is never easy. Check out the linked sites and learn a thing or two on how to live debt free. As for me and our family, we pray that with God’s grace, we will soon be over paying for every single debt we still have.

One of the other sources that most stay-at-home moms use to add income to their households is through affiliate programs. In the internet, many bloggers use paid-to-blog services, but sometimes this could be time consuming. For those who have been blogging for a while, especially those with sites that are already getting constant and regular traffic, earning through commissions from sales and ads through their sites is a better alternative. Especially here in the Philippines where prices of fuel and commodities continue to rise, finding ways to increase household income is really important, particularly for growing families. But always remember that it is God “who gives you the ability to produce wealth”, according to Deuteronomy 8:18. So families need to depend more on God rather than themselves, knowing that it is He who provides us the means, the strength and even the opportunities for all the work we are able to do, whether it is blogging or any regular job.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

One of the major issues in marriage is the finances. There are some couples that we know that manage their finances as if they are still not married. Although they may have their reasons, this kind of set up may have some setback in the later years. When a couple gets married, they give each other their full being, that’s precisely why it is called a union. How can it be called a union when finances is taken off the equation?

We have always believed that there is no other way our family lives but through transparency in everything. This was the very first thing we were told to value right from the first meeting we had with the pastor we saw for pre-marital counseling some seven years ago. The starry eyed couple we were back then were introduced to the realities of finances in a marriage and how it breaks many families if the issue is taken for granted.

One of the things that we have learned through the years is to consolidate bills such that the interest rates that we then have had reduced to a minimum.

As much as we have wanted to steer away from credit card debts, we were not able to help it when I had to take very pricey medications for one full year after our little guy was born. Bill consolidation has proved to be very beneficial for us.

Another major principle that we value is accounting and making a list of everything, from the family budget to bills to be paid. This makes life easier even as we have set out a schedule for the family’s finances. Management is made easier this way. At the same time there are no surprises, we know exactly where are money goes. Prioritizing is the key and knowing through it all that we are but mere managers, hoping to be better stewards of the financial resources that are given us.

This post will be related to the previous one even as it again concerns the family finances. When you’re young, one tends to be carefree and cool about things in the future. Although I consider myself to be relatively prudent, (Thanks Ma!), there were still things I could have done better at, even in the earlier days of our marriage. Like even with the limited resources we had back then, be could have started small and saved a little at a time.

We are now in the time of our lives that we are left with no other option but to tighten our belts and prepare for the major happening in any growing family’s life – preschool education. Our son is soon to enter preschool and we still have zero budget meant for that particular expense.

But we should on our way there in no time. We intended to have three Savings Accounts intended for different purposes. One for household expenses, another for our little guy’s future educational expenses and another that will serve as our emergency funds. One of the more safer way to secure those account is to avail of Certificate of Deposit just like what Washington Mutual offers their clients. Banking has never been as convenient as this day and age when we are able to transact online, plus WaMu’s added feature that allows clients more flexible and secure options for their savings.

Two days ago, when our old bed was sold, one of the buyers saw my wife’s laptop saw her website.  This guy asked about our business, thinking that maybe it’s the same as his business.  He is involved in a home-based telemarketing job where he works four hours a day earning a fixed income of $5.50 per hour (but starts out at $3.50 for newbies) and sells to people he talks to and he gets an additional earning of $20 per sale.  I suddenly became interested because my wife and I have been really considering getting a replacement for our 1989 Nissan California.  We intend to raise the money for the down payment of a brand new car from our blogging business and the monthly payments from this home-based telemarketing job.  We are just about to inquire about the details of this job but based on the experience of the guy we talked to, everything sounds so believable and doable.