Working Mom

Having a teenage kid is one hell of a challenge to parents. Teenagers already have their own reasons, and wants for themselves, it is a challenge to make them do something that they don't want to do in the first place like household chores. Apparently as a parent, I realize that we have to be the following: Firm - make them realize that we stick to our decision, else they will get their way out of a situation thinking that they can always persuade you. Argument or debate - I guess it's a debate when your teenager is throwing excuses and reasons not to do the things she must do. A matter of convincing that what she's doing is for the good of everyone and being right is part of it. They have their own perception of what is right and wrong. but sometimes since they are still kids, we have to prove our point. My eldest love to debate, good thing she speaks her mind BUT she carelessly handle words. Always blunt must I say. Although I can say it's a good thing s...

As a working mom, we tend to always be in a hurry all the time specially in the morning. The challenging part is cooking healthy food for the family. I would like to share with you this easy recipe, not just easy but healthy as well. Korean inspired with a twist. Korean love vegetable a lot so I incorporated some sprouted mung beans here. 2 scrambled eggs 1/2 cup sprouted mung beans 3 tbsp all purpose flour Pinch of salt 1 tsp sugar 4 left over fried fish Water to dissolve the flour in runny consistency. Oil for frying. Pepper as desired Onion chopped small bits Just mixed all the ingredients and fry in small amount of oil in high heat to have the browning effect. Oh watch the fire not to burn the food. After a minute turn the fire medium low cover the pan to cook evenly. After 2 to 3 minutes flip it and do the same procedure to the other side. High heat to medium low heat and cover. It can be a snack or partnered with rice (I preferred hot rice ) You will thank me...

Credit to pngpix.com Storing fruits and vegetables is one of the biggest problem I had . As a busy mom, I usually buy fruits and vegetables once in a week. But after a few days, these veggies and fruits are already a waste of money. When the time that I want to cook them it's already rotten. How sad... and I end up cooking nothing but meat :( So I came to research what are the best way to store fruits and veggies that could last longer. One golden rule is never store fruits and vegetable together. The acidity of the fruit makes the veggies rot faster. Apple - Store them in the coolest part of the fridge. Celery, carrots, and cabbage - pack them in plastic, some use foil but you have to consume it as soon as possible. And with carrots some cut the leafy part of it, cause that's the part that rot fast.  I tried cutting the carrots in cubes and putting them in the freezer, that should work for a week. Eggplant - Usually I put them inside the fridge, but not now. You h...

Online money transfer has never been this easy, few years back. Now we can easily transfer money online with a few touch from a mobile phone. Here are the common way of transferring money especially in case of emergency. Smart Money Padala - You can find this anywhere, even small store are offering remittance and money transfer. You can also have your own card by registering at Smart , they will give you a Smar Money card as long as you have a Smart Mobile number. Usually they can provide you a maximum of three cards per account.  There is a transfer fee, minimum of Php5.00 (as of writing). Globe GCASH - Transferring from GCASH to GCASH is free. If you are a Globe user, you can open an account with GLOBE . You have to pay P150 (at the time of this writing) to get the card right away. Easy right. Coins.ph - Coins.ph is also a mobile app, where they offer Bitcoin to Peso conversion, and vice versa. You can send and received money, but would take a while in some third...

Bitcoin in the Philippines is not yet being accepted as a regulated online currency. Although there are a lot of people who are very interested to know how this currency really works. I've encountered people who are already trading bitcoin in some social media forums like in  facebook . Most of them are investing in this unregulated currency. Risky as it may sound but who knows how much you can earn. As they say any form investment has an accompanied risk. Credits to coindesk.com In the Philippines, to make thing hassle free for bitcoin conversion  coins.ph  is offering bitcoin to peso conversion and vice versa. Coins.ph have buy and sell just like in any money changing outlet. Of course selling price is always low and buying means higher price for bitcoin. As per observation of the bitcoin trend, I observed that it started from around Php9000.00 and it's consistently going up, as of writing this article, it is now roughly around Php30,000. Although there are som...

Every financial adviser  has her struggle and that includes being the "Invisible man" and "Seen mode friend". Almost all financial adviser I think could relate to this, specially those who do their communication on facebook or maybe in other social media. Most of the time, we would message someone and yet as if typing "no" or "not interested" would take an hour of their time. We know that these people are busy, and yet we feel that if we talk to someone and we don't get direct answers, as if there's no closure at all. But yeah that's life, and that's reality and reality bites! And oh, should I also mention that includes text messages as well (wink*). This is not new, sometimes you may loose majority of your so called online friends because of this. Funny but true, might frustrate us a bit, but we have to move on from client to client.  Client might not realize their needs for insurance or investment at their current s...

Most Filipinos have days when they just exclaim, “Hindi ko alam kung san na napunta ang pera ko.” (I don’t know where my money went.) Most of Filipinos are used to saving and budgeting for the big purchases so that they can afford it. Some do not track their budgets and wonder where these “mystery spending” are coming from, as stated by 21% of the survey respondents of “Enhancing Financial Capability and Inclusion in the Philippines - A Demand-side Assessment” by the World Bank in partnership with the Central Bank of the Philippines. They wonder where their money went because of unnecessary expenses which are untracked. Here’s a look at five of those seemingly small expenses that can ruin your budget. Additional Charges Dues to Late Payments Interest rates of credit cards may seem low at 1.99% - 2.99% but if you compute it, here are some computations of amounts of interest: Credit card charges sample computation Interest rates on credit cards Php3,588.00 and Php7,176...

Hokkaido Takoyaki I would never have thought that I would love Japanese food since I'm not a fan of sushi and things like that. Takoyaki, one of the street food from Japan is simply the best. Wether if it's from Hokkaido fast food or the one from  MRT stand takoyaki, it doesn't matter. The taste varies a bit depending on what's inside and of course the toppings ;) But nevertheless I love it! You can buy it by 6, 9 and a dozen in Hokkaido Takoyaki Branches. I can't wait to go back to Hokkaido Takoyaki at SM. Yum Yum.... Life simple joys...

Mango Cheese Bingsu Dessert! Yes, definitely to relieve everyday stress. If you are looking for not so sweet after lunch food, this is your chance to try the Korean Dessert in Ho Bing. Ho Bing called it Bingsu. Ho Bings' Bingsu is very affordable. Available in Regular (good for two person) and Large (good for up to 4 person). But I guess one person can savor their regular size and would ask for more. I'm guessing that the fine ice at the bottom is composed of frozen milk ;) Bingsu is generously served. Their Bingsu came in variety, you can look here for the available flavors. Their Mango Cheese Bingsu is one of the best seller and must try. You can find them in: Hobing Korean Dessert Cafe  Bonifacio Global City BGC Stopover Pavillion, Rizal Drive Corner 31st Street, Bonifacio Global City , Taguig City Happy tummy! Enjoy. 

Mary Kay is in the move. I've got a chance to visit their boot located inside our office. Courtesy of Mary Kay, our employee was able to have a short hour pamper for facial pampering :) The white thingy that you see at the right is their firming mask, as they say no happy moments when you do this else the lines will be firmed instead of flawless face :) No laughing or smiling when you apply this to your face.  After cleaning and firming mask, they are offering free makeover, quickie free make up. Ms. Cherry of Mary Kay gladly assist me on getting this effect on my eyes. Smokey eyes she said, combination of black and dark purple, which I thought was an impossible combination. Cause I usually use brown instead of purple. But successfully she made it effortless. Getting a look as if I have contact lenses. But no contact lens at all. Mary Kay also showcase their products and what are essential kits for having a clean and healthy skin. Different shades of makeup...

Chocolate flavored pancake, surely a hit! Fluffy chocolate flavored pancake I was free this weekend so I decided to make something new for the kids. With a little experimentation I was able to make a chocolate pancake. The kids enjoyed the pancake that they didn't left something for me (*wink*). That's fine though. Here are the ingredients: All purpose flour Butter Baking Powder Salt Milk (1 small can) - I've use evaporated milk.  Chocolate powder - for the purpose of experimentation, I've used Goya Instant powdered chocolate (Double chocolate with Cinnamon flavor). 1 egg Pardon for not putting the quantity. I usually cooked with the power of estimation. You can use your regular pancake proportion for the flour and milk. Goya Chocolate for additional flavor  

Announcing ArroZeria Restaurant promo. A very affordable Paella for only 50 pesos. Enough to feed our hungry tummy. We are glad to meet Chef Jason Gamboa, he's the Chef on duty outside the restaurant, where the Paella's are being cooked. Mr. Chef was very accommodating and we are able to have a short chit chat. We are not able to go inside the restaurant, I'm being tempted seeing how Mr. Chef on duty cooked their Paella. The aroma's really enticing. :) We ordered Paella for take out since it's already getting late, hoping to squeeze the time from our lunch break. No over break. (Golden Rule *wink*) Take out Paella ArroZeria Here's another size of their Paella. This is not their biggest yet. 

Holidays had passed and yet life is full of surprises! Got this new watch as a gift from the boss! :) I am glad that this is what he bought! For the reason that the company is selling their product for a cause. Half of the proceeds of their product will go the cancer patients and other beneficiaries. I wholeheartedly support their advocacy, cause I know the feeling of being part of a family with a cancer patient. Financial help is something that would help them survive the battle. Lovehopefaithgroup has their list of products in their website to choose from. They have watches, bags, tshirts, and even chocolates. This watch comes with extra battery and very lightweight. To support their advocacy please go to their website . Please see their contact below: Address: #36 Anona Street Barangay Quirino 2B Project 2 Quezon, City. Opens from 9:00 - 5:30 and close on holidays FB account click here

A couple of years back, we are being familiar with traditional life insurance but since a lot of people now is looking for investment, insurance already evolved in different form. Now we already have what we called the "Variable Life Insurance" or VUL. In Variable Life Insurance, there are two components, one is what we called Face Value, where it is the amount of life insured, another component is what we call, the fund value or the cash you invested. These are separate component. (Terms may differ depending on the company) The main attraction of Variable Life Insurance is the protection itself. Once the insured passed away, guaranteed that you will get the death benefit plus the fund value. Once the insured is out of the picture, the family continues on living, they can either use the money to pay debt, source of income or to pay their expenses. I've talked to many clients already and seems to me, that what they are looking for is variable insurance. Regula...

Save now and protect your loved ones I've talked to some people and many of them said "pass" on buying life insurance . That's okay, not everybody wants it. You can't insist on something that they believed is not a necessity. But is it really necessary? We may have different perception why we would want a life insurance , and usually though not all, when they hear the word insurance, what comes first into their mind is death. "I'm not gonna die yet, I don't need it." True that you may not need it now. But are you going to buy it, if you think you already need it? Are you still insurable by the time you think that you need it. Life insurance premium becomes higher as we age. While we are still young and earning, and still healthy, this would be the best time to get a life insurance. Some of my clients that I've talked to includes the following why they want to buy an insurance: To protect love ones from paying debt. To provide family...

I was suppose to watch "My Bebelove" the movie. |First movie ever of Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards. But I chose to watch it at a later time, on the assumption that this movie will be a topnotch. Given the status of their stardom on previous months was amazing. Millions of people has been a follower of Aldub and still continuing to grow. I was reading the news this morning about the feedback on the movie. But this is what I saw. How true that there are ticket swapping? Although it was not mention here in the post, the particular place where it did happen... One thing is for sure, I will surely watch this movie "My Bebelove"

Katsudon Teriyaki Boy, Burgos Our dear friend requested to eat out somewhere near our office for lunch, finally we have decided to go for Teriyaki Boy , a Japanese restaurant situated at Rizal Drive cor. 29th avenue, Global City. We can't let  a preggy woman starved and crave are we? (*wink) I ordered Katsudon  (It's a breaded US pork cutlet, deep-fried and simmered in sweet soy sauce, onions and leeks, with beaten egg, topped on a bed of steamed Japanese rice) which isn't bad, the servings I guess is good for two. That's too much for me, I wasn't able to finish the food, this is served with house tea as per request. But if I have to compare the texture of the meat to other Japanese restaurant, the meat isn't as tender as other restaurant like in Yabu. Although the serving is generous enough to fill a starving tummy. I was also looking for their stirred fried veggies (Yasai Itame), unfortunately, they say that it was not served in this branch. Ba...

Fluffy scrambled egg Scrambled egg is an all time favorite of my kids. This is perfect for rice combination or with bread. My kids preferred it with rice. As usual, Filipino dish comes always with rice, either morning or in the evening. To add some twist to same old boring scrambled egg. I've done some omelet shape to add something new to the look of the cooked egg. Here's the recipe for fluffy scrambled egg: 6 medium size egg 1/2 teaspoon of salt (depending on your taste) 2 table spoon of water Procedure: 1. Crack all eggs. 2. Add the salt and whisk. 3. Add the water.  It makes the egg more fluffy, you can add milk if you preferred. But I would prefer water, cause too much cholesterol is bad for the health. :) 4. Set the pan to low heat. Add oil, be sure to pour the egg if the pan is already heated. 5. While the egg is half cooked flip it as shown on the picture at the right. You have to do this while the egg is soft, else it will break if it is totally co...

Double Chocolate Ice Blended from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf "Do all things with kindness!"   Oh yeah fantastic baby! This Double Chocolate Ice Blended from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf makes my day! After a long day at work and trying to finish the task, I ended up having a migraine. Thanks to the sponsor who happily hand me this drink with act of kindness! After eating fries and load myself with caffeine to ease the pain, this additional bonus finally did it. Migraine's gone. I can't help myself comparing the taste of this ice blended drink to it's competitor which is Starbucks . Starbucks is more on the sweet side. The price is almost the same I must say. Double Chocolate Ice Blended The Coffee Bean, I guess have balanced in their ingredients. I might be wrong but I guess, it's having a different perspective and how we define sweetness in it's quantity. But if I have to choose between Starbucks and Coffee Bean, I'd cho...

Pork Jerkey or BaK Kwa from Bee Cheng Hiang, Singapore Bak Kwa or Pork Jerky , as they call it. Locals of Singapore called this as Bakkwa. A friend of mine shared this to us to give it a taste. Bak Kwa tastes like "Tocino". Pork Jerky was sweet and salty at the same time, but sweetness is taking over the saltiness. Although you can buy these goodies uncut from Chinatown, they have a sliced version that you can take home, sealed in freshness. Key ingredient of Bak Kwa are sugar and fish sauce.  These pork jerkey are vacuum sealed from Bee Cheng Hiang . Instruction how to eat vacuum sealed Bak Kwa or Pork Jerky Bee Cheng Hiang have an online store for vacuum packed Bak Kwa, variants are pork, chicken, and beef. Together with the package, is the instruction how to eat the sliced pork. But since we don't have time to follow the instructions (wink). We just tear the seal and bite this sliced goodies. You can take it home and have it as homecoming gift o...