I want to Invest! Where do I Begin?

Oopps! You're wrong! I'm not singing. I love songs but songs doesn't love me.

After reading and digesting all sorts of financial literacy books like Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad, Stanley's The Millionaire Next Door, Bo's 8 Secrets of the Truly Rich, Colayco's Wealth Within your Reach, Zadel's Think and Grow Rich (Napoleon Hill), Whittaker's Making Money Made Simple,and many more, what's next? I want to invest where should I start? That was me and my Norlito's question.

"Study anyone who's great, and you'll find that they apprenticed to a master or several masters. Therefore, if you want to achieve greatness...you must apprentice to a master." - Robert Allen

So, we looked for financial mentors to guide us on our financial journey. My friend in Singapore Analyn Bontilao introduced us to the Truly Rich Club of Bro. Bo Sanchez. That time she is already invested and TRC made that big difference in her life.  We joined the TRC last October 2012. We also joined the International Marketing Group (IMG) Truly Rich Makers Team under the mentor-ship of Fely and Benj Santiago. Please click here to know more about IMG-TrulyRichMakers Team.
  
IMPORTANT NOTE: Invest only when you have

1.  Increased your Income (for OFW's like us, being abroad should have addressed this step,  otherwise find ways to increase cashflow).

2.Taken protection
     a. Long term and short term health insurance (me and my husband have taken the Kaiser Premium Health Builder of IMG for long term health insurance; and the Bupa Health Insurance here in Australia for the short term health insurance).

     b. Term Life Insurance (Most life insurance here in Australia have worldwide coverage,although there are lot of conditions to be met as most other local insurance do. My husband and I have BUPA Australia as short-term health care insurance so getting a Life Insurance from them would give a member a discount on the premium. Please note this is just an info, I'm not advertising for them. You can choose other Life Insurance providers). It is not necessary to get Term Life insurance if you are not a breadwinner or nobody depends on your income for survival.

3. Paid all debts (We can exclude property investment leverage here as they are good debts).

4.  Built Emergency Funds (equal to 3-6 months expenses for single and 6-12 months expenses for married. This is something liquid that you can access easily in case of emergencies). 

Yes there are membership fees my dear. But as mentor Bo said "Your money won't grow if you don't grow. Grow you and your money will grow too. So invest in yourself. In your self growth. And whatever you spend will be nothing compared to the profits you'll earn because of the quantum growth you'll experience. Get rid of the free lunch mentality. When you pay for something, you value it. And you learn more. You get blessed more. When it comes for free, many times, we don't value it. And we don't learn."

Australia is a beautiful place. Agree? But isn't it best if when we finally decide to reintegrate in our beloved Philippines we are not only taking home with us our pictures in the beautiful places of Australia but also having achieved Financial Freedom and Financial Independence and having escaped the rat race as the true reward and memento of working abroad?

Of course, no one wants to have photos abroad only as remembrance. Let's TAKE CHARGE of our own finances but be guided accordingly. Let's all target being financially-free. 

Journeying with Passion,
Net

Perceptions of “Being Rich/Wealthy”

I am still an employee who is still trapped in the rat race (8 hours job). I wake up everyday to rush into my source of active income (income that comes directly as a result of my own hard work, my skill, talent and time). Whether I feel like working or not I have to work because this is the only income yet that I have. When I stop working, money stops coming in. This is the price of having no passive income streams yet (passive income is generated by our earning assets and investments that does not depend on our active participation in terms of time, skill or talent). But agree or not, for people like us who did not inherit humungous amount of wealth we have no choice but to work to have active income while “slowly but surely” building our future sources of passive income (e.g. Mutual Funds, Stocks, Bonds, UITFs, small businesses, real estate,etc.).

Every day, to break the monotony of our work routine, me and my colleagues often discuss interesting topics not related to work (Ssssssshhhhhh! this is a top secret!) to at least alleviate homesickness. This is also our way of cheating ourselves to enjoy our job (well I guess if you enjoy the company of your colleagues and your boss at work there's no reason for you to not at least love your work isn't it?).

One question we tossed in the air is this: What to you is being wealthy means? (Sounds like a “Ms. World” questionnaire?)

These were the first things that came to our minds:

1. Driving Flashy cars.
2.Owning big houses in the states (as in sa states lang talaga? hahaha!).
3.Wearing branded clothes, shoes and accessories like bags, watches, etc.
4.Manny Pacquiao (What? Seriously? Did you also realize that Pacman is an epitome of wealth? You’ve got to be kidding me. Well, what can I say, he is able to make Philippines zero-crime-rate for at least a day when everyone (criminals, pick-pocketers, murderers, drug lords) are glued on the tube watching his fight).
5. Talks with glamour (Ouch! poor me, I'm a cowgirl type who talks like one of the boys).
6. Madami asawa (Lots of wives/husband)- (Ouch again! poor husband of mine, I’m the only wife he have ( Tee!!!haa!!!).

When I got home from work I retrieved my compilation of what wealthy really means as defined by financial literacy gurus. I have also included other terminologies that changed how I perceived my financial life. And these are what I got.

From Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich dad: "Many people think that being rich and being wealthy are the same thing. But there is a difference between the two: The rich have lots of money but the wealthy don’t worry about money.” As explained by Robert Kiyosaki, “while the rich might have lots of money, they also might have lots of expenses that keep them up at night. Or they might have a high paying job but have to get up to work everyday and have fear of getting fired or laid off.”

Robert Kiyosaki has defined wealth as being how long you can live off the income of your investments without having to work - how long your money will last to allow you to live without working. While Financial Independence is achieved when your monthly income is more than your monthly expenses.

Francisco Colayco in his book “Wealth within Your Reach” defines wealth as a condition where your present financial resources can support your lifestyle over a long period of time even if you do not work to generate income.

Financial Freedom happens when your wants and your needs are exceeded by your passive income. Financial Freedom is a state or a condition when someone’s passive income is greater than their work income and more than adequately covers their desirable lifestyle expenses at the same time.




And last but not the least, escape rat race means becoming financially independent from an employer.

Now, have you visualized which one would you like to be? Then, YOU have to ACT NOW! Come on, let's journey together.

As Brian Tracy said: “ Dream BIG. Live your life without limits. If you want to go somewhere else or be someone else, it is totally up to you to make the choices and decisions today that will eventually get you there. And there are no limits.”


Journeying with Passion,
Net

Joining TrulyRichClub of Bro. Bo Sanchez

I came from the humble and simple yet fulfilling life of the agricultural sector side of the Province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines. I’ve have grown up from a very loving family background. My three siblings and I had the happiest childhood so to speak. We have never felt “lack” as we were able to eat more than 3 times a day with foods naturally grown around us. We have a home filled with our laughter. We have the lake just down the hill for our endless swimming pool. We have wide backyard and fields to play around. We have the moon and the stars to light-up the night while waiting to drooze-off. We were trained early with the adage “Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy and wise”. Life then was so carefree for me and my siblings. Life seems so uncomplicated and worry-free as all the basic necessities of life are just within our grasp almost all so cheap if not for free.

When we started studying in high school, reality started to haunt us. Accompanied by almost monthly non-stop natural calamities destroying the income-generating crops of my parents, financial struggle started to set in. This went for so long. As children, nobody ever discussed to us about saving extra money and investing. Seeshhhh! How can my parents teach us saving if they are having hard time making both ends meet? Yes, we were taught how to cut cost in every area of spending out of no choice but never did it occur to us to save and invest for the future when we were earning already after graduating from college.

And then on one faithful day, a dear friend replaced a lost book she borrowed from me with one written by Bro. Bo Sanchez, author of so many best-selling books. The book “8 Secrets of the Truly Rich” was an eye-opener to me. I finished reading the book in just one sitting devouring each essential passage and awakening messages. It ignited the sleeping “lamp” in me. It literally enlightened me about money. Bro. Bo says “Money isn’ t the most important thing in the world. But money affects every important thing in the world.” How’s that to you? We’ll, with all the financial experiences my family had during my school days, I’d say Bro. Bo is so right at that.

 

I have read this book soooo many times (looks overused isn't it?, haha!)

"8 Secrets" fuelled me and my Norlito the burning desire to start building a solid financial foundation for our family. We signed up for membership at the TrulyRichClub (TRC) and now applying all the financial literacy principles it is teaching us. Another good thing about this club aside from the financial mentoring is that we also gain spiritual abundance through the daily “GodWhispers” sent daily to our inbox. It’s as if all areas of our life are enriched. Bro. Bo cited the importance of taking out Term Life Insurance for bread winners so we took one. He also stressed out the necessity of building emergency funds equal to 6 months of expenses for rainy days; and paying all outstanding debts before investing. He also mentioned that the best time to prepare for retirement is NOW so a year ago we have started investing in mutual funds, UITFs and stock market and let it grow for 10-30 years from now (long term investing for our retirement). Bro. Bo and TRC’s battlecry is “Earn as much as you can, save as much as you can, and give as much as you can” and that the true value of wealth is in giving it away.

Join us at TRC and let’s learn together the building of blocks for a solid foundation on all aspects of our lives. This is the best time to start your exciting journey too. It is in your hands and not anyone else who will make or break your future. As Les Brown said, ”Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.”

Click here to join Bo Sanchez's TrulyRichClub or email me if you have questions on our journey with TRC.

Journeying with Passion, 

Net

My School Life Story That Fueled My Hunger for Financial Literacy

Below is the story of my life in school, a preface of my humble beginnings. It's all in my speech I delivered last March 2010 to the graduating elementary students of Pasil Elementary School in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Philippines.

When I was asked to be the guest speaker for this special event, I was a bit hesitant to accept it. I am not sure if I’m the right person to do it. But then again, I realized that it’s not about me, but my story. A story that could somehow serve as an inspiration for the graduating student or the parent of that student that is more or less in the same situation as me before.

Let me share you my experiences through that speech. Please allow me to present it the way it is when I delivered it (Tagalog-English-Ilocano). Here it goes...

"I attended a Day Care Center malapit sa bahay ng lolo ko. Sa edad na lima, hindi ko pa masyadong natatandaan ang mga pangyayari pero sa pamamagitan ng pagkukuwento ng nanay ko, nagsimula daw akong mahiyain. Kapag daw may pacontest sa bayan, madalas ako daw ang isinasabak ng teacher ko, kaya lang kapag oras na ng patimpalak ay ayaw ko ng sumali. But my mother never gave up to train and guide me until at last I started to build my abilities. I then finished my pre-schooling as outstanding pre-schooler.

Guest Speaker at Pasil Elementary School

Bilang isang musmos na bata, excited akong pumasok sa unang baitang sa elementarya. Medyo malayo ang distance ng school sa bahay, about 1.5 kilometer. Sa anim na taon, nilalakad ko lang papunta at pauwi. P1.50 lang ang pamasahe noon pero nasasayangan ako kaya itinatabi ko para pambili ng ibang pangangailangan. Wala kaming uniform sa school sa elementarya pero kasya na ang 3 pares na damit na pinagsasalit-salitan ko sa buong linggo. Wala din canteen dito noon kaya kailangan kong magbaon ng pang-lunch ko. Okay na ang pritong itlog, minsan pinakbet na saluyot lamang. Minsan lang makabili si Nana ng karne. Napudpod man ang tsinelas ko sa araw araw na paglalakad ng mahigit isang kilometro, hindi ko ito pinagsisihan. Sapagkat, ito ang nagpatibay ng aking mga binti at paa na siyang naging kasama ko sa pagtahak sa daan tungo sa aking mga pangarap. Bilang man ang aking damit na pinagsasalitan bilang uniporme, masaya pa din ako sapagkat ito ang nagpatunay na sa huli ang mahalaga pa rin ay ang iyong kalooban at di ang gara ng iyong kasuotan.

I took the entrance examination at the Mariano Marcos State University Science High School and luckily passed it. Dahil alam ko ang hirap ng parents ko sa financial, kasya na ang P20 na allowance ko araw-araw. Bente pesos lang ang puhunan ko sa araw – araw kaya’t kung tutuusin ay tubong- lugaw pa ako. Sapagkat dito sa high school ko naranasan ang madaming una sa aking buhay. Ang unang pagtapak ko sa entablado na siyang naging daan upang mawala ang aking pagkamahiyain. Dito ako unang namuno ng mga organizations na siyang humubog sa akin upang maging responsable at mabuting lider. Natapos ko ang high school pero hindi pa ako dapat tumigil sapagkat mas malaking pagsubok ang kolehiyo. Sa hirap ng buhay namin, kayanin pa kaya akong pag-aralin nina Nana at Tata?

My question was answered when I was able to pass the screening exam of Department of Science and Technology scholarship. My tata accompanied me to take entrance exam at University of Santo Tomas, passed the exam at doon na nag- aral.

Sa college mas marami na namang challenges ang nakasugapa ko, academic, financial and life’s challenges. Di pala biro biro ang pag aaral sa kolehiyo. Kailangan ang matibay na dibdib, malakas na determinasyon at may disiplina sa sarili. Sa katunayan nga nakakauwi lang ako sa Ilocos every end of the semester. Limang taon ako sa Manila na hindi man lang ako nadalaw ng parents ko sa boarding house dahil nga sa kakulangan sa pera. Ang nagbibigay lakas sa akin noon ay ang Diyos at ang mga paalaalang pabaon ni Nana at Tata sa akin bago lumuwas uli sa Manila. They may not be physically beside me, but they were always there to guide me in some other ways possible. Thru self-discipline, I was able to fight social evils in Manila environment. I always held on to my hopes and dreams and I always knew that one day I will finish my degree.

Together with the Mayor

And when I did, another question popped-out my mind. Meron kaya akong gagastusin sa pagrereview sa board exams? Kinausap ko si Tata at Nana dahil sila lang ang makakasagot sa aking katanungan. Anyan a ragsak ko idi kinuna daydi Tatang ko. “Nairemedyo mi ti kasapulam nga pimmangal iti maikasiam nga tukad ti agdan, arigna maysa laengen saka ka makadanon iti kadsaaran. Ikarigatanmi dayta “, kinunana (I felt elated when my Tata said: You are almost there and we are not giving up, not this time. We will find way to get that amount you need). Those words echoed to my ears and inspired me to give my best shot in Chemical Engineering board exams.

Noong maipasa ko ang board exams, akala ko wala na akong tanong, meron pa pala. Sa tindi ng competition ngayon, paano kaya ako makakapasok sa trabahong gusto ko? Mahirap sagutin pero binalikan kong isipin ang lahat ng hirap ko sa pag-aaral, ang pagsasakripisyo at paggawa lahat ng paraan ng aking mga magulang para ako’y makatapos lamang at sa dami ko ng pinagdaanan, ngayon pa ba ako susuko? … iyon ang mga nagbigay sa akin ng lakas ng loob para marating kung nasaan ako ngayon.

Dear graduates, sa pagtahak ninyo ng pipiliin nyong daan, lagi nyong tatandaan, Sometime, rather oftentimes, you just need to keep your faith in order to achieve what your heart desires.

Alam nyo naba yung kwento ng isang lapis? Maybe some of you are quite familiar with it.

May isang grade schooler pinapanood ang kanyang lola na nagsusulat ng letter. At one point tinanong ng grade schooler, “Lola nagsusulat po ba kayo ng kwento? Tungkol saan? Tumigil ang lola sa pagsusulat,”Nagsusulat ako tungkol sayo apo, pero mas importante sa mga salita ay ang lapis na ginagamit ko. Sana paglaki mo maging katulad ka ng lapis na ito."

Naintriga ang bata, “Ho? E ordinaryong lapis lang naman po yan lola eh.” Sagot ng lola, “Depende yan sa pagtingin mo sa mga bagay-bagay apo. May limang katangian ang lapis na ito. Hayaan mong isa-isahin ko ito sa iyo apo.”

The Pencil

Una: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand, in God’s hand, and allow other human being to access you for the many gifts you possess. Pangalawa: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil. By going through various problems in life you will become a stronger person. Pangatlo: The pencil’s eraser allow us to erase or rub out any mistakes. You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. Pang-apat: What really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you. Panglima: On every surface you are used on, you always leave your mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you will do in life will leave a mark.

Awarding of Graduation Certificates to the graduates

Lagi nyo itong tatandaan and you will be the best person you can be. Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change. God doesn’t give a person excess talent and another person no talent at all. You just have to want to learn, believe in yourself, and be willing to step forward with faith and find your passion and purpose.

Dear parents, your children are the hopes of the fatherland. If you want your child to walk the righteous path, do not merely point the way – lead them the way. Sabi nga nila, ang mga bata daw ay parang basang semento na kung ano malaglag sa kanya ay mag-iiwan ng bakat na dala nila hanggang pagtanda. I could proudly say na nai-lead ako ni Nana at Tata sa tamang daan. They were the ones who lifted me when I’m down, they were the ones that encouraged me when I’m losing hope and pushed me when I’m ready to give up. Sa nanay at tatay ko nakita na lahat ay possible, magtiwala ka lang sa Diyos. Hindi siguro kayo maniniwala pero napagtapos ako sa pamamagitan ng pagtitinda ng nanay ko sa mga bahay-bahay ng sari- saring isda at gulay, at katu-katulong ng tatay ko sa pagsasaka ng maliit naming bukid.

Dear teachers, malaki ang naging impluwensya ninyo sa magiging hinaharap ng mga batang ito tulad ng nagawa ninyo sa akin. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my elementary school teachers, Diyos ti agngina ma’am iti an-anus yo kanyak (Thank you ma'am for all your patience in me). You were the ones that encouraged me to overcome my weakness and pushed me to do my best in school. Those were the building blocks for what I am today and you will always be a part of who I am now and who I will become. And for that, a heartfelt gratitude to you all. May you continue your legacy to the next children to come.

Now, as I stand here before you, hindi ko masasabing wala na akong tanong sa buhay. I guess that’s part of life. Life’s full of questions we have to answer. But with all the experiences I had, I am not afraid.

My dear graduates, today, a new door has opened. Make the most out of it. Do not fear to fall, fail or get hurt for they are the best sharpeners. Good luck graduates or shalI I say little pencils. Make your mark to the world. Thank you and good day to all."

I could still remember very vividly how the parents, teachers and the graduating students were very teary-eyed after my speech. I hope I was able to spark a vision for themselves to not give up until they reach their destination whatever obstacle comes their way. (Let's see when I meet them 10 years from now).

My school life struggles were mostly connected to FINANCIAL STRUGGLE. Back then, I was always thinking why, but school never taught me the answer. When I finished my degree I said to myself I need to find out what can I do so that the next generation of our family will not encounter the same struggle as I did while studying. The financial challenges that me and my family hurdled have somewhat created the hunger in me to discover the secret of the financially-free and financially independent people; how most of my classmates never have to worry about tuition fees, money to buy books, allowances for food and transportation and the like. I said to myself, there has to be a way and I'm going to find it out. So, that started my love for reading all sorts of Financial Literacy books and articles.

Journeying with Passion,

Net 

Light Of Jesus Perth Chapter

Being a Truly Rich Club (TRC) member, I've come to know about the different entities spearheaded by Bro. Bo Sanchez. I stumbled upon all the "whats" of TRC, LOJ (Light of Jesus) and etc. when I was already here in Australia. Now you might be asking me: why only now that you are miles away from the Philippines? Simple. We don't have stable internet connection in the province so I never came across about them and no one else have introduced it to me as well. I will be writing more about our financial journey through TRC's mentorship in my next articles to come. I would like to focus first on LOJ Family here in Perth, W.A.

I kept ranting to my friend Ice and to my Norlito where in the world can I find that spiritual nourishment or nourishment of the soul that I'm looking for? Of course, they would just always laugh at my ramblings. How would they know? (Ako nga hindi ko alam, sila pa kaya? hahaha!). Yes, I do attend Catholic  Mass but I feel like I needed some more food for my starving soul.  That I needed a prayer group where I could connect with our Creator in  a family atmosphere where one can share his/her reflections and learn from others' true-to-life experiences too. A set-up wherein I get to see in real life picture whatever is written in the BOOK OF LIFE. I kept praying & looking and Eureka!, my prayers were answered. I found the LOJ (Light of Jesus) Family in Perth, or shall we put it more proper to say they found me. hahaha! I feel enormous joy and blessed being with this people. I found spiritual upliftment and I found a FAMILY. I'm overly excited and always looking forward with the gathering every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.

This picture was taken on our first time to attend the "The Feast"

With the "Family"

The gathering is more popularly known as "The Feast". It is a Catholic Prayer Meeting of the Light of Jesus Family. The gathering starts with PRAISE SONGS to the Lord, followed by my favourite part, listening to the  widescreen replay of the "The feast" by Bro Bo Sanchez, then, followed by blessings from the resident priest of St Jude Parish Church in Prendiville Langford. It is then followed by another favourite part of mine, the "sharing and reflections" wherein all attendees are grouped and then discuss insights regarding that particular episode of the "The Feast" and share related personal experiences or other people's encounters that was witnessed. I feel that the sharing part is very enlightening to the mind, soul and spirit.

An invitation:

Address:   St Jude Parish Hall
               20 Prendiville Way, Langford
Schedule: Every 1st & 3rd Saturday 2-4 pm

For more info, please click here 
or contact Grace 0420921268 & Arnold 0427629590


See you there.


Journeying with Passion,
Net