Money matters

We finally found another nanny, let’s call her Yaya #3. She’s from Mindanao and she was referred to us by my SIL. I have to accept the reality that there will be no perfect yaya, just like this new one, she already committed some booboos in just a week.

Aside from discussing her duties as a yaya, we also tackled her salary issues. She already asked if she can get half of her salary to be left to her kids, I already agreed to that and I just talked to her how we will deduct her transportation fee and salary advances. In the end, she’s thankful that I gave her easy personal loans, I just hope that she’ll pay it back by taking care of Gwen. =)

Philhealth check arrived

I received my Philhealth check earlier after waiting for three months. I was not able to use my Philhealth benefit when I gave birth last December because the Philhealth form I had with me at the hospital was old. So reimbursement is my only option. The amount is just small, Php 2,500 , but any amount is very welcome especially now that Gwen has increasing needs. I’m just happy that I was able to acquire and use all the maternity benefits, from SSS and Philhealth.

One thing though is that my SSS ID hasn’t arrived yet, I applied for it the moment I got pregnant because our HR said it’s required. I already gave birth and still no SSS ID. When I called their office for follow-up, the person I talked to the other line said that they’re giving priority to those who needs to avail of social security disability first. Well, I already claimed my SSS Maternity benefit too so that’s the least of my worries.

New Odesk withdrawal method: local funds transfer

Good news to all Odesk providers because aside from Paypal and Payoneer, they now have local funds transfer. Now, providers can withdraw their earnings directly to their Philippine bank in Philippine pesos. This means less charges because there’s no third party payment vendor such as Paypal and faster money transfer. Withdrawal fee is only $1.99 for local funds transfer, and first withdrawal is free. Some banks may also charge incoming remittance fees but my bank, BPI, doesn’t charge remittance fees from Odesk. Money transfer takes 3-5 business days only.

For more details especially to Odesk providers, visit here.

Finance charges on my credit card

Oooops, I forgot to pay for my credit card bill this month. Maybe because of the long vacation and another long weekend again, now I’m worried about the finance charges. I’ve always been a good payer, I love my BPI credit cards and I’ve been using it for 5 years already even if other banks lured me to their credit card offers. Why I’m worried about the finance charges, it’s because I’ve used it quite often since January. Blame it on my impulse buys at Etude House, online purchases at Amazon and Cebu Pacific’s seat sale. I only use my credit card whenever I’m doing the grocery, just so I can avail of their perks such as free Jollibee or Chowking meals, but this year, I went like a mad swiper. Do you think I’m doomed with a hefty finance charge?

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Find the perfect credit card for you

For some, having a credit card is like a love-hate relationship. It’s a trial-and-error and continuous learning process to find what’s the best credit card that can satisfy your spending needs. Other people think of credit cards negatively and they shy away from the plastic card, but this isn’t always the case as long as you’re using it responsibly. I even wrote some tips on how to save money using credit cards by using all the perks, discounts and promos that come with the card. Always read the fine print when applying for a credit card, like interest rates, good customer service, annual fees, credit card limit, etc. Don’t be fooled by one time discount coupons, freebies, waived annual fees, etc. only to find out that you’ve chosen the wrong card for you. Don’t rush when taking decisions, take control of your finances, it’s your money after all.

In some instances that you made some wrong financial decisions and exorbitant spending, it may result to credit card debts. And in some cases, it really spells bad news, since interest rates would pile up month after month until you really can’t afford to pay your debt even for a longer time. But then, there’s a solution, you can make use of a credit card balance transfer wherein you get a new credit card with a lower interest rate and the new card will pay off the debt from your previous credit card. This should allow you to pay off your credit card debt on a much flexible term and for a reasonable amount.

And to help us to be financially savvy, we can all make use of CreditCardFinder.com especially if you’re in Australia to easily compare various credit cards.

Credit card or debit card?

I recently wrote about how to save money using a credit card a few days back but not all Filipino consumers own one. For some, they simply don’t want to have a credit card because it’s just a temptation for them to spend more than they can actually afford. If a credit card is not appropriate, then a debit card is the right tool. A debit card is a prepaid card in which you only get to spend the amount loaded on your debit card. Use it in the grocery, gas stations, paying bills and wherever establishment the card is accepted, it works just like a credit card, only better. It is impossible to overspend so you can control your expenses and you won’t go into horrifying credit card debts. Another advantage is because it’s also a savings account, you get to earn interest from your money, not the other way around with a credit card.

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