Life Lately: Emergency Funds, Pag-ibig MP2 & Work Updates

12:35 AM Cindy 4 Comments

Oh hi there! Did you miss me?! I’ve been missing in action here in my blog for months because I am busy with my personal life and have no energy to update this blog space of mine. Boo! 

What’s up with my absence? Well a lot has happened to me. First of is I’ve been saving a lot these past few months because I am eager to build my emergency funds before 2017 ends. As you read on my old entries here I exhaust all of my savings due to our house renovation which happened last year.

My short term goal for now is to have 6x the amount of my salary which I’m close on achieving it. Hallelujah! To be honest I’m having difficulty on making this habit of saving a large sum of my salary into emergency funds. The temptation is real when I’m fed up with stress but I keep on reminding myself that it is for my own good and I will reap what I sow in the future. Kaya ko ‘to!



This is my current mantra now because it inspires me to do little changes in my life that someday I can be financially free and retire early. Oh ayan ideclare na natin para achieve na achieve!

Anyhow, this Friday I will be celebrating my 28th birthday and gosh three more birthdays to go and my age will be out on the calendar. Even if I have no plans on my born day I still took a leave at work. Let’s say that I don’t want to experience EDSA traffic on my special day. Alam nyo nman ang EDSA super traffic dyan. Viral nga pala ngayon sa FB yung photo ng mga tao na sumasakay ng bus sa Bicutan. 
Photo grabbed from Meg Fontiveros Page

Nakakarelate ako guys kasi dyan ako nasakay ng bus dati kapag pumapasok sa work. Que horror ang sitwasyon dyan pero kebs lang need magtrabaho para sa ekonomiya. Pak pawerrr!

Second is I sign-up for Pag-ibig MP2 but I haven’t deposit an amount yet on my account. Do you guys have positive feedback using this saving program? Please comment below if you have any. I plan to set aside 1,000 pesos this coming December when I get my 13th month pay. 

Lastly, we move to a newer office. What’s nice about with our new office space is that it has brewed coffee! The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning is divine.
Parang inaasam ko na sana may ganun din kaming coffee maker sa house. Haha. Syempre joke lang yan di pa keri ng budget kong bumili nun oks na muna ako sa instant coffee.

Guys do you have any plans na ba sa upcoming long weekend this October 31 and November 1? Share your plans in the comment section below? Ako? Wala pa. Tambay lang sa house and magpakababad sa mga horror movies.

4 comments:

I Finally Opened a BDO Savings Account

5:40 PM Cindy 17 Comments



Hello my dear readers, let’s go back to the normal programming of this blog which is about my financial independence. I wanted to share with you guys, my experience of opening a savings account from BDO.

I have two reasons why I chose to have an account with them: First, their SM Bicutan and Makati branch is near from where I live and work so it’s easier for me to deposit cash, second, it’s easy for me to withdraw money from them in case of emergency which is of course I don’t want happen but it’s still better to be prepared for those unfortunate events.

I have my own payroll account on BPI but I notice that if I put my savings there I tend to spend the money and lose track of how much I save for a particular month and I also became lazy saving 20% of my salary that’s why I come up with the decision to open another savings account. FYI, I open my savings account at their SM Bicutan branch. Below are the requirements that I brought:

1.    2 government ID’s. I use my SSS national ID and Philhealth ID
2.    1 Company ID
3.    1 Utility Bill. I showed to them our electricity bill from Meralco and they photocopied it
4.    Initial Cash Deposit. You have two options for the savings account: 2,000php cash deposit is for ATM card account only while 10,000 cash deposit is for ATM card with passbook. I have 5,000php with me that day so I chose the first option.

I was given three forms that I needed to fill-out. The bank teller who assisted me is very friendly and she answers all my inquiries. She also informed me that I am not allowed to deposit a check on my savings account which is totally fine with me since I can use my BPI account for those kinds of transactions.

The good thing of opening an account with BDO is that I don’t need to give them a 1x1 or 2x2 photo of mine which are required to other banks. They just took a picture of me and it’s done! I was advice to wait for 5 days before I claimed my ATM card. After I got my card, the first thing that I did is to register my debit card on their online banking so that I can monitor how much money I saved. Here's the link of their online website click here.

Here's picture of the savings account BDO ATM card looks like.

The only drawbacks that I experience banking with BDO is when I created an account online, the amount of money has not been reflected on real time basis on my first registration. I freaked out and went to the nearest ATM to check if my money is there.

I also find the One-Timed Password (OTP) a hassle every time I logged-in on my account which I understand it is for my own account security but I don’t get the point of it. 

It just eats time on the part of the end user to stay longer on their platform. Unlike in BPI, all transactions there are recorded real time and they don’t require OTP.

Anyhow overall, I will still recommend BDO because you can open a savings account with them for only 2,000php cash deposits. The said amount is also their maintaining balance to keep on your account active. Amazing, isn’t it?!

Update: I encash my money on BDO and open another account on BPI. I opened BPI Maxisavers. The downside of withdrawing my money from other BDO branch is that I need to pay them 100 pesos for the bank fees which is kind of sucks because that amount is not that small. So yeah, If ever your withdrawing cash let's say 50,000 pesos above do it in your BDO branch where you open your account.

How about you? Where did you put your savings? Is it in the bank or do you own a piggy bank? Share your comment below.

17 comments:

My Masungi Georeserve Escapade!

9:49 PM Cindy 2 Comments

Hello guys, yup I’m bouncing back to blogging sphere! I have so many stories to tell you but first let me share to you my Masungi Georeserve experience. This entry is off topic from my usual post about finances and savings but still I want to impart it here because you know memories. I also want to travel to different places here in the Philippines. Ang ganda talaga kasi ng bansa natin di'ba. Of course, this has been a planned trip because I don't want put a hole in my pocket.

So sino ang mga kasama ko? I went trekking with my sister and her friends last April 22, 2017. It’s my first time to try this kind of activity so I am thrilled. Gosh, I can still remember the “pagod” and all because we trek 9 trails of Masungi (Sapot, Ditse, Patak, Duyan, Yungib Ni Ruben, Tatay, Nanay, Bayawak) under the extreme heat of the sun! Until now I have tanned lines pa.

Our day is jampacked with activities because in the morning we went to Masungi then we headed to Pililla Wind Farm and our last stop is the Daranak Falls but I'll save that on separate post of this blog. It was an exhausting day but I can say the trip is worth it and every penny that I paid is sulit! We planned this escapade one year in advance because making a reservation in Masungi isn’t easy. They are fully-booked always so if you wish to go there plan ahead of time and make early registration now on their website here.

You should also refrain from buying visit requests from outside sources. When we went there other groups has to stop their trail halfway because they make their reservations through a travel agent. There will be no refund ha so take note of it. Anyhow, I will stop talking and share to you some of our photos.


Before we start our trail, our group had orientation first conducted by the local park ranger of Masungi at the Silungan. Here we are advice to urinate before we start our trek and they orient us about the dos and don’ts that we should obey. We brought water, cellphones and light snacks such as chocolate bars and jelly ice. It’s a no-no to throw trash while on Masungi so we brought eco bags to serve as our plastic garbage.
Eto yung una kong inakyat na lubid-lubid. Maraming ganyan ang inakyat ko pati dyan nagsimula ang hingal galore!
Smile pa rin si ghorl kahit nginig pata na sya dyan! Kunyari di halatang hirap sa pag-akyat.
Taas kamay kunyari! Haha. Nakapikit pala ako?! Nakakalula kasi.
Eto kasi yung dinaanan ko papuntang gitna. If may pagka'final destination ka mag-isip  like  if maputol ang mga wires na yan alam nyo na kung saan ako matutusok. Hehehe. But no guys, our park ranger assured us that the materials that they use here are super tibay! Pwede ka tumalon talon sa gitna pero wala kaming lakas na loob na gawin yun. Nakakalula kapag gumalaw-galaw ang net! Juskolord!
Obligatory group picture tayo syempre!
Yungib ni Ruben. Infairness mabango dyan sa kweba na yan. May mga scented candles kasi dyan at may mga ibon din kaming nakita. Pagpasok namin sa kweba ang lamig guys parang may aircon!
Wishing fountain! Di ako nagwish. Wala kasi akong dalang barya that time.
Groupie sa Duyan habang tirik na tirik na ang araw!
Rest muna bago sumugod ulit sa laban ng pag-akyat sa madaming hagdan at lubid. Natunaw ng matindi mga taba ko sa dyan sa katawan!

Picture muna sa duyan-duyan! Nakalimutan ko na tawag dito. Sabi ng park ranger namin na si Marshal oks daw dito magboomerang! Ginawa namin. Maganda ngang pang-instagram.
Ang Patak bow! Infairness di halatang pagod ako dito.
Group picture sa loob ng Patak.
Sa tuktok ni Nanay. Kitang kita dito ang view ng Sierra Madre sa kaliwa tapos Laguna de bay naman daw sa kanan. Ngiting mga pagod na pagod na bata at gutom!
Ang aming very friendly at pasensyosong park ranger - Marshal! Tumagal kami ng 5 hours sa trail namin kasi picture kami ng picture at todo kami magpahinga. Haha.
Bale eto yung pinakalast stop namin yung Bayawak. Nakakalula tumingin sa itaas pero nakayanan ko naman makababa.
Ngiting nakasurvive! Grabe sobrang pagod na pagod na kami dyan pero pose pa rin sa photo.
At the end of our trail we went to Silungan and we are provided with  complimentary light refreshments courtesty of Masungi.

Banana, lettuce, wheat bread and they also have egg spread and I forgot the other one. Haha. Not included in the photo is the fresh calamansi juice with honey. It is so refreshing. Imagine nyo na lang na super sarap na sarap kami sa pagkain na yan dahil gutom na gutom na kami talaga!

I highly recommend this place guys because it is really an adventure and may pagka extreme factor pa ng slight kasi magdadasal ka kada trail. Haha. Anyhow, how's your summer my dear readers? Where do you plan to go this month of May? Share your stories on the comment section below!

2 comments:

2017: The New and Recycled Goals

10:19 PM Cindy 2 Comments



Hello, world! As I promise on my previous entry, I will share it here my new goals this 2017. If you notice I retain some goals that I have back in 2016 because I want to accomplish them this year. I'm aiming to cross out all of them! So here we go:


  1. 1. Save at least 6x my monthly salary before the year 2016 2017 ends.

  2. 2. Open another savings account either on BPI, BDO or Metrobank for my emergency fund

  3. 3. Buy a fridge

  4. 4. Buy flat screen T.V.

  5. 5. Visit my immediate family in Cebu and vacationing for a week or two.

  6. 6. Have an investment in PH stock market amounting 50K

  7. 7. Reduce my weight to 110 lbs. My current weight right now is 120 lbs.

  8. 8. Travel around the Philippines. My goal is to travel at least 5 different local places here.

  9. 9. Paint our house

  10. 10. Get an insurance from either from Manulife or Sunlife. Reading financial blogs
    I now fully understand the need for this one on my life.

  11. 11. Have my own mini-business

  12. 12. Learn how to swim.


I'm hoping I can accomplish all of it before this year ends! Happy weekday guys.

Photo Credits: Canva.com

2 comments:

2016 Goals: Quick Recap on Things that I Accomplished!

10:30 PM Cindy 2 Comments


One of the things that I like about changing year is we all have 365 days or 52 weeks of chances on fulfilling our dreams. Before I proceed on my 2017 goal this year which I plan to write soon, here's an instant overview of my short term goals back in 2016.

1. Renovate our humble home.

-I thought this goal may not be pushed through but I thank God that it happened! If you would like to read the stories about our house renovation you can view the entry here and here.

2. Have first aid kit at home in case of emergency (thermometer & nebuliser)

-Finally, I've completed this one. Our first aid kit at home is consist of blood pressure monitoring (for my mama and papa), a nebuliser for mama because she has asthma and other necessities such as pain reliever tablets, antacids, pain killer oils and etc.

3. Save at least 6x my monthly salary before the year 2016 ends.
4. Open another savings account for my emergency fund
5. Buy a fridge

6. Look for a new job either in Makati or BGC

 -No, I don't quit my job. I guess I realised I love my work that's why I stop looking for new opportunities plus got promoted too from junior to senior level.

7. Visit my immediate family in Cebu and vacationing for a week or two.

8. Sign-up for Google Adsense for my blog

-I created an account on Google Adsense so that I can earn extra income for ads but after a month they suspended my account. Until now I don't have a clear idea why it happened but anyhow I sign-up on Infolinks that's why you guys are seeing pop-up ads and images on this blog.

9. Learn how to do program in PHP language.
10. Have an investment in PH stock market amounting 50K

11. Buy blue chip companies for long term goal investment

-Bought one blue chip company and I plan on buying more! I need to focus on saving more this year. I plan to have more raket para madaming moolah for this one. Haha.

12. Pamper myself once in a while

-2016 is the year I don't scrimp on myself. I availed 12+ facial sessions because my pimples keep appearing left and right on my cheeks and up to my forehead. Nakakaloka mga mars! So I frequent a derma salon to let them prick my galit na galit na pimples. LOL. I see my face has improved and my office-mates notice it also.

13. Burn some fats! I want to weigh 105 lbs. again. FYI, my current weight right now is 113.5 lbs. So good luck to me! Haha.

15. Learn how to do winged eyeliner

-I can now do a decent winged eyeliner. Take note on the term "decent". I am still no expert on doing it but eventually I'll go there. As they say praktis lang ng praktis!

16. Travel to Palawan

I crossed out those goals that I have accomplished during 2016 and I am glad that I did an amazing job! For me, the highlight of my 2016 is our house renovation because it wasn't that easy but we still manage as a family to maximise the small budget that we have. So that's it for now. I'll update soon on this blog for my 2017 goal.

How about you? Do you have goals you successfully accomplish last year? Share it in the comment section below.


Photo Credits: Canva.com

2 comments:

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