Girl Who Wont Settle: 2014

Today's tip is all about food planning. This is one of the most effective ways to save money. [And an added bonus, if you plan a healthy diet, you can lose weight. :)] I read that when a person doesn't plan or even have an idea of what he or she wants to eat, there is a tendency that he/she spends more money. Why? Well, there is no limited budget. Unlike a person who plans his/her meals, there is a budget. And when there is a budget, there is saving.

So first things first, decide on how much you are going to spend for one meal a day. You could also decide on how much a day. You have to come up with your own budget. It is up to you. And if you can cook food, then go. I stay in an apartment so I have a cooker and a heater. What my boyfriend and I would do is that we would buy groceries for the week then cook them every lunch time. Believe me, it is a lot cheaper to cook your own food. One of my favourites is the chicken drummers or wingers that we buy. In the grocery, it costs around 70-80 pesos for a pack. The pack we buy has 9 pieces. If we decide to buy chicken outside (outside meaning the fast food restaurants or any restaurant, really), it would cost us around 50-100 pesos for one meal. With the grocery, we can eat up to two to three servings depending on our appetite. It really is cheaper. So if you can cook your own food, then try it. And for those of you who cannot, then not to worry. You can always plan your meals.

And speaking of planning meals, below here is a "food planner" I created. (except for the Pusheen cat- credits to the real owner!). This is on a weekly basis. If you like, you could save this and print this. Use this to plan your meals. If you have an eating buddy (eating buddy = someone you always eat with), then plan it with him or her. The planner below covers the whole week, yes you heard me - Monday to Sunday. I also included the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner. And in case you have a healthy appetite (just like me), you can throw in some snacks or brunch, more snacks and midnight snacks.

If you notice the boxes for every meal, it is divided into two. On the left side, you can write the particular meal or food that you plan to eat. Beside it, you can put your budget or if you are not sure how much your food will cost, then you can put it after. So, it will become your expense tracker.

Also, you don't have to be too strict on yourself. Have some meals where you can freely choose. You can write "random meal" or "cheat day". Overall, it really is up to you on how you want to maximize the planner (and I hope you do!). And for those of you who prefer a black and white version so that you can have it photocopied - don't worry. I also have one for you:

Anyways, I hope you found today's post helpful. If you did, please let me know and leave me a comment. :) See you at the next post! Cheers and happy saving!

No NOTES

Before you start anything, any project, thesis, recipe, basically anything - you need to have a goal. I cannot stress to you how important a goal is. I'm sure you all have had your fair share of goals. And it may be August and we're nearing the end of this year but it is never too late to create new goals. So before we start our project to save money. Start with the question "why am I saving money?". For example:

"Why are you saving money?"

"I am saving money because I want/need to take a vacation in another country with my friends."

"Why are you saving money?"

"I want/need to buy my self a new phone."

"Why are you saving money?"

"I want/need to have money I can invest."

So these are all possible answers to the question. Ask yourself. Once you have an answer, you now have a reason to save or something we like to call a goal. However, goals are not complete without a "due" date. You need to know when you need to finish or have achieved your goal. Long-term or short term, every goal has to have a finish date. If you do not have a finish date, you may even forget it and decide not to continue. Also, having a date, could give the good kind of pressure. (I hope).

In choosing a due date, you first have to think about yourself. I want you to think carefully and decide based on your capability in completing in this challenge. You may opt to also pressure yourself a little more, if you think you usually achieve your goals in 3 months, then challenge yourself and make it two. Again, it depends on you.

Lastly, since our series is all about saving money. What's a goal without monetary value? Estimate the money you are going to need to have that vacation with your friends. Research how much does that new phone you always wanted cost. Know the amount of money you want to invest in the stock market. It's all about the monetary value. Finish writing your goal with an estimate of how much you are going to need. If you find yourself needing more in the future, then go ahead and don't be shy to adjust it. If you don't, then the better.

So that's all for today. I hope that you found this helpful. Let me know what your goals are in the comment box below. Happy goal writing! :)

No NOTES

/WRITTEN IN A COLLEGE STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE/

When we say the word "college"- words like "expenses","tuition fee" and "money" come in to mind. Why? Well, the answer is simple. It is because without money- you cannot survive the university. We all know how expensive education is. And I'm pretty sure we also know how expensive it can get during the school year. We have a lot of homework, projects, materials we need to buy, field trips we have to go to, food we need to eat, places to go to, money when we take public transportation to get to places. And thus comes the saying, Money doesn't grow on trees. Although I really wish it did, it's not easy to get money. We have to work hard for the money. And who earns the money we use for our school? It is usually the fruits of labour of our parents, family, relatives and sometimes by you, yourself.

As I began my stay here in the university, I've become more conscious of my expenses. I don't just spend on food or materials, etc. I always see to it I get my money's worth and set aside money for saving. And I noticed that I always do an accounting of my expenses. I try not to go overboard than the usual. People always say that it's okay to spend just a little. Sure it is, but in a way - I rather save my money. I love my father for teaching me this. He also inspires me to save my money and put it in investments for my future, which I should write a post also about. (But I need more consulting from my dad as he is the real expert). But all I can say is, the younger you start investing, the better. Sad to say- Filipinos are not very futuristic and we don't often think about the long run.

So what am I proposing? Well, saving is very important. You may not see the bigger picture yet of saving but I can assure you that you won't regret it. You never know when you might need the money you have or will save. And it is really important that you have back-up money. And in the future, I do hope you do get to see the bigger picture. But today, I start a new blog series called the:

As the title implies, this series will be all about how you can save money. I'm not an expert in saving money but I do know a few ways, you can save money and maybe, help you make it grow (although that's another story). I hope you stay tuned and together, we can save money. Let's changed the Filipino perspective and think about our future in the the long run. I'm sure your life will be changed. Any thoughts, comments and violent reactions? Leave me a comment below :)

2 NOTES

No NOTES

And since I am catching up on my posts for this month, here is another post I hope you enjoy.

My mom always makes us (me and my siblings) drink water... with lemons. I loved it. It tastes good and I feel healthy though I never understood the reason behind it. I mean why do we put lemons in our water? Thus, being the computer junkie that I am (YET AGAIN), I did ~~googled~~ researched about it. I wasn't surprised that there were a lot of benefits. You can refer to the sources below if you want to read more about it but for now, here are the top 5 common benefits of drinking lemon water. And if you never tried it, I do hope I can change your mind and you can start feeling healthy. So yeah, enjoy!

Supports the immune system

Did you know that lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and flu while potassium stimulates the brain & nerves to function. It also helps control blood pressure. Nutritionist Hedge says lemon also enhances the body’s ability to absorb iron, an important nutrient for a healthy immune system. Other than that, it is also a great source of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. You can drink a lot of lemon water to cure a common cold.

Freshens your breath

I bet you didn't know that did you? This has got to be one of my favourite benefits. According to my research, the antiseptic qualities in lemon juice help kill off bad bacteria in the mouth by acting as a disinfectant. It is also healthier and is said to keep you more awake than coffee (which is rumoured - I'm not sure how true- to give you bad breath).

Helps with weight loss

Okay fine, I am also loving this benefit. Lemons have high pectin fiber, a soluble fibre commonly found in citrus fruits. It helps fight hunger cravings, making the person lose their appetite Pectin helps stave off hunger as the fibre creates a feeling of fullness. It also has been shown that the more alkaline in a person's body, the faster they lose weight. This is perfect. You don't have to spend money on all those juices that claim to help you lose weight when the only thing you lose is your appetite. I say, go for lemon water - it's natural. :)

Clears skin

You heard me right my friend. Lemon water helps clear our skin. The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. They are great for fighting skin ageing. Its antioxidant properties help fight free radical damage, which is responsible for the symptoms of ageing. “Vitamin C is required in the synthesis of amino acids into collagen and the job of collagen and connective tissue is to hold things tight and protect our skin tissue.” Also, on a non-related note, lemon water helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems.

Balances pH

Yes, lemons are acidic on their own but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, having a alkaline body is really the key to good health. “Lemon water is very alkalising and most of us have acidic bodies,” Chevalley Hedge says. “Educated foodies still think of lemons as being acidic when they are quite alkalising.”

Two simple ingredients packed with all the goodness, be sure to have a cup of lemon water daily. And I promise you, just like me - you will not only feel healthier but you will be healthier. Comment down below if you will start drinking lemon water. Yay! :)

[SOU RCES]

No NOTES

Yay! Aloha. Today, I attended my very first Cinemalaya forum series. This is very much different with watching the films - of course - because you get to experience the film itself. Some speakers also were involved with this year's films so they were able to share experiences, tips and their contributions in making the particular film. It was really such a good experience.

There were also a lot of students who attended the forum - majority were students actually. Some of the topics discussed were the aesthetics of the digital image, the principal of photography, post-production and sound-design. My favourite part would have to be (surprisingly) the last module for today which is sound design. I am a big fan of music and sound effects and ever since I have been editing videos, I tend to neglect sound effects. Sure, I would put music - but after hearing the speakers presentations and experiences - I realized how important sound really is to the audience.

Although when we watch movies, we don't really notice the sounds as we are more concentrated at the talents or for some of us the cinematography or effects. But really, when you think of it - the sounds bring the movie. The sounds make sure you feel the feeling that the director wants you to feel during the movie. It's amazing. We should also give credit to our music scorers and the people in charge of the sound (sorry - not really sure what to call them.)

~~(UPDATE)~~ For today, which was today, we learned all about animation and visual effects (which I really want to learn huhu they were so amazing). Other than that, we also learned about marketing and film distribution. And to end the series, famous personalities like Ting Nebrida, Baby Ruth Villarama, Lilit Reyes, Monster Jimenez and personal favourite: Joey Reyes were there to talk about how they could see or wish the cinemalaya in another 10 years. I realized and learned so much. And even as an engineering student, someday (I said someday) I want to have my own film in cinemalaya too. And hopefully, help support the cinemalaya community.

Overall, the cinemalaya forum series was a blast. It was really such a good learning experience. I never knew there were a lot to a film than just the actress and the story. It really is such a great effort by the whole production team. (Of course, I would have known that if I was taking an arts or film course but I'm an engineering student - so best to understand to me hahaha). I also can say that after this experience I have gained a better appreciation and understanding of film and film making. And especially to those who make indie films, hats off to those people. For the love of film and Filipinos, they create films even in their own expense. As said earlier during the forum series, this was the hardest year of the cinemalaya in terms of getting funds. But hey, it happened. I heard some director's producer pulled out the last minute so the director himself had to use his own money to fund his film and that really is just wow - true sacrifice. I hope that soon, with the times changing, we can also have deeper appreciation for these indie films and the film makers. And that the government would give priority somehow. I'm not expecting the government to make this a priority but somehow - I wish we could get the government to support this. Because this is our culture. Indie films, theatre shows, anything of the arts - is Filipino culture. And sometimes, our culture is not clear to us (and I probably have so much feels related to that which I hope to make another post about soon). But yeah, for those who are aspiring film makers out there (like me hihi) and even those who don't wish to be film makers, I would still highly recommend the cinemalaya forum series! You can really learn a lot and I'm sure you'll enjoy and have a deeper appreciation for films and film making. Sulit na sulit yung 300 (student discount). And I hope to be back next year to learn more. :) Any thoughts? How was your cinemalaya / cinemalaya forum series experience? Leave me a comment below!

No NOTES

6 NOTES

2 NOTES

With 4 months of summer vacation, what else was one broke girl going to do? Of course, find a *summer* job. And that’s what she did.

So here is the story of how I got my summer job:

As soon as summer started, I too, started on my job hunt. I first applied in this donut company (I won’t be naming names so you could just have your guess). You see, my uncle is a very important person in their company but even he couldn’t get me in. I found out that the application period for the summer job was already closed and that the applicants have already started working. I was too late. I thought it was over until my uncle told me that their Human Resources Manager told him a slot just magically opened and that they could start accepting - I really believed that. After sending my resume, I never heard from them again. I applied next in this very popular media conglomerate -thanks to the help of another uncle. It could have worked except for the face that they didn't pay their interns. They pay their interns with experience and school credit. Too bad I didn’t even need the credit - yep, cross that one out of the list. I then tried freelancing but I didn’t have much experience and it was hard to get the customer’s attention. I also just didn’t understand the system of the website so I just decided to give up. I also tried applying in coffee shops... and I was turned down due to my lack of experience with food (sorry for being an engineering student). This probably lasted for a month…. and this was the reason I couldn’t go out that much. I was broke - like I said earlier. My summer savings couldn’t last for four months.

Then one day, my boyfriend (he doesn't want to be called a "friend" on social media- so yes) and I were talking when he told me that I should try this job. He only told me a few details - that one must be fluent in English and be able to teach. When I got home, I opened my laptop right way and searched(googled) for it. I managed to find it. So I applied right away. I then searched tips on passing the process. I only found a few helpful tips but I was still as nervous. I just had to brave myself to thinking I can do this. The process went like this:

Initial requirements would be: Filipino, 18 y/o or above, proficient in English and can teach

1. ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TEST

I took the English proficiency test. I’ve seen many people say in forums and blogs that the exam was really hard. Good thing, I didn’t listen to them. I took the test and passed. I think the questions are really manageable and pretty basic and that anyone can do it :)

The next step was the tutoring skills assessment. But to take the TSA, I needed the following (hardware requirements):

laptop / desktop
headset with external microphone
stable internet connection

I had all except for the headset with external microphone, which my parents had to buy for me (thanks mum and dad mwa)

2. TUTORING SKILLS ASSESSMENT

This part of the process is more of the "make it or break it". If you do not pass the TSA, then you have to wait for another 6 months until you can try again. I was really nervous (and because I didn't know anybody who was doing anything like this - I later found out some of my friends actually did). But then, I had no one to ask advice from. Anyways, once I have chosen my schedule for the TSA - they sent me the material to be used. AND HERE'S A TIP, if you really want to pass the TSA (and I’m sure you do), ALWAYS GO OVER THE MATERIAL WHENEVER YOU CAN. Read it and be very familiar about it. Breath the material.. (Im just kidding but you get my point). So I reviewed it every time I could. I also practiced it on my little cute siblings. They would pretend to be my Japanese students and I would pretend to be their teacher. It all went well.

The day of my TSA came. And like any other normal person, I was really nervous. I followed all instructions on the email they sent me. I went online in Skype earlier and waited. The TSA had three parts:

Test call - They will call you to see if you have the requirements to proceed to the main part of the TSA. I was really nervous and as I was talking to the person on other line, my voice was shaking - feeling like I could ruin my chances. I know, I was overdramatic. But hey, I was nervous.
Demo lesson - So this was it…. I did everything - like how I practiced with my little brother and sister. I smiled and smiled and tried to be friendly and smiled. I answered questions with my best efforts. Once it was over, I thought I really failed miserably. I even messaged my boyfriend right at once telling him I don’t think I was going to make it.
Feedback - I had to wait for a few minutes until my trainer called me back.. and when he did, it was the moment of truth…. he told me I PASSED. He mentioned a lot of good points that I even think I did. (or maybe it was because of my smile). I mean, so… I did well, after all. And so he told me I passed.. I just couldn’t believe it. I was so happy that I wanted to scream while I was talking to him. But of course, I was trying to be cool about it.

After passing, I received another email from the companyI am finally a tutor. What an amazing feeling. I also couldn’t help but think that all those rejections meant that something greater was going to happen - and it did. It surely was a blessing. Other than that, I also taught myself to be brave. This really was something outside my comfort zone, I don't think I even saw myself doing this job - talking to Japanese and teaching them, but it happened and I am actually enjoying it.

I really love this job because it’s home-based. I don’t have to spend money on my lunch breaks and commuting going to the office. It also saves me a lot of time. You can also choose your schedule. You could choose how long you want to work and when. It really is convenient for me.

And it’s been 4 weeks now since I started and I learned to really love the job more. I even invited a friend of mine who was curious about it. So I helped her, gave her tips and thankfully, she also got in. And now she tells me she enjoys very much. Honestly, it used to be about the money (that’s why I wanted a job in the first place) but now it’s about helping people. My Japanese students are really (and I mean really) kind. And I love talking to them. :)

And so if you want to join or you have any questions or you want to ask for tips in passing the TSA, feel free to leave a comment with your email address or email me directly at melissaungco@gmail.com :) I would be very glad to help you!

19 NOTES

I'm Melissa

VIEWS SINCE JUNE 2015

Popular post of the week

I don't need an AIESECer boyfriend, I just need you

BRANDS I LOVE AND SUPPORT

Blog Archive