Share ko lang ayaw ko matulad kayo sa experience ko

Some sharing this time...

Photo credit: The best way to predict your future is to create it

***
Sir Omeng,
        Actually sir last September po, we supposed to attend your seminar (that was September 28, 2013).Bali nag vacation po ako (from qatar) 10 days before the said date, just to attend po sana at kasama po  ang 4 members of my family. I paid 1997x5 po at pina dala ko po thru bank ang halagang 10,000  pesos. 

        I honestly believed po na  thru this seminar na kahit po malaking halaga ang 10,000 pesos ay handa po akong mag bayad , dahil ma o-open po ang awareness ng family member ko at  ito po  ay mag bibigay sa kanila ng knowledge how to handle our hard earned money at syempre po in the long run ang result nito ay magiging maginhawa po ang buhay namin,  

      Napakahirap po kasi talaga nang nag aabroad . i pray, hope and i dreamt na dyan na ako mag trabaho pero di ko po alam kung kailan ako makaka pag for good po dito. In this seminar alam ko na magiging equip po kami at ito po ang magiging dahilan para po mabago ang aming pananaw sa buhay. 

       Nakakalungkot  po na di po kami na ka attend ng seminar noong Sept. 28  kahit alam namin napakahalaga nito,dahil po, sa kasamaang  palad at sa di po inaasahan, (on the day i reached home on sept 18) my mother was complaining of severe abdominal pain and severe back pain and i rushed her to the hospital, but with our surprised na diagnosed po na may terminal PAncreatic CA po sya, bali late na late na po naming itong nalaman.  

       So, from that same day na-admit na po sya sa hospital at ginawa po namin ang lahat ng pararan para ma bigyan sya ng proper medical treatment  at talaga pong napaka hirap  po ng inabot ng aking nanay ganun din po kami, nag tuloy tuloy po kasi ang abdominal  pain nya at talaga pong unbearable ang sakit na inabot nya. 

        Tinapat na rin kami ng mga doctor pero sumigi parin kami , kahit financially gipit na kami so, from MCU hospital we tranfered her to Mary Johnston hospital talagang gusto naming syang mabuhay......... But even we tried our very-very best and also all her doctors, each......  we've lost her and she died on October 4,2013.  

         After po nito ay naiburol  po sya ng 4days at after 3 days po ay bumalik na rin po ako ng qatar, baon ko po ang napaka lungkot at napaka sakit na karanasan ko dyan (im so sorry sir omeng kung napa ka drama ng buhay ko, pero totoong nangyari ito.) 

         Sir, omeng pwede po ba akong maki suyo sa mga lecturers at organizer na maka attend yung kahit isang pamangkin ko at isang kapatid  ko with a "minimum payment"  , Sir kahit po makinig nalang sila at di na po ninyo ibilang sa pag kain, tutal po sir pag break pwede ko naman po silang pag baunin ng food or dyan sa malapit na fast food nalang sila kakain.
       
        Talaga  po kasing  nagipit po kami sa mga gastusin habang nan dyan po ako. Alam ko po kasing napakahalaga nitong "seminar " nyo  para sa aming pamilya. I really value this Seminar! 

Hope matulungan nyo po kami sir omeng,
May God bless you. 

***
WOW. I just saw a person who's taking that much extra effort for his family.
Something to which we can all relate. 

And when you see that, it's always a humbling and defining experience.

Many times you simply have to listen to others and you begin to realize how life is really more than your own world...

That person clearly knows what's important to him. And he's taking an action to MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Hope we can all learn from this.

Last day na today - Jan 9 (for YOU naman) to  avail the super early bird fee  of 2497 1997 1497. If you're SERIOUS  in overhauling your financial life and REWARDING yourself, it starts with a plan.  Bring home one this January 25.
Click here for bonus and details.

And some few words of reminder (from our fb group) for those who have the poor habit of delaying: 

Just my cents..... Sorry guys experience ko kasi to kaya sa mga early 20ish na investor wag nyo sayangin ang araw. Take actions while young. Trust me! Sabi ko ng paulit ulit kung sinimulan ko mag save nung 21 ako baka i can tell hayahay na ang savings ko ngayon. Buti na lang maganda work ko kaya nakapag simula na ako ng actual. La lang share ko lang ayaw ko matulad kayo sa experience ko na isang kahig isang tuka dati. Remember kurot principle?

One wise man said the best way to predict your future is to create it. 

Start creating! 
Happy investing! 

oMeng

PS: Last day na today - Jan 9 to  avail the super early bird fee  of 2497 1997 1497. Invest in YOURSELF this time. And reap the rewards in a lifetime.
 
Click here for bonus and details.
Few seats remain so reserve your seat now na.

How inflation makes you an automatic loser (and what you can do about it)

In my last blog -  Are you financially better off now than last year? (with lots of helpful tips for an abundant new year), I shared that one of the very basic reasons why it's important to invest is to beat the effect of inflation. 

But what exactly is inflation? How does it erode our money's purchasing power?

In below article, you'll see in very simple numbers how inflation can make you an automatic loser if you're one of those who are ignorant about it. Find out what you can do about it.

 

Photo credit: Are you also a victim of inflation?

*** 

SIMPLE MATH TO WEALTH BUILDING by Lyndon Malanog 

Wealth Building has no shortcut that’s why every effort needs to count to the building process. The title of my article is “Simple Math to Wealth Building” but Mathematics is not simple even though it is our word of mouth. To make things simpler, let’s use the word “Arithmetic” (from the Greek word arithmos “number”), the oldest and most elementary branch of mathematics, used very popularly, for tasks ranging from simple day-today counting to advanced science and business calculations. In common usage, it refers to the simpler properties when using the traditional operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division with smaller values of numbers.

We can find a lot of numbers in the Bible starting from how God created the world. God also gave us the formula for savings when He instructed Joseph the Dreamer to save one-fifth of the produce of the Land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years so that Egypt will not perish in the next seven years of famine to come (Genesis 41:34-36). In our Light of Jesus community, Bro Bo teaches us how to save and invest using our “Prosperity Formula” which is:

100 percent Income – 10 percent Tithes – 20 percent Savings & Investments = 70 percent Expenses.

This means that we have to adjust our lifestyle to the 70 percent of our income if we want to build wealth. But for this article, let me focus on the 20 percent savings and how arithmetic (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing) will influence its future value whether it be growing or losing.

Let’s say that your 20 percent savings is 10,000.00 pesos and you decided to put it in a Time Deposit Account which is roughly 1.75 percent PA (per annum) as of today. Using arithmetic, the computation would go like this:

Multiplying 1.75 percent PA of Time Deposit Rate to 10,000 will give us 175. Adding 175 to the original amount of 10,000 will give us a Gross Amount after a year of 10,175.

Almost all income from interest rates are taxable. So, applying 20 percent withholding tax to the income which is 175 will give us 35 and subtracting 35 from the gross amount of 10,175 will give us the Net Amount after tax of 10,140.

We are not done yet because we haven’t included the effect of Inflation. Inflation is not the tire pressure of our car but it’s the rising prices of commodities. Inflation on the average ranges from 3-5 percent PA. Using a 5 percent Inflation PA and multiplying 5 percent to the Net Amount after tax which is 10,140 will give us 507. Subtracting 507 from the Net Amount after tax of 10,140 will give us the Net amount after a year which is 9,633.

Surprisingly, the resulting amount is even lower than the original amount. This computation may be so simple to a lot of you but I have met thousands of people who are not really aware that their money is not really growing. It is indicated below as follows:

10,000 Original amount
+ 175 (1.75 percent Time Deposit PA)
10,175 Gross Amount after a year
- 35 (20 percent of 175, withholding tax)
10,140 Net Amount after tax
- 507 (5 percent of 10,140, average inflation/year)
9, 633 Net amount after a year

The net amount shows that your savings is actually losing value year after year. Subtracting the net amount from the original amount after a year will give us the amount we lost.

10,000 Original amount
- 9,633 Net amount after a year
367 Amount we lost

Dividing 367 which is the amount we lost by 365 days in a year will give us…

= 367 Amount we lost / 365 days in a year

= 1.0054/day rate of losing value

This Simple Math or Arithmetic tells us that our original amount is losing at the rate of 1.0054/day. This also tells us that we need to put our savings and investments in an investment instrument that will outpace the effect of taxes and inflation.

(Better way to explain inflation is this:You initially had 10,000 pesos, with that you can buy (something) Nagtipid ka, nagtiis ka at nilagay mo sa bank time deposit account yung 10,000 mo. Kumita ka ng 140 pesos so may 10,140 net of taxes ka.

Kaso, yung dating (bagay) na 10,000 pesos, nagkakahalaga na ngayon ng 10,500 pesos -- yung dating kaya mong bilhin, ngayon hindi mo na kaya.
Nagtiis ka nga, yun pala, mas ok kung binili mo na lang yung gusto mo. Thanks to Aya Laraya for this note).


We are now in the Information Age and not in the Industrial Age. Financial Literacy is vital to keep up with the fast changing world of numbers. Make time to learn by attending our seminars but if you think financial literacy is a waste of time, try losing the value of your money year after year from your savings and investments!

Remember, we are only stewards of God’s wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). Learn to grow what is entrusted to you (Matthew 25:29).

Happy investing.
***

PS: The above piece is a short section of a sample Wealth Strategy article of Truly Rich Club from Lyndon Malanog.

Lyndon Malanog is an Entrepreneur and the Financial Coach of Bo Sanchez, Inc.. He continuously gives “Financial Discipline and Wealth Management” seminars to companies and groups as part of his noble mission and advocacy of educating people.

Meet Lyndon in person in our Practical Money Management + How to Win in Philippine Stock Market Seminar! this coming January 25 at Max's, Cubao!

Get also an exclusive bonus  access  to our Investing in Philippines Private Mastery Group to help you maximize your learning from the seminar.
Click here for more details.

Seats are running out fast so invest in YOURSELF now and get the  Early Bird fee  of 2497  1997 (SAVE 20% OFF).  
Click here for more details.
 

PS2: Hey,  SAVING is a good habit (and a MUST at that), but you must obviously never stop there. To add,  growing your wealth should be a PROCESS. It's ideal to observe this process because failure to do so can be a big risk in your financial life. One surprise strike and you're Janjanjanjan... TUMBA.  

In Randell Tiongson's book No-nonsense Personal Finance, he proposes to follow below sequence of steps. 

You can watch this ANC's free video of him discussing it in more details, but it basically means that BEFORE you invest, you need to have your cash flow/income source stabilized, debts eliminated, emergency fund accumulated, protection secured, and then that's the only time you go investing. Simple concept but often overlooked. A good reminders it to remember that the goal is not really to have big chunks of money, but to achieve our ultimate life goals with enough money in our hands. Millions can easily fade away even with just one unfortunate life tragedy, so better to have a process protect you.

PS3: Have a SUPPORT system for your investment journey, and be guided in every step of the way with Truly Rich Club.
 
Truly Rich Club is a membership Club that Bo Sanchez had created to help people achieve Financial Wealth and Spiritual Abundance.  It provides its private members with the right tools, principles, and strategies to grow their mindset and thinking and, in turn, their financial and spiritual life. 

To get to know more about the club, its current recommendations and other wealth-building lessons, click here - Easy Investing the Truly Rich Club way!  

PS4: On the recent facebook post about starting early, one person shared:

" I am now 24yo. When I first learned about investing in the stock market, I was like, "meron pa lang ganito? Ba't ngayon ko lang nalaman to?" At the age of 21, feel ko late na ako sa pagdiscover on those stuffs. I thank God na naimbento ang internet at nagagawa ko ang research ko about this. Don't mind those people. Buti ka pa you are free to put any amount of your money in this very lucrative investment opportunity. Others are willing but due to them being the breadwinner of their family, they can just start at the bare minimum."

And that my friend reminds us of the beauty of starting as early as you can (following the process of course).  

Join us in our upcoming seminar and learn more how you can take a proactive approach in securing and improving your financial life starting this year and find out  practical strategies in growing your wealth in the stock market.  

Seats are running out fast so invest in YOURSELF now and get the  Early Bird fee  of 2497  1997 (SAVE 20% OFF).  
Click here for more details.

I was 22 when I joined stocks. Do you think I did the right thing? (part 2)

Below is a interesting question from a young member in our forum. It asks about investing now and enjoying later. 

Photo credit

I am 23 years old, I was 22 when I joined stocks. Do you think I did the right thing? Maybe in this group, all will say 'definitely yes' . But I don't think so for those people out there na ka age bracket ko lng. I know I am doing the right thing, pero everytime kasi na nakikijoin ako sa mga gimmick with my friends e I felt like I was being out of place. Minsan inopen ko ang topic about stocks nung nag iinuman kami pero sabi nila 'we are too yoing for that, ENJOY LIFE' . Sa isip ko, I'm enjoying my life naman pero I don't know kung naaayon sa age ko ang way ng pag enjoy ko nung life. Di ako kasi gaya ng iba na lage gumigimmick, once in two months lang siguro ako kung sumama sa shot session. Kaya yun. I am spending more time sa work and reading things about stocks and business. So, is there anyone out there na ka age ko at magkalapit lng ng age? Anu masasabi niyo?

It's interesting to note the answers from others when people share their comments about it: 

What you are going through is something I have termed the "Social Cost of Investing". It will ALWAYS be there since investing is not really part of your culture and it is really what inhibits many FIlipinos from investing consistently. Mag-iinvest lang pag "iso" or kung walang bang magawa. Investing, like eating healthy, is a lifestyle choice.
Watch the ff video and malamang makaka-relate ka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRSf_elwDvo
It's NOT going to get any easier as you age as the demands on your time and money will grow -- which is why you have to always keep in mind WHY you are doing this investing thing. - Tess
FYI, if you think its difficult at 22, try talking about stocks to your friends when you're 15. LOL. WALA talagang maka-intindi sa ginagawa ko at that time. - Aya Laraya

It is your perspective in life. Dont mind them. Eventually, you will realize n tama ang ginawa mong move and you will compare life with them 20yrs after. Na ikaw stablished na and yet sila mguumpisa p lng. That's the importance of investing---the TIME.- Tess

 

Hello! I am 23 now and I started investing way before college. Like 18 or 19, if I can remember clearly. And it's cool, you know because I tried many things already and made mistakes and learned from it! Yes, we have somehow the same situation about our friends neglecting what we share to them -- financial freedom but you know what, in time, it'll change because they will realize that they need to invest in their selves first. Just like sharing the Gospel, you know. Do not get tired of sharing it because it is for the good of the people. And with regards to 'enjoyment according to age', as for me, there's no such thing because I have a different perspective about joy. Anyway, money, saving and investing are discussed in the Bible too, so don't feel like you're in the wrong path! Happy New Year! - Des

 

I started trading stocks at 22 but I learned and have started playing online trading games since 19 years old. I never regret investing. It's my future, not my peer's. It's my own money, not theirs. Warren buffet started at 11 and look at him. He's never different from us who are investing. What makes us different from those who do not invest is that we think ahead because we are building better future for our family and retirement. So, giving in to peer pressure is like foregoing a bright future. I tell you, mahirap maging mahirap. it really makes a difference kapag may alam sa investing. - Jervin

 

Learn to balance your finances and your time. You can do both. Enjoy life and invest in the market at the same time. I was 25 when i started playing stock market. That was 1993. -River

same here im 23 and investing.para kasi sa akin aun ung ksiyahan ko sa buhay. pag kasi nagastos ako parang nag sisisi ako kaya i decided na mag invest na lng. Dumaan din ako sa ganyang stage na iniisip ko na sobra naman ata tung ginagawa ko parang may mali. nice post im happy knowing na may taong kagaya mo - John

I started 28 yrs old, at naghihinayang ako sana I knew about investing at a younger age pa sana nung unang nag trabaho ako nag invest na sana ako agad.. just balance your way of life, set aside some for play or enjoyment also as you save. Money management lang yan. Now Im 34 and have 2 kids and they already have their own investment too. May be you should set your goals so you would somehow appreciate investing .. - Christianne 

You can check the whole thread here. Lots of insights you can get. 

Now, if you're totally new and you;ve not yet started saving, take the 52 Money Challenge instead.
 

Credits to the owner

How about you - what's your story? 

Have fun investing (starting now),
oMeng

PS: One answered "My regret is that I SHOULD HAVE INVESTED IN STOCK WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE! Trust me, you're doing the right thing. Don't wait till you reach your 30's or 40's."  

They say hindsight is 20/20 vision. Learn from others.
Dream big, start small.
And to help you begin, read this first - My Maid Invests in the Stock Market... and why you should too! Download it for free.

PS2: Doesn't know how to start? Join us in our upcoming seminar this January 25 (SAT) and bring home your own financial plan. Learn how to start growing your  wealth in the stock market. 
Get more details here - Practical Money Management + How to Win in Philippine Stock Market Seminar!

Super early bird rate of 2497 1997 1497 ends on January 9 na!
Limited seats only so  reserve your seat now.

 

PS3:This blog now has dedicated pages for click-by-click tutorial for  beginners. If you have a relative or a friend whom you want to  introduce to the world of stocks investing, you can direct them to below easy-to-follow tutorials. Even grade-school children should  understand that, so konting kalabit mo na lang kelangan. Help them  realize what they're missing and they will thank you for that in the  future.  

How to Place Buy & Sell Orders in Philippine Stock Market

How to Choose What Stocks to Buy and Sell
How to Withdraw Funds and Enjoy your Profits 
When to Place Your Orders - Trading Hours

Last reminders for your 2014 preps

Happy new year investors, traders and those in-between! 
 

Photo credit

Just thought of sharing my short message in our facebook group -Investing in Philippine Stock Market - Tips & Tricks, modified it a bit to make it standalone. 

Let's take advantage of the time this season offers for a reflection...
Let's ask ourselves 

" Am I financially better off this year than the previous year?"  

Or more importantly,

" Am I one step closer to my life GOAL?"

Of course that's not easy to answer... especially if you have no idea of your financial standing last year... and if you didn't set a goal! 

But this time will be different, right?  

So make an accounting now of everything that you OWN and you OWE, and what you TARGET to achieve for next year... add a time frame and draft FEW actions you commit to take to get there!  Just let your mind do its magic! Think soft and hard. 

Done? 
You've just made your own personal financial plan 2014! 
Now you have something to get back to next year. :) 
Who knows, baka kaya naman pala ng ibang investments ang pangarap mo, not necessarily stock market.

Back to our group, we're leaving 2013 with 29k+ members. WOAH! But numbers is not our goal. Our goal is right real EDUCATION.
 
And so with 2014 coming,  I encourage you to always wear that critic hat in every post and comment you see, and with every material you see online. With more inputs, it's naturally harder to draw the line between what's true and what appears true. It'll always be a challenge... but that's what makes a healthy learning exchange! 

Thank you for making the forum alive! It's YOU the members that keep the group ready to change our country for the better. yeah BIG goal, still lots of things to do, but at least we're starting this small effort. at least we have something to answer  our kids if ever they ask, "daddy/mommy, what did you do during your time to make our country better?".. not just a blank stare back at them. Or a better version could be "daddy/mommy, what did you do during your time that make us cherish each moment we have now?".  Big or small, it will have an impact. 

I'm thinking of what I can give to you, but since wala kong maisip, I thought of helping those who are interested to share your story to the world. Yup, YOUR story, so you're the one with sole authority on that. We'll build up your OWN BLOG/SITE and make it your financial diary. And yes, just like investing, this will be for the LONG-TERM, several months.  This will be FREE, but to filter the serious from the lazy, we'll have assignments to proceed from stage to stage.  

What do you get from that? Up to you. Internet offers lots of opportunities. But ultimately, we'll have lots of financial bloggers in our country. And since they are your story, it will naturally be genuine and true.. and inspirational.  Send me a private message me "I will share my story"  so you get added to our fb group and start it on! :) Also those who are willing to be free contributors for our newsletter - send me PM "for a better Philippines!". Make those skills and knowledge of yours ready for bigger impact! :) 

Let's keep our culture of sharing inside and outside the group - your knowledge, your questions, comments, your doubts, your story, surprises,  even your failures and hopes!  You dreams too.

In behalf of the rest of the admins, we wish and hope you best of luck.. este best of stock! 

Cheers to a more prosperous, abundant and generous 2014! 

Happy investing!
- oMeng :)

PS: Kitakits this January 25 (Sat) in our Practical Money Management + How to Win in Philippine Stock Market Seminar  and let's all learn how we can prepare  a better future for  our loved ones! 

Super early bird fee ends this January 9 so reserve your seat now. 
Limited slots only. Email pinoyinvesting@gmail.com for reservation. 
Click here for more details and bonuses. 

PS2: The seminar will also have a practical personal financial planning session to help you draft your own financial plan. If you want to be SERIOUS in overhauling your financial life and rewarding yourself, it starts with a plan.  Bring home one this January 25. 
Click here for bonus and details.

PS3: 2014 will be memorable for me... for the simple reason that I'm turning 25 this July haha. Shortly coming is quarter life..but not quarter-life crisis. Calling all quarter-life opportunities haha.

And going to that stage, I'm starting to realize that real education is the sole primary ultimate way of transforming our country. Whoot whhot BIG WORD. 

I used to hear that when I was still a student but haven't really put serious thought about it, but few years of reaping the harvest of that investment, I can say it's very true. It was education (not just academics) that enabled me to be a more useful citizen. And the change I wish to see has to start with revamping the kind of leaders we have. 

I long to see in my lifetime when we'll have smart leaders to be elected by smart voters. Of course that does not mean I condemn the rest of our voters who voted all the corrupt politicians we have now out there but I pray that time will come when we'll  put people into office NOT by their empty popularity but popularity due to great works and character. Not popularity due to family extension, fame of showbiz or brought about by all the scattered epal tarpaulins. That our leaders will think twice in committing corruption because they know that voters will never give them second chances. And the only long-term  way I see to get to this is to have smart voters molded  inside our homes and inside our community. Which boils down to our three learning institutions - family, school and church. And who are the people inside those institutions? It's US. 

Obviously this is much more complicated than this, but I'm happy that I'm beginning to have this kind of concern inside. It's not everyday I feel such fire. :)  Let's all do our share for a better Pilipinas. :)

PS4: For beginners, start reading this book Bo Sanchez' My Maid Invests in the Stock Market... and Why you should, too! 

Isang upuan lang yan kaya go na.

Dream big but start small.

Email mo ko dito pag may tanong ka pa.

Are you financially better off now than last year? (with lots of helpful tips for an abundant new year)

Photo credit

This season is a perfect time to assess what financial group you fall into by answering this quick question. What did you do with all the money and bonuses you've received at this festive time? Choose one.

A.You saved some of it.

B.You spent all of it.

C. You spent even before you got it.

At this time of the year, do yourself a favor by having an honest check: 

"Am I financially better off now than the previous year?

I love times like this. It gives us the chance to reflect on the past whole year and pick up the lessons we can use for a new beginning. So I offer this blog for those who are just starting now and are motivated to  change their financial life forever, starting this year. Below are some initial points I want to share with you so you can start right away and kick-off your financial journey this coming year!

Saving doesn't make one a winner

Saving is a good habit (and a must at that), but that doesn't make one a winner in the financial arena.

At some point in your life, you'd need to learn not only how to save, but more importantly how to let your money grow over time.  

And that's where investing comes into the picture.

Until you take your money out of your savings and put it into an instrument that can offer much more returns if you're willing to take the associated risk, then your money becomes an investment waiting its right time to grow. All that's left for you is to take that decision and commitment that next year will be much better financially for yourself and for your loved ones. (Also read related post - The Key to Your Great Wealth: Money Machines)

INVESTING HELPS YOU WIN OVER ENEMIES OF WEALTH

There are various reasons why it's important to start investing your money as soon as you can.

1.First is to beat inflation.

If your money parked in the bank earns an annual interest of less than  one percent,  but its  purchasing power decreases by five percent due to the effect of inflation, that immediately makes you an automatic loser. There's just no way of growing your money's worth if you only stick to saving.
(Find out here how inflation makes you an automatic loser ... and what you can do about it)


Hey, it's not bad  to put money in the bank, but if your goal is to increase its value over time (for your long-term purposes), banks is certainly not a good place to put your money in. Better buy banks (by investing) in that case.

The effect of inflation

2. Second reason why invest is to take advantage of compounding. 

Compounding happens when earnings from your investments start generation more earnings itself. Time is your best ally when it comes to investing so it's better to start as early as you can.

Still have excuses of delaying?
Then when do you think is the right time? Choose one again.

Age 18 to 25

"Me invest? Are you kidding?I'm just getting my education. You can't expect me to be able to invest now.I'm young and I want to have a good time. After all, I'll be in college for a year or so. If and when I get out of college, I'll start investing." 

Age 25 to 35

You don't expect me to invest now, do you? Remember I've only been working a few years. Things will be looking up soon and then I'll be able to invest. Right now, I have to dress well in order to make a good impression. Wait till I'm a little older. There's a plenty of time." 

Age 35 to 45

"How can I Invest now? I am married, have children to care for, I have so many expenses in my life. When the children are a little older, I can start thinking about investing."

Age 45 to 55

"I wish I could invest now, but I just can't do it. I have two children in college and it's taking every cent and more to keep them there. I've had to go into debt the last few years to meet the college bills. But that won't last forever, and then I can start investing.

Age 55 to 65

"I know I should be investing now, but money is tight. It's not so easy for a man my age to better himself. About all I can do is hang on. Why didn't I start to invest 20 years ago? Well, maybe something will turn up."

Age over 65

"Yes, it's too late now. We are living with our eldest son. It isn't so nice, but what else can we do? We have Social Security, but who can live on that? If only I had invested when I had the money. You can't invest when there is no income."

Will you start now, or will you procrastinate?

In investing, TIME is more important that TIMING.

3. The third reason why you would want to start investing is to make your money work for you.

What you're most probably doing now is you working for money. Whether through an employment, self-employment or a small business, a part (or a lot) of you is working for money. But time will surely come when you can no longer afford to do it, but your NEEDS will remain (and probably would be even  bigger). Having enough investments which you can use for your retirement will certainly give you that financial peace even at your old age. 

EVEN MAIDS CAN START INVESTING

Trying to come up with hundreds of thousands of pesos of starting capital for an investment is the major reason why people keep away from starting their investments.  In the past, investing in a vehicle that offers a much higher yield was usually available only to rich. But those days are gone, and that reasoning is now just a lame excuse.

Today, equipped with the right guidance and financial education, one doesn't have to have big chunks of cash to start investing (both in mutual funds as well as in the stock market). In fact, for as low as Php 5000, one can readily buy shares (or stocks) of the biggest local companies we have in the country (Jollibee, SM, BPI, Ayala Corp. Meralco,  etc). You can read here a short account of the first time I invested and why I liked it!

You can also read this free ebook by Bo Sanchez - My Maid Invests in the Stock Market... and Why You Should, Too! - about his maids being investors in the Philippine Stock Market. If household  helpers can do it,  there is no more reason for you, who probably earn much more, not to start investing your money. Also read this big news - Bo's Maid is Now  A Millionaire!.

Bo's Maid is Now  A Millionaire!

CHOOSE THE OPTION RIGHT FOR YOU

There are different vehicles you can choose from where you can invest. But the most common are investing directly  in the stock market, or indirectly via mutual funds.

1. Philippine Stock Market - To start investing in the Philippine stock market, you'd just have to open a stockbroker account. Whoa! Nosebleed na ba? Well, this is very similar to opening a bank deposit account.(Think of your payroll account.) What's better news is that there are now online stockbrokers which allow you to manage your stock investments via the web (yes, internet).  That means you don't have to be in the Philippines to be investing! (Even OFWs can invest!) And do you know that you can open a stockbroker account even with zero capital?

Popular options for online stockbrokers here in the Philippines are COL Financial, BPI Trade and First Metro Securities. This is just a one-time application process after which all your subsequent transaction can be all online. Just submit the required forms and documents to their office (or submit it via courier) and wait for your account details (log-in username and password) to be emailed to you in at most three days.(You can check this comparison for some tips in choosing your online stockbroker in the Philippines)

Once you have an online stockbroker account and enough cash,you can now start buying your first company. But since you're doing this directly, you'd  also need the time  and knowledge to monitor your investments personally.

Below are some dedicated pages for click-by-click tutorial that can help you start investing:

How to Place Buy & Sell Orders in Philippine Stock Market

How to Choose What Stocks to Buy and Sell
How to Withdraw Funds and Enjoy your Profits 
When to Place Your Orders - Trading Hours

If you're just starting, investing in mutual funds can be your initial option so you'd know how investing works while letting someone do the hard work for you. (You can also join us in our How to Win in Stock Market Seminar this coming January 25 so you get answers to all your other questions personally and meet other investors.)

2. Mutual Fund -  If you don't have time to actively monitor your investments as in the case of stock market, you can then just let a fund manager do it for you in a mutual fund. 

Briefly, in a mutual fund, money from several individual and institutional investors are pooled and a professional fund manager manages it for everyone. All you need to do is to invest your money in the mutual fund company and let the manager do his job of growing the money. You can then monitor its performance from time to time, which is also now possible online. You can get more information on mutual fund option in the Philippines as well as the historical performance of each fund of each fund of all mutual fund companies available here.

PLEASE REMEMBER

The above points are just some of the key ideas to consider for your starting point and do not cover  the intricate details of each investment . In any case, make sure that you have your solid financial foundation first (protection/insurance/healthcare, emergency funds, no debts) before making your money grow. This will make sure that you're at peace with your financial life no matter what happens.

Please also bear in mind some basic foundational tips:

1. High-yield = High-risk

2. In relation to the first, just because you earn in an investment doesn't mean it's already safe.

3. Only invest an amount that you can afford.

4. Don't be greedy and learn to diversify (You'll learn more about this down the road!)

The key to success in investments is (right) persistence. Don't give up too soon.  Investing is not a get-rich-quick scheme, and will never be. Please don't attempt to be millionaire in days playing stocks. 

One thing you should remember once you have  started investing your money is not to expect immediate results. I've seen so many people in our facebook group - Investing in the Philippine Stock Market - Tips & Tricks, who seem to be trading rather than investing and, worse, NOT knowing about it. They want quick bucks not knowing what they're really into and how stock market really works. They seem to forget that RISK is always present in any investment, much more in stock market. That's the common mistake most people have. They are impatient. Soon enough, they sabotage their plans and resort to their poor old ways of thinking and action. If you want to be very clear in this important aspect of differentiating investing versus trading, you can watch this short free interview of Edward Lee, COL Financial Chairman, and learn lots of practical insights from it.

There you go! 

One last thing - the importance of your DREAMS. Sa tagalog, PANGARAP. 

Envision yourself that you have enough money to live on your chosen lifestyle. Or enough money so you'd have enough time for your family and loved ones, you being with them at this season of the year.  Maybe right now, a majority of your time is allotted in working to make money, but just be patient, keep educating yourself and be faithful to your investments, and you'll eventually reach that point where you'll never have to work again unless you choose to, while nurturing and seeing your family grow.

Yun na! 'Twas like I summarized this whole blog.

I pray and wish you and your loved ones an abundant new year.
Thank you so much for blessing my year with your presence! 

Happy investing (in what truly matters)!

oMeng =)

PS: In case you want some questions answered by me, drop me a quick email here. 

PS2: Have a SUPPORT system for your investment journey, and be guided in every step of the way with Truly Rich Club.
 
Truly Rich Club is a membership Club that Bo Sanchez had created to help people achieve Financial Wealth and Spiritual Abundance.  It provides its private members with the right tools, principles, and strategies to grow their mindset and thinking and, in turn, their financial and spiritual life. 

To get to know more about the club, its current recommendations and other wealth-building lessons, click here - Easy Investing the Truly Rich Club way!

PS3: Join us in our upcoming seminar this January 25 - Practical Money Management + How to Win in Stock Market! Meet awesome speakers and change your financial life this year for the better!

Why invest in YOURSELF this time?

"Becoming rich isn’t as much about getting rich financially as about whom you become, in character and mind, to get rich. I want to share a secret with you that few people know: the fastest way to get rich and stay rich is to work on developing you! The idea is to grow yourself into a successful person. Again, your outer world is merely a reflection of your inner world. You are the root; your results are the fruits. " - T. Harv Eker

Limited slots only so reserve your seat now!

Click here to get more details and bonuses!
See you there! 

You're invited - Practical Money Management + How to Win in Stock Market Seminar

CHANGE YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE THIS 2014! 

You're invited to our powerful Practical Personal Finance + How to Win in Stock Market Seminar this January 25 2014 (Saturday). It will be held at Max's Restaurant Gateway from 9:00AM-5:30PM.

Joining with us are Mr. Randell Tiongson, RFP and Mr. Marvin Germo, RFP.

Randell is one of the country’s most lauded speaker, writer and coach on personal finance. He is the author of the book  No Nonsense Personal Finance: A Step by Step Guide and also the mastermind of the annual Investment Conference (ICON) which features the biggest names in financial industry in the country. 

With his 25 years of experience in the Financial Service Industry – Banking, Mutual Funds, Insurance and Financial Planning, and Management Consultancy, he has become one of today’s most respected personal finance coaches in the country.
 
He is also a Director of the Registered Financial Planner Institute Philippines and a strong advocate of financial education for the OFWs.

Randell regularly appears on TV as  resource person for various shows like TV Patrol, Bandila, 700 Club Asia, Mornings at ANC, Shoptalk, Business Nightly, Failon Ngayon, On the Money, Umagang Kay Ganda, Unang Hirit, Aksyon TV, and News to Go among the few.

He also hosts the personal finance radio talk show Money Talks (Usapang Pera) every Saturday.
 

With the the recent performance of the stock market, where is it now headed to? This and other investing lessons he will share will teach you how you can invest more profitably this 2014.

Marvin Germo, owner of the stock market site www.marvingermo.com is one of today’s most popular stock market educator.  He is the author of the book Stock Smarts - Stock Investing Made Easy.

He will share and discuss in easy-to-understand terms some trading strategies and answers questions including

• How You can PROTECT your capital in these times
• When You should take PROFITS
• When You should cut your losses
• How to Hunt BARGAIN stocks
• Know the STOCK PICKS for the year
• and a whole lot more! 

Photo credit

This will be followed by a  talk on proper personal financial planning and practical money management by Lyndon Malanog, one of the mentor of Bo Sanchez in his Truly Rich Club, and a director of IMG - World Financial Group. 

He is also an Entrepreneur and the Financial Coach of Bo Sanchez, Inc.. He continuously gives “Financial Discipline and Wealth Management” seminars to companies and groups as part of his mission and advocacy of educating people. 

This part will help you see the whole picture of financial planning and not just investing. If you do not have a financial plan at this point (which is crucial!), expect to bring home one that will serve as the blueprint of your financial life.

You'll also learn

• The Six Steps to Financial Freedom
• How to Prepare for your Financial Future
• How to Build and Grow your Wealth
• The Enemies and Allies of Wealth
• How to Make Money Work for you
• and a whole lot more!

You'll also learn how you can  invest in Mutual Funds, Insurance and other investment products you can use in building up your own portfolio. If you want to avoid the mistakes lots of newbies do in their financial life, this part will also tell you how.

Sign-up Bonus
Once your seat is confirmed, you'll also have exclusive access to our Investing in Philippines Private Mastery Group to help you prepare yourself more for the topics (days before the seminar itself). 

It's a compilation of materials, lessons, articles and tools that aims to give an overview of what stocks investing is all about.

And you will have a three months access to that.

Any additional helpful learning I'll have in the future will also be added there, which means you'll also get to have the lessons I  learn myself from my other mentors.

That way, you can also prepare your questions beforehand.

If you think you're not yet ready for this seminar, this will solve your problem. 

So register now to reserve your seat.

To register, send an email pinoyinvesting@gmail.com for reservation.

Have your payments on or before January 9 and you can avail the Early bird fee of 1497.

Have your payments from January 10-16 and you have the regular reservation  fee of 1997.
Have your payments after January 16  and you have the walk-in fee of 2497.

You can make your deposits to either one of below savings accounts:

Account Name Romer Tawid.

    BPI Account # 4339300157

    BDO Account # 006960030969

    Metrobank Account # 6363636082407

Once done, please confirm your payment here.

The fee will already cover your lunch and snacks with free-flowing coffee to keep you awake. But more importantly, this small investment will be your golden ticket and opportunity to meet like-minded people and expand your network while taking charge of your finances for the rest of the year with all the info in store for you.

Hope to see you there!

Have fun investing!

Omeng \(",)/

PS: You are your most important investment. 

So don’t be cheap on yourself.

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.

Your money won’t grow if you don’t grow. 
Grow YOU and your money will grow too.

PS2:Don’t delay. We'll have limited slots only! We don’t want to reject your reservation because we’ve reached the maximum number of participants. 

Email your reservation to pinoyinvesting@gmail.com now.

You can make your deposits to either one of below savings accounts:

Account Name Romer Tawid.

BPI Account # 4339300157

BDO Account # 006960030969

Metrobank Account # 6363636082407

Once done, please confirm your payment here.


PS3: Be the first 10 to register and get the Act-Quick-Discounted-Reward Fee of 997 only. Email your reservation to pinoyinvesting@gmail.com now.