Im living off my husband’s credit cards (and Dad’s). I used to have three credit cards until I decided (forcefully) to get them cut. I now only have one, my oldest card (with the highest credit limit) but I havent used it in a year. We are working on finishing off Edil’s card debts first (and I pay off a purchase I made using my Dad’s card).

Credit Card Applications are actually rising. Edil has two cards, which are perfect for us because their rewards programs coincides with our favorite mall (SM, of course). The other one he uses for gas charges as it offers 3% rebate forever. We also get a lot of perks. He has been hounded by two other offers for cards and he was sorely tempted to get one but I managed to convince him to just let them go and just build credit reputation with his current two.

Im no expert in financial handling, but here are some lessons Ive learned (the hard way) on handling credit cards:
1. Treat the card is it is - debt. Don’t card everything you do not need.
2. Make sure you pay more than the minimum due.
3. Take advantage of 0% installment plans.
4. Manage everything in ONE card. You don’t need more than one. Decide which one works for you the best and build credit on that. I have had five credit limit increases on my oldest card.
5. Use it when you have money to pay off

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I think that’s how people react these days whenever they stop to fill up their tanks at gas stations. Price of fuel is so high these days - and it’s not only within the country, it really is a worldwide crisis! It is a crisis because government agencies are even seriously considering going the 4 day, 10hour work week to save on gas and electric consumption. More employees leave their car at home and commute. Worse, there are even those who have decided to sell their SUVs for a cheaper car that runs on diesel (I actually think that is a smarter move - why use a car that is so high to maintain these days?) Inflation is very high. However, analysts say that now is the time to really invest if you have the money - houses are so cheap and cars for sale in san diego come with special conditions, freebies and even fuel for a number of months. I wish we have saved for the rainy days!

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This was from the N@W thread as well. But Kathy made it into a tag so here Please leave your posts so I can see, I want to know more tips

How many sq meters is your place, and how many people live there?
Im not really sure. But this place is big. Bungalow with three rooms, garage, front and backyard. Four adults, two kids (one of which is a toddler) - We can even really invest on a business - selling food, used Harleys or an internet shop!

How much is your electricity bill monthly? Water?
Electricity - 1600
Water - 50 (yes fifty bucks.LOL). We dont have a direct line of water here so supply is every other day (yes, dont get shocked!!!!) - people here have invested in water tanks and pumps. We will be getting a water tank. But Im not really sold pa on this place kasi - I want to move closer to the Shrine, where my parents stay. Let us see until December. (We get by na, thank God for maids. We dont notice na di-igib ang tubig namin hehehe)
Drinking water is around 700-800.

Other utilities?
House Rent - 5000
Internet - 1000 (SMART Wi-fi)
Mobile Phone Plans - 899
Fuel/Gas - Included in hubby’s transpo allowance (but we still need around 2k to go around here)
LPG - 635
Matthew’s School Service - 1200
Matthew’s School Tuition (*semestral*)
Maids (Two) - 3000 (lucky no? They dont take care of the kids lang dahil ayaw ng mga bata sa kanila. One is a cook the other one is a labandera, all around maid. Mag-ina kasi (The mother is old, blind on eye, the daughter is no read-no write) - pagtyagaan na. Im having problems setting up a schedule for my studying though.

Groceries? Market?
Groceries - 6000 (1,500 per week) - includes toiletries and breakfast items, laundry detergents
Market (Menu) - 4800 (1,200 per week)
Milk - 4000 (GainPlus Advance 3 - she can consume the biggest can in around 8-9 days)
Pampers - 720 (I get pampers for her at the Silang Market (like the ones you get Peachy) for 180p/pack. A pack has 30pcs. This lasts a week)
Bread - 500 (We are big bread eaters here in fact I prefer LemonSquare over Gardenia these days. There’s also a bakery in Tags I get rolls from every Sunday).

We have lot of credit card bills to pay for though That takes a huge chunk of pay each month - we bought some appliances ksi. Once it’s paid for, we *might* have an easier load.

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I have been reading N@W a lot these days. It seems that there are interesting threads to read about - primarily the GTKY Qs (Getting To Know You Q’s). Im a lurker at the group though so I prefer to answer the Qs here (Please feel free to snag this and post it in your blog, link me up if you are done so I can read!).

GETTING-TO-KNOW- YOU Qs

1. Name: Aggie A.

2. Spouse’s name: Edil A.

2a. What you call your spouse when you’re mad: Edilberto! (I call him by his name when Im irritated na)

3. Child/Children’ s name/s and age/s: Matthew Benedict - 7 years old | Martha Blythe - 2 years old

3a. Pet’s name/s and breed/s: The Queen of the House hates pets!

4. Wedding date/s: June 3, 2004 (Civil) | June 24, 2005 (Church) - We only celebrate the Church Wedding though.

4a. Your relation to the Best Man at your wedding: Brother-in-Law

4b. Your wedding souvenir: Refrigerator Magnets

5. Your birthday: February 16

5a. How many hours your mom was in labor with you: I think I was out two hours after she entered the delivery room.

6. Spouse’s birthday: January 28|29 — blame it on clerical error.

6a. what you guys did for his/her last birthday: I dont remember anymore. Ano ba yan, ulianin na.

7. Address / General location: Amadeo, Cavite

8. Your job / company / line of work: I stay at home, watch Barney, wash poo-poo on dimpled butts and kiss baby faces all day long.

9. Your spouse’s job / company / line of work: Sales - Pharmaceutical Company

10. Your school course : UST BSMT 2001

11. Your spouse’s school course : MIT BSME 2001

12. Your interests: digiscrapping, taking photographs, nice things

13. Business: (if you have) I am engaged in the business of making nonsense - hehehe (joke)

14. What part of the Philippines/ world are you from? Good Ole’ Manila

15. What part of the Philippines/ world is your spouse from? Ang mapayapang lugar ng Tondo

16. Last celebrity you saw in person: Sino nga ba - nakalimot na naman ako LOL. I saw Heart Evangelista, Aga Muhlach, John Llyod (gwapo pala eto no) at ABS before. We were drinking coffee whereelse but Starbucks.

17. The number of SMs (as in, Shoe Marts) you’ve been to: Five pa lang ata.

18. Social networking or blogging chuva you’re part of: Frienster, Multiply, MySpace — all of which are so not updated :P. I own several blogs - and if you know all of them — you have a freakingly good knowledge of what has been happening in my life

18a. Your IDs on those sites, if you want NaWies to find/add you: Find me na lang Im very easy to find!

19. Kapamilya o Kapuso? kaPUSO

20. Complete the sentence: One time I got drunk…that I can smell and taste alcohol 24 hours later. Yuck.

—–
And that is the end of the GTYK Qs

The other one that has gotten me interested was the thread about how much household expenses are nowadays - based from what I read, I think I have been doing a good job budgeting things (Money lang talaga problema). We are at the lower end of the budget consensus, and I think that has to do a lot with me going to the market every week now. Ill share more later when I get to have some free time but there was a nice Momma Stuff Question of the Week for that a while back — nice tips!

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For years, I have relied on my payroll savings account to keep everything that I “save”. Five years worth of salaries, bonuses and even PayPal money went directly there. Now that I am no longer working, I’m thinking about giving it up, converting it into a personal savings account or just closing it and open a new one. The only thing that is keeping me from getting a new one is the online banking feature I have from my current bank. I really rely online to get my bills paid on time - since I really hate lining up at the bank. However, I also want a passbook to keep track of everything, which my bank doesnt support. Savings Accounts at WaMu are flexible and Im keen on opening a new one for myself. For example, they have online banking savings account and a statement savings account, which I can all apply online. Their online banking feature has a safety guarantee feature. I can save and download up to 13 months of my transaction history and even 7 years worth of statements!!! Their online bill payment service comes free as well. I want to be able to manage our finances and still be able to save. I think I would be inquiring about WaMu services in our area soon.

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Ever been interested in stock options and trading? I used to have stock options as a benefit given to us by my previous employer (it feels so weird having to write that down - ack! Im unemployed!). But all I did was sell them every quarter - it was like having a cash bonus incentive every three months. I guess, looking back, I should have been wiser. The stock options are now selling 1 unit for $50! Can you believe that? And it was given to me at 25cents per unit! With the option screener from PowerOptions, I can manage stocks better. Along with a complete suite of educational materials and premium toll-free customer support, PowerOptions provides the essential data you need to invest with stock options.PowerOptions® is the only internet-based data provider that gives investors SmartSearchXL®, a patented decision support technology that identifies the highest return option trades.

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It is quite alarming to know that families find it hard to get by from day to day on average combined salary of two working parents. Most resort to having multiple credit cards and multiple loans to have basic needs met - mortgages, insurance, car payments, tuition fees of children. This is because their monthly salaries are just enough for them to survive day to day - there is nothing left for savings or for big-time expenses (like for example, emergencies, medical bills, tuition fees of kids, etc.).

If you actually think about it, families who do this - charge everything to card or get loans - are getting into much bigger debt. Add all the accumulated interest of companies they owe from and they have more than their loaned amount to pay from interest alone. Most credit card companies charge a whopping 400% interest per year if you arent really able to completely pay your credit card bills online. That is where debt consolidation comes in to save a potentially bankrupt family. It has been said on finance news that with the US having low interest rates, it is the perfect time to refinance loans and have bills/loands consolidated.

How does it work? Debt consolidation brings you to a counsellor who needs to know your state of finances. He will not be there to look for short-term solutions to the problem but look at the over-all picture and offer the best possible solution with the lowest payout possible for the family. He can coordinate with a better financier with a lower interest rate for you. That way, you will be able to pay only financier for all your loans. Your existing loans and bills will be paid, with a lower interest rate because of cash out or they will coordinate to have it on a lower term.

It will be the best solution. If you know of a friend who needs it, refer them to a debt consolidation specialist right away.

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Grabbed this from Yen! Thanks Yen!

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffett, he was ranked by Forbes as the richest person in the world as of March 5, 2008 , who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

1. He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too early!

2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.

3. He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha , that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.

4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.

5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world’s largest private jet company.

6. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis. He has given his CEO’s only two rules. Rule number 1: do not lose any of your share holder’s money. Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.

7. He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch Television.

8. Bill Gates, the world’s richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffett. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.

9. Warren Buffett does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk.

His advice to young people:

“Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself and Remember:
A. Money doesn’t create man but it is the man who created money.
B. Live your life as simple as you are.
C. Don’t do what others say, just listen to them, but do what makes you feel good.
D. Don’t go on brand name; just wear those things in which you feel comfortable.
E. Don’t waste your money on unnecessary things; just spend on things that you really need.
F. After all it’s your life, then why give others the chance to rule your life.”

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Edil and I applied for a credit card two weeks ago. We made a decision to just use one card for both of us so we can see where our money is going. It will primarily be used to autodebit our bills and for groceries. We chose it because it was the best card for our lifestyle, there are other charity and sports club credit cards wherein a portion of what you purchased goes to a chosen institution or you have discounted rates at gyms. We chose one that will allow us to have reward points and discounts to groceries and gas - which are our most important needs. Most credit cards in the UK offer online banking services and balance transfers as well, with free fraud protection, I hope they get to apply it here.

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With the house move next year and my impending resignation from work, I have been racking my brains out for a small business I can start with that can help us get by with only one of us working. Of course, I am so sure whatever money we have would not be enough so I might need to get a small business loan. Small Business Lines of Credit are actually something that EZUnsecured.com can offer. They have a very easy process for application, fast approval rate and great customer service.

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Everyone dreams of becoming their own boss someday. I even would want to manage my own business, either a nursing home/laboratory, or a scrapbooking store/graphic school, to feed my creative side. However, the sad truth is that most cannot even start making their dreams come true because they cant seem to come up with the amount they need to launch their business. That is where financing comes in. Most small businesses have challenges with regards to cash flow, which the right financing can easily solve. Small Business Financing is something a budding entrepreneur should study really well. Small Business Loans can really jumpstart or save the business. You can get a Small Business Loan through EZUnsecured.com. Their loans require no collateral, and lenders focus on your Credit History and (if available) Business Financials to make their decisions, and the stronger your Credit History, the less documentation you will need to provide.

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With the ending of the year in a month, there are people who also wants to get rid of all credit card debt. Most of the times, it is the season to apply for credit card balance transfer or loans (to shop for gifts and close credit cards debts). However, credit card relief is not easy to find. The Credit Exchange Corporation is a service that can help. They are actually a debt consolidation referral service, which is not actually a debt management company. They refer you to companies or persons who can help you consolidate debt and manage it, and refer you to company who can guide you to improve your financial condition. They have all forms of financial services such as Financial Analysis, complete Credit and Debt counseling, and Debt Settlement through their affiliate network of debt consolidation and debt management companies.

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Who doesn’t want to be their own boss? Everybody dreams to have a business of their own, especially moms like me. I need to work to supplement my husband’s income, and I am always hoping to be able to have a business of my own which I can operate at home so I can be with my kids. Stay at home moms wish for the same. They want job opportunities at home so they can help with household expenses and have money of their own. I have been scouring the web for home-based business ideas and the usual ideas were direct selling, bookkeeping, transcription and of course, crafts. If you are good at a particular craft, why not sell your goods? Of course, apart from the business idea, you will need help starting it up, maintaining it and marketing it. Marketing is crucial since you work from home and are limited to advertising other than word of mouth or through the internet. Home Based Business Tips are accessible through www.atouchofbusiness.com. They have loads of articles and information which you will surely need for your business at home. I actually have been reading their tips one day at a time because I really want to sink it all in. It is easy to get overwhelmed with ideas and information!

Home Based Business Guides are also available for you to refer to. I actually like the Business Start Up Guide for Small and Home Based Business article as it has served as my checklist and gauge whether I am ready for this or not. If you already operate a business from home, maybe you can benefit from the Business Trouble Shooting Guide article they have as well.

If you would like help how to market your business and don’t know where to go or start because of a limited budget, refer to the site’s Small Business Marketing Tips. Their tips are actually very reasonable and doable. Sentences are concise, well-written and very easy to understand. I would refer to this web site all the time especially since I plan to stop working next year already.

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The trend these days is online banking. Well, actually, everything can be done online already. Even applying for a loan! Payday Loans can actually be done online. You can apply on site and fill up a one-page form. Once approved (and it usually gets processed faster), it will then deposit the money to the bank you have specified. Payment of the loan will now be credited through the bank account you gave on dates you previously agreed to. Salary Advance loans are becoming popular these days as times are getting harder and people live from paycheck to paycheck. Usually, these are used for extreme cases of emergency as well. I would prefer getting a loan than selling my stuff or pawning my jewelry for example. Payday Loans are short-term loans, usually given in small amount range. If you are in the UK, they even have a site specifically for this. You apply online and they will match you with a lender that is best for your application. Think of it as getting a cash advance. Cash Advance from a payday loan is better than securing one from your credit card bank. You will be charged a higher interest rate and processing fee - usually 10% of the minimum.

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One day left until payday! I cannot believe we survived without a maid for a week and with a budget that is limited so take out food delivery isn’t an option (meaning, I really had no choice but to cook!). We are a family that lives from paycheck to paycheck so usually, before payday arrives, our budget is stretched to its limits. We even sometimes really are left with nothing but money for transportation to and from work. That is how hard life is right now. So I cannot blame people who actually apply for payday loans. Why not? It is better than selling your things at the house or pawning your jewelry. Think of it as a cash advance that you pay when payday arrives. Payday loans are usually called short term loans because the payment schemes are shorter, the loan amount is smaller and the interest rates are noticeably different. What is good about it is that cash advance loans can now also be done online, guaranteeing your anonymity, and be processed and approved faster!

You just need to meet the following requirements:

• Being Employed for at least 3 consecutive months.
• Having a valid checking account open for at least 3 months.

So next time you fell short on cash, consider applying for one!

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