Pros and Cons of Mutual Fund Investment

Mutual funds have often seemed like a golden investment because what can be a relatively small amount of money ends up being greatly diversified. The core idea of this kind of investment goes back to the basic rule of, don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

 In recent years it has become more apparent that there is no such thing as a guaranteed investment. Companies that appear to be solid from all angles can quickly fall apart no matter how big they are. Because of this you would never want to invest all of your money in one or two companies because no matter how good the investment may seem, anything can happen tomorrow; however, when you invest in hundreds of companies that each look like they will have positive returns then even if a high amount of them fail the others should inevitably make up the difference.

Mutual Funds

 Since so many of us can not afford to build such a diverse portfolio on our own, a mutual fund is a great idea. That alone is perhaps the best pro a mutual fund has over things like stock by stock investments. Of course it is important to know that, even over a long period of time, there is never a guarantee your initial investment will pay off. Mutual funds are by no means immune to mistakes and their chosen stocks are by no means immune to failure.

Put simply, a mutual fund is a pool of money provided by individual investors, companies, and other organizations. A fund manager is hired to invest the cash the investors have contributed. The goal of the manager depends upon the type of fund; a fixed-income fund manager, for example, would strive to provide the highest yield at the lowest risk.

 Advantages 

 1. Mutual Funds Offer Diversification 
The beauty of a mutual fund is that you can buy a mutual fund and obtain instant access to a hundreds of individual stocks or bonds. Otherwise, in order to diversify your portfolio, you might have to buy individual securities, which exposes you to more potential volatility.

 2. Mutual Funds are Professionally Managed 
Many investors don’t have the resources or the time to buy individual stocks. Investing in individual securities, such as stocks, not only takes resources, but a considerable amount of time. By contrast, mutual fund managers and analysts wake up each morning dedicating their professional lives to researching and analyzing current and potential holdings for their mutual fund.

 3. Mutual Funds Come in Many Varieties 
A mutual fund comes in many types and styles. There are stock funds, bond funds, sector funds, target-date mutual funds, money market mutual funds and balanced funds. Mutual funds allow you to invest in the market whether you believe in active portfolio management (actively managed funds) or you prefer to buy a segment of the market with no interference from a manager (passive funds and index mutual funds). The availability of different types of mutual funds allows you to build a diversified portfolio at low cost and without much difficulty.

 4. Mutual Funds Have Low Minimums 
Many mutual fund companies allow investors to get started in a mutual fund with as little as P10,000.

5. Systematic Investing and Withdrawals with Mutual Funds 
It is simple to invest regularly in a mutual fund. Many mutual fund companies allow investors to invest an affordable amount per month directly into a mutual fund. Money can be pulled directly from a bank account and invested directly in the mutual fund. On the other hand, money can be regularly withdrawn from a mutual fund and be deposited into a bank account. There are generally no fees for this service.

 6. Mutual Funds Offer Automatic Reinvestment
An investor can easily and automatically have capital gains and dividends reinvested into their mutual fund without a sales load or extra fees.

 7. Mutual Funds Offer Transparency
Mutual fund holdings are publicly available (with some delays in reporting), which ensures that investors are getting what they pay for.

 8. Mutual Funds Are Liquid
Just like an individual stock, a mutual fund allows you to request that your shares be converted into cash at any time. If you want to sell your mutual fund, the proceeds from the sale are available the day after you sell the mutual fund.

 9. Mutual Funds Have Audited Track Records
A mutual fund company must maintain performance track records for each mutual fund and have them audited for accuracy, which ensures that investors can trust the mutual fund’s stated returns.

 10. Safety of Investing in Mutual Funds
If a mutual fund company goes out of business, mutual fund shareholders receive an amount of cash that equals their portion of ownership in the mutual fund. Alternatively, the mutual fund’s Board of Directors might elect a new investment advisor to manage the mutual fund.

 Disadvantages
 1. Mutual Funds Have Hidden Fees
If fees were hidden, those hidden fees would certainly be on the list of disadvantages of mutual funds. The fee is disclosed in the mutual fund prospectus and can be found on the mutual funds’ web sites. 

2. No Guarantees. 
The value of your mutual fund investment, unlike a bank deposit, could fall and be worth less than the principle initially invested. And, while a money market fund seeks a stable share price, its yield fluctuates, unlike a certificate of deposit. In addition, mutual funds are not insured or guaranteed by an agency of the U.S. government. Bond funds, unlike purchasing a bond directly, will not re-pay the principle at a set point in time.

 3. No Control
Mutual funds also offer very little control. In fact, once you have chosen a mutual fund to invest in your control of your money has pretty much come to an end. With most, of, if not all of, these funds the investor not only has no say in what companies get invested in but they can not even find out what the mutual fund’s portfolio looks like. Aside from the funds being unwilling to divulge all of this information they are also often unable to seeing as the day to day trading is so vast.

 4. Lack of Liquidity
Yes, there are a lot of different mutual funds in the investment world, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are very liquid. With mutual funds, the final transactions aren’t complete until the end of a trading day. It’s not until the final bell when you actual know the price of trades for the fund as a whole. That creates difficulties on days when the market is a volatile time-bomb. You need instant information in order to adjust your trading strategy. Mutual funds do not offer that option.

 5. Fluctuating Returns
Mutual funds are like many other investments without a guaranteed return: there is always the possibility that the value of your mutual fund will depreciate. Unlike fixed-income products, such as bonds and Treasury bills, mutual funds experience price fluctuations along with the stocks that make up the fund. When deciding on a particular fund to buy, you need to research the risks involved – just because a professional manager is looking after the fund, that doesn’t mean the performance will be stellar.

 6. Costs
Mutual funds provide investors with professional management, but it comes at a cost. Funds will typically have a range of different fees that reduce the overall payout. In mutual funds, the fees are classified into two categories: shareholder fees and annual operating fees.

 7. Over Diversification
Although diversification is one of the keys to successful investing, many mutual fund investors tend to overdiversify. The idea of diversification is to reduce the risks associated with holding a single security; overdiversification occurs when investors acquire many funds that are highly related and so don’t get the risk reducing benefits of diversification.

 8. Misleading Advertisements
The misleading advertisements of different funds can guide investors down the wrong path. Some funds may be incorrectly labeled as growth funds, while others are classified as small-cap or income. 

9. Investment style fluctuations
An investor who wants to maintain a certain asset allocation has to rely on the manager of the fund that he or she selects not to deviate from their stated investment styles. Any changes in priorities or investment styles could override and defeat the investor’s asset allocation.

 10. Panic selling 
 During sharp market downturns, investors often have a tendency to panic. When this happens, they look to sell their fund shares. Since the fund managers must redeem the shares, they have no choice but to sell the underlying securities at a time when there are few, if any, buyers. If not for the flood of redemptions, the fund manager would likely not sell the underlying securities. Thus, the professional manager’s expertise, judgment, and objectives are upset and overridden by the actions of the fund’s investors.

 11. No Insurance 
 Mutual funds, although regulated by the government, are not insured against losses.

Conclussion

 When you buy any investment, it’s important to understand both the good and bad points. If the advantages that the investment offers outweigh its disadvantages, it’s quite possible that mutual funds are something to consider. Whether you decide in favor or against mutual funds, the probability of a successful portfolio increases dramatically when you do your homework.

 All of this being said, mutual funds are a diverse investment that allows you to buy in with limited money. Perhaps their best perk is that your money ends up being professionally managed by people who are often amongst the best in the business.

 List of Leading Mutual Fund Companies in the Philippines

 ATR- Kim Eng Equity Opportunity Fund – www.mutualfund.com.ph
 DWS Deutsche Philippine Equity Fund, Inc.
 First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund – www.fami.com.ph
 Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. – www.philamfunds.com
 Philequity Fund, Inc. – www.philequity.net
 Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc.
 Sun Life Prosperity Phil. Equity Fund, Inc. – www.sunlifefunds.com
 United Fund, Inc.

sources: mutualfunds.about.com, open-ira.com, nasdaq.com, etf.about.com, finweb.com, pinoymoneytalk.com

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Recession Proof Businesses for Expatriates to Start

Many Expatriates are still working abroad away from their family sacrificing because they are afraid to loss their jobs and end up nothing. Many of them spend more than ten years while some still working abroad for more than 20 years because they do not have business to support their expenses if they resign. Like me who has a buy and sell business experience before when I was working in my country, I have second thought of resigning because I don't have concrete business plan about what business to start. Majority of us are afraid to fail.

Well while searching in the Internet I found out that these kind of businesses are good whether the economy is good or bad. These businesses are not easily affected by recession so you have a big chance of success.

Here they are and not in particular order:

Candy, Cosmetics and Contraceptives 

Candy

 If anyone likes a quick pick-me-up, it's the stressed out American worker. If you're lucky enough to keep your job during a recession, then you're probably bracing for the next round of layoffs. While heavy drinking at the office is frowned upon, nearly everyone can get behind a big bowl of jellybeans. Candy consumption in the United States went through the roof during the Great Recession. The New York Times reported that Cadbury's profits were up 30 percent in 2008, and Nestle saw a 10.9 percent growth. Inexpensive, sweet treats provide a necessary break from all of the bad news. Indeed, during the Great Depression, treats like Snickers, Tootsie Pops and Mars Bars were all invented, and are still enjoyed today. Cosmetics and nail-care businesses also do well during recessions as women look for inexpensive ways to pamper themselves. In fact, some economists point to rising lipstick sales as a reliable indicator of a sagging economy. The bedroom is also an excellent (and free, in most cases) treat during the recession. But budget-conscious couples make sure to avoid any unplanned expenses. During the first two months of 2009, contraceptive sales were up 10 percent.

 Luxury Retail

Luxury Retail

Recessions don't affect everybody equally. According to Newsweek, the total number of worldwide billionaires jumped 20 percent in 2008. Forbes counted a record number of billionaires in 2013 — 1,426 — while several parts of the economy were still recovering from the recession. Many of these über-rich live in Russia, the Middle East and Asia and have no problem splurging for a jumbo private jet or their very own sun-soaked island in the Mediterranean. The number of millionaires in India grew 22 percent over 2007-2008 and China witnessed a 15 percent bump in millionaires in 2011. In the U.S., sales of ultra-luxury goods like $1,500 pairs of shoes or diamond-encrusted handbags slumped sharply in early 2009, but companies like Hermès and LVMH more than made up with Chinese sales. As early as 2011, luxury retailers were some of the first to bounce back in the U.S., with brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent boasting a 23 percent increase in sales while more modest retailers were starving for customers. One luxury car dealership in Manhattan specializing in Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls-Royce models — each retailing in the low six figures — said 2011 was one of its best sales year ever.

 Repossessions and Removals 

Repossessions and Removals

 Some industries act like financial scavengers during a recession, feasting on the rotten remains of the rest of the economy. For the man -- whose job is to repossess vehicles and other property when the owner fails to make payments -- bad news is big business. During the 2002 recession, car repossessions jumped 60 percent over 2001. In 2008, during the worst of the Great Recession, a total of 1.67 million vehicles were repossessed, a 12 percent increase from the year before. Junk removal is another service industry that profits from the misfortune of others. When a bank forecloses on a home, some indebted homeowners skip town and leave all of their possessions behind. For businesses like Miss Junk in Los Angeles, this means monthly revenues of $150,000 during the recession of 2007-2009, 10 times what it earned in its first month in 2007. Bankruptcy lawyers also keep busy during a recession. More than a million individuals filed for bankruptcy in the United States in 2008, prompting 30 percent more bankruptcy lawyers to enter the profession. Even with the economy in slow recovery, 1.2 million individuals filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012, which means there is still plenty of bankruptcy business to go around.

 The Federal Government 

Federal Government

 A report by USA Today found that workers in many federal agencies are more likely to die than lose their job. The federal government job security rate was 99.43 percent in 2010, meaning only about half of 1 percent of the federal workforce was fired or laid off. In the private sector, an average of 3 percent of workers are fired for poor performance each year, and that doesn't include layoffs. And despite the recession and spending cuts, the federal government is actively hiring new employees. In 2012, the government hired about 90,000 people, and there were still nearly 8,000 open job listings on USAjobs.gov, the federal government job board, as of October 2013. A major reason for the hiring boom is a rapidly aging federal workforce; more than 260,000 federal workers are older than 60. State and local government job security is an entirely different story. During the Great Recession consumers cut spending which affected state and local tax revenue. Faced with budget crises, many states enacted steep budget cuts. Even as the economy slowly recovered in the first half of 2010, state and local governments cut 95,000 jobs while the private sector added nearly 600,000. By late 2013, however, local and state jobs appeared to be bouncing back, especially in the education sector. 

Education 

Education

 Public school teachers in the United States -- who are essentially state employees -- have traditionally enjoyed solid job security. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected a 17 percent growth in demand for kindergarten and elementary school teachers from 2010 to 2020, even in the face of state budget cuts to public education. In the post-recession job market, there is still incredible demand for teachers, but aspiring educators need to go where the jobs are. For example, in 2013 there was a huge shortage of certified math, science and special education teachers nationwide, but a surplus of general elementary school teachers. College students considering a career in education will greatly improve their job prospects, starting salary and job security by focusing on these high-need subject areas. Also, teacher demand is higher in areas experiencing strong population growth like the West and South. Statistics show that college enrollment remained steady before, during and immediately after the Great Recession, making higher education one of the more recession-resistant businesses around. There was a sharp rise in community college admissions during the Great Recession as laid-off workers returned to school to upgrade their skills. However, college enrollment actually fell slightly in 2012-2013 for the first time in two decades, a combination of fewer college-age kids and more adults opting out of school to enter the improving job market.

 Vices 

Vices

 The traditional logic is that sin wins when the economy loses. Like candy, cigarette sales skyrocketed during the Great Depression, and tobacco stocks are still a smart buy in any recession. But in contrast to popular wisdom, people tend to spend less on so-called sin industries like alcohol and cigarettes during recessions. The reason, some experts say, is not that people stop indulging during lousy times, but that they cut back some or downgrade the quality of their favorite vice.For example, the National Restaurant Association reported that wine sales "by the glass" rose sharply as whole bottle sales slumped in 2008. And the Beer Institute said that beer sales in restaurants dropped in 2008, while wholesale beer sales from cheaper stores went up. Tattoo parlors, on the other hand, boom through both recession and recovery. According to a Harris poll, one in five Americans (21 percent) had a tattoo in 2012, up from 14 percent in 2008. People get tattoos during recessions because they are a relatively cheap way to express yourself creatively and boost self-confidence. On the flip side, tattoo removal services also boom during a recession as laid-off workers erase conspicuous ink to appear more professional in interviews.

 Discount Retail 

Discount Retail

 Wal-Mart has more than its fair share of critics. The superstore has spread across the world quickly, knocking off smaller competitors in its path. But no matter what you think of its business tactics, low prices trump politics during a recession. While nearly every other large American retailer suffered significant losses in the first months of 2009, Wal-Mart reported a 5.1 percent increase in profits, more than doubling Wall Street's expectations of 2.4 percent. Not surprisingly, dollar stores and thrift stores also thrive during recessions. The three biggest American discount chains — Dollar General, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree — became Wall Street darlings during the recession as they each added thousands of stores from 2008 to 2012. Thrift stores and trendier "resale" shops also drew in new customers. According to the America's Research Group, 20 percent of people in 2012 said they shopped at thrift stores "regularly," up from 14 percent in 2008.

 Information Technology 

Information Technology

 Despite the bursting of the information technology(IT) bubble that played a key role in the recession of the early 2000s, information technology was the fastest-growing sector in the United States economy during and after the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. That's because the information technology sector isn't confined to traditional tech companies like software makers and server manufacturers. Among the top growth businesses of 2011 were Voice Over IP providers, wind and solar power manufacturers, video game designers and Internet publishers. The biggest growth areas for IT jobs are in software design and development, networking and systems administration, software implementation analysis, testing and QA, and database administration.Systems analysts and administrators appear to have some of the greatest job prospects, since the nature of the work is more collaborative and more difficult to outsource overseas. One of the reasons information technology continues to be an in-demand job sector is because there's an overall lack of qualified IT workers. As older IT workers retire, there simply aren't enough younger workers to take their place. The percentage of U.S. college students graduating with a computer science degree has declined since 2005 to its lowest level since 1986. That trend has led some analysts to predict a 15 percent decrease in the supply of IT workers between 2008 and 2038, while the demand for experienced workers increases 25 percent.

 Health Care 

Health Care

 For years health care has topped every list of recession-proof businesses. The logic is that people continue to get sick, even in bad economic times. But does that automatically translate into profits for the entire health care sector? Let's take a closer look. From 2008 to 2012, a span that covers the Great Recession and early recovery, health care spending in the U.S. grew at a sluggish 4.2 percent annually. Compare that to the 8.8 percent annual growth experienced from 2001 to 2003 after the early 2000s recession. Analysts believe there is a direct connection between the stagnant overall economy and lower spending on medical services. But the industry still managed to grow during a time when many other sectors saw revenues plummet. Total health care spending in the U.S. — by both individuals and government programs like Medicare and Medicaid — represented 16.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 and increased to 17.6 percent in 2012. And this percentage is expected to grow under the Affordable Care Act. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health care and social assistance sector will add more than 5.7 million jobs from 2010 to 2020, far and away the largest projected job growth of any industry. The fastest-growing profession is registered nurses, but other areas of nursing are also strong. The BLS predicts a 70 percent growth in demand for both home health aides and personal health aides to serve an aging baby boomer population during 2010-2020.

 Noncyclical Businesses 

 If you're looking for a truly recession-proof business, then there are a few old standards that might not be sexy, but they sure are reliable. These noncyclical businesses survive through good times and bad because they provide basic, necessary services. Funeral services are a good example. Funeral homes see a steady stream of business no matter how the stock market is performing, although funeral directors in every state reported a significant rise in cremation requests — a far less expensive procedure than burial — during the Great Recession. And since we're on the subject of death, we might as well mention the other of life's guarantees: taxes. As long as the IRS keeps things confusing, there will be plenty of work for accountants. One group that struggled during the Great Recession, however, were small, one-man accounting firms that mostly served small businesses. The big national chains were fine. Public utilities like electricity, gas and waste disposal are necessary for the clean and comfortable functioning of society. If a city government tried to save money by only collecting garbage once a month, it would cause a stink, to say the least. Other industries that fall under the noncyclical banner are religious organizations, the military,pharmaceuticals,veterinary services and repair technicians. So if you lose your job as a hedge fund manager, you might consider a career as a vacuum-repairing priest.

I hope you enjoy and find some ideas to what business you will start. 

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Is Global Intergold Scam or Legit

I was called by one of my acquaintances one afternoon and pretending to be concerned by saying that he did not have any news about me for a long time. Chit-chat went from personal to investment and he shared me this Global Intergold. Actually he shared me the Emgoldex before it was known as Global Intergold lately. 

I am not new to this MLM, Binary and alike businesses. I joined the company associated with Aloe Vera products. The only difference is that this company has products which you will get when you register to join. 

When do you say that a company engage in MLM or Binary is a SCAM or legit? Let's face it these companies recruit people to expand. I can say that it is legit when you get something in return when you register your name with them. Example is the products like health products and maybe a service with the right price of course. It should be competitive to the market, not overprice. 

To cut the story short, this Global Intergold has no product but you have to recruit in order to earn money. They said at least two. Wow. Gold is their front or prop.

 Most of these ponzi scheme businesses victimized OFWs and Expatriates with the promise of getting easy money because they knew that they have money to afford. 

The big question is why they changed their name from Emgoldex to Global Intergold? Not approved by SEC in the Philippines. 

"Global InterGold is a regulated EU Company featuring an Online shop for the buying and selling of gold bars from Swiss regulated suppliers. Purchases may be completed outright or the client may elect to defer payment and subscribe to the GoldSet marketing incentives program. GoldSet offers Global InterGold clients a variety of ways to help fund their purchases and maximize their gold purchasing power. 

 Not only does Global InterGold sell investment gold bars, it also provides a buyback guarantee on completion of a Gold Bullion purchase order commitment.
Buyers may elect to hold their physical gold purchases personally or assign them for safekeeping in a certified depository through our licensed gold provider for a small fee. 

 Gold has been traded for over 5,000 years. In fluctuating economies it is a reliable investment that many governments, banks, large and mid-sized corporations as well as high net-worth individuals turn to for increased stability. Now, Global InterGold makes purchasing gold possible for just about anyone."

I have no news what happened to my acquaintance if he get his money back with profit or not but I am certain when the recruiting is saturated everything will fall apart and good luck to the latest member who will bear the consequence.

My advised to everyone, stay way from this type of investment. If they promise big return in a short span of time then be worry. Say NO to this kind of investment. Many investment scam has been brought to the public attention but we Filipinos never learned. It is better to invest in mutual fund and stock market. All you have to do is learned how to do it.

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Global InterGold Review – Re-Launch of EmGoldex?

Hey welcome to my Global InterGold Review!

 There is something fishy going on about this new company and in this blog post I am going to expose everything…

 First, I want to let you know a little bit of the history about Global InterGold and why you could burn through a lot of money…

 I am generally never negative about MLM companies, but this one had to be revealed…

 Global InterGold Review – The Company If you read my EmGoldex review, you will notice that this company is EXACTLY the same…

 There is a big reason for that…

 It looks like after getting in a ton of trouble, EmGoldex decided to re-launch under a different name…

 Some of the issues EmGoldex ran into are the following:

 August 2014:  Massachustts Securities devision begin to investigate Emgoldex

 October 2014: Civic fraud charges filed against top US EmGoldex investors

 February 2014:  Philippines SEC issues regulatory warning against EmGoldex

 April 2015: Central Bank of Malaysia places Emgoldex on investment blacklist

 June 2015: Dubai Multi Commodities Center warn Emgoldex not registered to trade gold in the UAE
It looks like the anonymous owners had ditched the name EmGoldex because of all the negative publicity and changed the name to “Global InterGold” in late June 2015…

 Global InterGold Reviews – The Products This is EXACTLY the same as EmGoldex where you hand over 540 EUR to have a position in the matrix…

 Also, Global Intergold positioning their Ponzi investment offering the purchase of gold with a twelve month delay on payment…

 Gold is the vehicle of choice to push this scheme (I noticed a lot of “Gold” companies are launching lately).

 You only get Gold if you ask for it when you want your ROI in Gold instead of cash.

 Global InterGold – The Compensation Plan As of right now there is NO information on their compensation plan but it looks like the affiliates are pushing it just like Emgoldex with the same prices…

 The only information I found is that the president is “Jens Krebs” and I found that on their YouTube channel.

 There isn’t much information on him and I checked his LinkedIn profile which didn’t even have a profile picture…

 The main source of traffic to their website is coming from Russia at 15.3% according to Alexa and a whooping 15.1% is from the Philippines.

 Global InterGold – The Verdict I rarely call anything a scam, but this is one and for that reason I am out!

 There are just too many issues going on right now with EmGoldex and now they decide to launch another company with a different name?

 I mean…

 If it was a totally different company and they wanted to start fresh okay fine…

 BUT…

 It’s the EXACT same company!

 And it will fall into all the issues EmGoldex fell into!

 Please, listen to me…

 I would not join this company.

There are so many other business opportunities out there that are legit….

 I hope you enjoyed my Global InterGold review and if you are in this company…

I hope you didn’t get scammed.

 I really do.

 Bless and Be Blessed,

From: http://hotmlmcompanies.com/

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10 Bad Experiences of OFWs Spending Holidays in the Philippines

The Philippines is undeniably one of the best places in the world to unwind and explore. However, as with any other destination, there are both highs and lows — and returning citizens are no exception.

 Here are some of the ill experiences overseas Filipino workers have reported through the years. Of course, it is needless to say that these do not happen all the time. If they do happen to you or someone you know, the things listed below are good to know.

1. Corrupt airport workers. Whether you’re a foreigner or Filipino, there are a few customs officers who can’t help but take advantage once you get to their section. They will generally ask arriving passengers to pay high fees for certain products brought in, like appliances and gadgets. They also tend to confiscate food and other items that are supposed to be prohibited when, in fact, they only take these for their own use.

 2. Overcharging taxi drivers. Several cities around the Philippines have taxi drivers that do not turn their meters on when you step in. They instead ask you to pay. If this happens, never negotiate and instead insist on having the meter turned on. Otherwise, walk away and look for another cab.

 3. Long queue at NAIA arrival hall. Long lines are a constant problem in the Philippines regardless of where you are. As soon as you arrive at the arrival hall, you should expect to stay for another 30 to 60 minutes at least because of inefficient personnel and outdated checkout systems

 4. Luggage lost or delayed. Many OFWs also experienced having their luggage lost or placed at a different flight to a different destination. Some are fortunate to get their luggage back while others have to settle for cheap reimbursement. Such things happen even if security guards manning the exit doors occasionally check luggage tags to catch baggage thieves.

5. Nagging neighbors asking for pasalubongs. Whenever OFWs come home, they don’t only need to worry about their immediate and extended family. There are also so many neighbors who will be asking for gifts and money. Solicitation forms for graduation. Money to claim a pawned jewelry. Money to buy an ailing relative’s medicine. It looks like the vacationing OFW has suddenly become a walking loan officer.

 6. Family members expecting you to give more money. Many Filipino families also think of OFWs as endless sources of financial resource so they ask for cash aside from the gifts you already brought. This is because many believe vacation in the Philippines is a luxury and not a necessity, so they believe you must have enough money in your wallet to afford travel.

 7. Everyone asking for money. OFWs, regardless of the duration of their stay, have to deal with additional expenses since they will be targeted by family members who would like to ask for money to apply for a job in a different place, start a small business or purchase new appliances. NAIA personnel asking for tips. Taxi driver asking for tips. A barker insisting on carrying your bags asking for money. Did we mention family and neighbors also asking for the same?

 8. Children do not recognize parents anymore. Some overseas Filipino workers have to stay abroad for a year or longer, so they find it very sad and disappointing how their children barely know or respect them when they return. If you’re working overseas, it’s best to have constant communication with the people at home: parents, siblings, cousins and of course, immediate family members. With the technology available, all this is very much possible.

 9. Confirmed gossip that spouse already have another family. The long distance relationship between spouses usually put a strain on marriage. Some couples file for legal separation while others just discover that their husband or wife has been having an extramarital affair and has a second family. Painful isn’t it? But these sad tales of infidelity and broken families extend beyond ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya’; after all, MMK is supposed to be based on real-life stories.

 10. Going back to work abroad empty-handed and debt-ridden. Filipinos are naturally generous so they usually spend more than what they saved for when coming home to visit. They usually charge the additional expenses using their credit card or borrowing from their company or coworkers abroad.

In the end, they have to work longer and harder to pay back debts, which means that they’re going to need to stay in foreign land longer than before. There is no doubt that working abroad and away from your loved ones is tough. Manage your relationships (and your finances) well and you will never have to experience these horrors throughout your OFW life.

Taken from http://www.pinoy-ofw.com

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11 easy steps to have an entrepreneurial mindset

MANILA - What is an entrepreneurial mindset? This refers to the specific state of one's mind in creating and focusing or harnessing to the best of one’s ability successful factors related to entrepreneurship. 

 In today’s world, what matters most is how one can develop the ability to think beyond what can be perceived. 

It is never too late to neither start nor revitalize. All it takes is a strong desire to change or improve. As the saying goes, “If there is a will, there is a way.” 

These tips are meant for the serious people who like to embrace change and success: 

 1. Create your new entrepreneurial mindset. 

 Before you can become successful, you have to create a new mindset to achieve the things you want in your life. 

 Examine your current mindset, and how that way of thinking has gotten you to where you're at right now. 

 Be honest with yourself when looking over your current results, because this will give you an accurate measure of the choices that you have made over the years. 

 Only then will you begin to see for yourself that it is time for you to work on your new mindset in order to start living the life you want to experience, regardless of your current circumstances. 

 Once your new entrepreneurial mindset is in motion, you will start making very creative choices to move you faster to your desired goals. 

 Find three to four successful entrepreneurs that have the lifestyle that you want, and ask them if you can interview them individually to understand the reasons why they are so successful at what they do in their current business as an entrepreneur. 

 While you are listening to them, take notes, examine what they say to you about themselves and their success, and grasp what type of mindset they have now in their lives. 

 This will propel your own success in so many different ways because you will be able to apply what you have learned to your own mindset. 

 2. Take out three blank sheets of white paper and a pen or pencil.

 You are going to write down your new mindset as an entrepreneur on your sheets of paper. 

Writing down what you want (and what you are going to achieve as an entrepreneur) is a very powerful activity that you are making a habit of now. 

 Taking out your sheets of paper right now is a serious gesture that you are making to let your subconscious mind know you are a person of action. 

This step will help propel you on your new journey, the journey of taking the necessary steps needed to achieve your desired goals. 

These three blank sheets of paper represent your future. As an entrepreneur with a new mindset you can paint any picture you want to on the three sheets of paper, regardless of your current circumstances. 

 3. Write down all of your new ideas as an entrepreneur on the first sheet of paper.

Label the first blank sheet of paper you have as number one. You have been spending some time changing the way you think, and creating a new entrepreneur mindset: 

 Start writing down all of the new ideas that you have as an entrepreneur now. 

The ideas that you are writing down now are the ones that you have been thinking about in your mind that you want to create and achieve in your physical presence now. 

For example, if you have a burning desire in your heart to start your own daycare center, restaurant, hotel, or create a product for people to buy, then write down all of your ideas in every detail. 

 Write down how big the daycare center is going to be, where it is going to be located, what color the building is going to be, how many children you will allow to be kept in your daycare, how many people you will staff, what type of services you will provide to the parents and children coming to the daycare. 

 This is a perfect example of how you can start writing down all of your ideas as an entrepreneur on the sheet of paper now. 

 4. Write your short-, middle- and long-term goals down on the second sheet of paper.

A short-term goal is something you want to achieve in one day, one week or one month. 

 A middle-term goal is something you want to achieve in ninety days to six months. 

 A long-term goal is something you want to achieve in one year or more. 

5. Write down what you want to achieve as an entrepreneur on the second blank sheet of paper. 

 List them in the categories stated above as short-, middle- and long-term goals. 

At the top of the paper, you can have your short-term goals, in the middle section of the paper, you can have your middle-term goals, and at the bottom of the paper you can have your long-term goals (if necessary use the back side of the sheet of paper). 

 6. Be creative when writing down your goals because this is your life that you will be experiencing in the near future. 

 This is one of the biggest reasons why 1% of our population is earning around 96% of all the money that’s being earned in our world today. 

They set goals, and they keep at them until they have seen them through into their physical manifestation.

7. Write down 50 things you want to experience in your life now on the third sheet of paper. 

 Write down 50 things that you want to experience in your life now on the third blank sheet of paper. 

You can start really having some fun in this step by writing down 50 things that you want right now regardless of your current bank account, job, business or relationships in your life now. 

Those 50 things that you write down will help you to understand that you can have whatever you want in your life as an entrepreneur. 

However, you have to first know what you want in detail. Start applying personal development every day in your daily life. 

With the new mindset you have now, you should continue to feed your mind everyday with personal development. 

For instance, you can take out three minutes in a day and meditate on goals or just clear your mind of everything for the moment. 7. Give yourself a command and follow it. 

 Now that you have been thinking and writing about your goals, the things you want, and your ideas as an entrepreneur, give yourself a command on what you want to achieve first as an entrepreneur, and follow it until you see it through to the finish. 

Then you can move on to something else that you want to focus on and achieve. 

You will continue the same process over and over--whatever you decide you want to achieve, give yourself a command and follow it until it is achieved. 

 8. Keep your new mindset positive by hanging around like-minded individuals. 

 Hang around more like-minded individuals daily, monthly and yearly to keep a positive mindset. 

Hanging around individuals that have the same entrepreneurial concepts that you do will keep your mindset in a positive state, and on the right track to achieve your goals. 

You can hang around like-minded individuals by either listening to a group of individuals on the phone via conference calls, attending seminars, being part of an online forum of positive people like yourself, and keeping in contact with the positive like-minded people you have formed a relationship with on your journey in achieving your goals. 

 The more positive like-minded people you associate with regularly, the more it will certainly keep moving you in the direction of becoming successful as an entrepreneur. 

 9. Take seven minutes out of every day to visualize the end result of your goal in your mind. 

 Take seven minutes out of your day to visualize the end result of your goal that you have decided to achieve within a specific time frame (as mentioned in step number three). 

For example, if you decided to own your own daycare center, then you could spend seven minutes in the day visualizing about every aspect of your daycare center as if you currently owned it in the present moment. 

 You can also start off visualizing everything that you wrote about the daycare center in step number three. 

Then you can work your way to the end result of having the daycare center in your possession now. 

 For instance, visualize the amounts of checks that you are receiving from your customers now that you have the daycare center, visualize different cars parked at your daycare center parking lot, visualize the joint ventures that you have created with other daycare center owners in your area in providing better services in your city. 

 Before successful entrepreneurs became successful, they first visualized the end result of their goal, and continued to dwell on that end result a few minutes of everyday until it became a part of their experience in life. 

 10. Sign your name to the sheets of papers with your new ideas, goals, and the things you want in your life as an entrepreneur. 

 Put your signature on the end of the sheets of paper where you have written down all of your new ideas, goals and the things you want to experience in your life as an entrepreneur. 

 By doing this step, it will promote a sense of seriousness within yourself, that you mean business in accomplishing your ideas, goals and what you want. 

You also will feel that you have already completed your aspirations by signing your documents of personal achievement. 

Your signature represents a decided heart and a new mindset. 

 11. Make a decision to yourself that you will never give up on your new ideas and goals until you see them manifest in your life. 

 Do yourself a huge favor right now and go ahead make the decision to never give up on your new ideas, and goals until you see them manifested in your life as an entrepreneur. 

 Many unsuccessful entrepreneurs in today’s society give up on their goals and ideas at the first sign of temporary defeat. 

There is no such thing as failure, only temporary defeat in life, period. 

 When a successful entrepreneur has a temporary defeat, he remains calm, relaxed, and confident in his quest to achieve his goal because he understands that every temporary defeat is backed by a great or equal number of successes in his life. 

That’s why many successful entrepreneurs always get what they want in life; they never give up on what they want.

Taken from ABS-CBN.COM

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How to go from OFW to entrepreneur

MANILA, Philippines - Working abroad isn’t a walk in the park. Lots of Filipinos believe that if you’re working abroad, it means you’re living comfortably in a magical land where money is coming in non-stop.

But in reality, that’s not true at all.

OFWs are struggling with their life situation abroad and some even skip meals just to get through the day.

So to avoid going broke, you need another source of income. And starting a business here in the Philippines is your best option.

So, here’s how to make the leap from OFW to entrepreneur.

Save
Before you dive into entrepreneurship, you must save a portion of your income for your business. However, saving is not easy especially if you have a lavish lifestyle. But if you’re really serious about starting a business here in this country, you should practice simple living. Stay away from fancy things and save your money to fund your business.

Put the word "NO" in your vocabulary
You must learn to say “no” to your family and friends. They will always ask you for money and gifts, but if you always give them what they want, there will be nothing left for you and your business. So practice saying “no” to their requests. It may be difficult at first but you’ll get used to it. Be strong-minded and focus on funding your business.

Familiarize yourself with the Philippine market
Starting a business here in the Philippines is a different ball game. What sells abroad might not sell here in the Philippines. So you need to be attuned with the local market. Give yourself some time to do some researches and study the local market. Identify the top trends first before you start your own business.

Invest in a lucrative business
Once you have the funds and you’re familiar with the local market, you must pick a profitable business that will suit you. Choose something you’re interested with so you won’t get bored when you’re running it.
Here are some excellent business ideas you might want to check out:
1. Food Business
2. Rice Retailing
3. Laundry Shops
4. Digital Printing Business
5. Pharmacy
6. Logistics Handling
7. Shuttle Services
8. Convenient Deliveries To Condominiums
Encourage your family and friends to set up their own businesses too. In that way, they won’t ask money from you anymore. Think and explore franchising. It is a way of doing business under the guidance of a franchiser. However one needs to be careful in choosing the right franchise business. As I always tell people -- “investigate first before investing.”

Be persistent
“Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong.” – Muhammad Ali
Entering the world of entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint-hearted. There’s always risk involved in business. Sometimes things won’t go your way. And when things go sour, you need to find ways to stay afloat. So learn how to adjust to any situation, have faith and don’t give up easily.

Support organizations
There are a number of organizations who are supportive of the OFWs. In the recent 4th OFW and Family Summit held at the World Trade Center, around 5,000 OFWs came seeking advise on getting into business. Mentors from GO NEGOSYO, Association of Filipino Franchisers Inc., Villar Foundation, Blas F. Ople Policy Center Foundation were all present. There were as well OFWs who are now successful entrepreneurs who spoke how they survived challenges.

Look back
At times when you feel things are not moving the way you wanted it to be, just try to look back. You will realize the many hundred fold improvements in your life including your family as well. Think of the various experiences you learned. Surely you can apply some if not all in becoming an entrepreneur.

Finally, always wear that positive mindset. Avoid self-pity. Emotions can be a tool to bring you down. Turn it around and use it to strengthen your willpower.
Pray and have faith! We just entered the year 2015 and keep those chin up high! Better yet try humming the song “Walk With Faith.”

From ABS-CBN.COM

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Japanese will relocate their 200 companies to the Philippines

This is a good news for Filipinos out there. With 200 companies coming to the Philippines, many jobless people will be happy. Most of these companies are in China. Japan realized that Filipinos are hard working people and better than Chinese who could not even speak English. I have a friend who worked in a manufacturing company in the Philippines and he said that their company branch in China was closed because of product output quality. He said that out of ten product items only four passed the quality control inspection while in their branch in Cebu only two most of the time were rejected.

Adding more companies in the Philippines will help alleviate its economy. This will also lessen the Filipinos migration to other country to look for job if there are many jobs available in the Philippines. Micro-businesses will also prosper that will cause domino effects.

Here is the news from The Philippines Pride:

Japan is making sure that the bully will pay its due when time comes. The world is losing interest in China. The recent announcement of Microsoft to close its two factories and transfer to Vietnam could cost 9,000 Chinese jobs. The same thing can be devastating in the years to come as Japan announces moving at least 200 factories from China to the Philippines.

Electronics Factory

According to South China Morning Post, six Japanese and Taiwanese companies turned down China and preferred Philippines for their next factory locations. 

 “Japan’s biggest printer maker and electronics giant Epson has no plan to expand its production plant in China due to increasing labor cost and deteriorating quality”, Epson Philippines country manager Toshimitsu Tanaka told reporter. Epson is currently building its biggest manufacturing facility in its current site in Batangas. The completed factory will be Epson’s biggest ever with 10 hectares of total floor area. The facility will likely to operate next year according to Tanaka. 

 Based on the statement released by Nobuo Fuiji, head of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines Inc., since last year there are some Japanese firms started moving their operation in the Philippines. They believe that Philippines is a growing country and it is competitive enough to cater big investments from them, according to PhilStar. 

 Japan announced last week that it is seeking permission from the Philippine government to use the country’s military bases to support US military pivot forces. The details are not yet clear but a possible agreement between the concerned parties can be done sooner or later according to a PH military spokesperson. 

 Japanese bicycle maker Shimano has just opened a P1.2B facility in Batangas, and dozens more factories are likely to follow according to the Japanese Embassy. 

 Mitsubishi Power Industries is another giant who is scheduled to move to Philippines according to latest news. 

 Japanese watchmaker Citizen also shut down its China factories and the fate has yet to be decided whether it will move to the Philippines or Vietnam. 

 Another 300 Chinese workers lost their job after electronic giant Panasonic closed one of its Chinese factories. 

 Both the Philippine business sector and the government is expecting a stronger democratic and economic ties with Japan amid growing Spratly tensions. Both countries, including Vietnam share the same views against China’s illegal land-grabbing activities in South China Sea.

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Why most OFW still poor despite working abroad for a long time

Why most OFW still poor despite working abroad for a long time? This is a question many people are asking me many times. I asked them the same question why is it so? I asked the same question because I have been working abroad for more than 15 years already and yet I don't have lots of savings. Yes I paid my monthly SSS and bought a house plus some thousands of money in the bank but it is worth enough if I retire? These are some few questions that I want to be clear.

Here is a News from abs-cbn why many ofw still poor after spending many years working abroad. I am fortunate that I am not included in this bracket.

While most Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) earn better in other countries, some of them still experience financial problems despite years of hard work due to inefficient money management. 

 The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has identified over-dependency of families and relatives of OFWs as one of the common causes why workers abroad struggle with their finances, despite their higher pay. “People tend to think that once you go abroad, it seems that you get a higher income and that will solve all your problems,” said Andrea Anolin, CFO executive assistant for joint migration and development initiative.

 Anolin added that an OFW may already have financial problems even before leaving the Philippines, such as the accumulation of debts due to over-borrowing in the belief that the money can be returned once hired overseas. “The families who are left behind and also the migrants themselves have very unrealistic expectations. 

They equate going overseas with an automatic improvement in the quality of their lives,” she said. In addition, some OFWs are said to easily give in to the requests of their families and relatives for remittances and gifts from abroad, thus the failure to save sufficient money for the future. “We don’t really save for the rainy days. We don’t really think long term. Our plans, our objectives are vague and we don’t really know how to get from one place to the next. So it’s easy to be lured by commercial spending,” Anolin said. 

According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), eight out of 10 Filipinos don't have bank accounts -- an indication that financial literacy among Filipinos is not high, as CFO pointed out. 

While it is not that bad for OFWs to spend for their families with imported commodities, CFO stressed that they should not let themselves end up without savings and should not forget to save more than they spend in order to achieve a common goal of creating a sustainable income in their homeland. “It’s not the lack of money to save eh. It’s the lack of the will to save,” said Warner Dawal, senior emigrant services officer for Peso Sense Program.

 “The most common misconception is the families here in the Philippines think that the remittance they receive is forever,” he added. I conclude that the reason why most of our expatriates including me are still poor is because we don't have the will to save money. We have this "come what may" attitude. Start saving today and invest it back home or open a business.

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Why Fiorina’s failure as a CEO ensures she’d fail as president

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Carly Fiorina was a lousy corporate executive, and she’d make a lousy president. Why? Because she has no idea how difficult it is to actually be president and get things done.

The former CEO of Hewlett-Packard HPQ, -3.16% wowed the Republican base last night at the candidates’ second debate with her strong conviction that all you need is a steely gaze and a will of iron to turn this country around and solve all its problems, foreign and domestic.

 In defense of her failed leadership at H-P, which concluded with her forced ouster, Fiorina said last night that “when you challenge the status quo, you make enemies.”

 Other than the thousands of employees she fired, Fiorina’s biggest enemies at H-P were in the board of directors, which like all corporate boards, is made up of uninformed people who nevertheless think of themselves as geniuses, busy people who have their own companies and interests to worry about and don’t have time for your petty problems.

 “I was a terrific CEO, the board was dysfunctional,” Fiorina said.

 Well, I have a surprise for you, Carly: If you think a corporate board is dysfunctional, wait until you see Congress.

 And if you think challenging the status quo in Washington or on the world stage will be a cakewalk, you’ll fail as president just as you failed as CEO of Hewlett-Packard.

 The biggest lie our politicians tell us is that it’s easy to fix our nation’s problems. All you need is the will, and you can accomplish anything. But none of them — with the possible exceptions of former First Lady Hillary Clinton and long-time congressional leader John Kasich — understands how impotent our political leaders really are.

Carly Fiorina

 Our government is a messy mix of oligarchy, democracy, republicanism and federalism that guarantees that almost nothing can get done. At least, not without a huge struggle.

 That is not a bug of our political system; it’s a feature. It’s the way our founding fathers planned it. They didn’t want a king, or a queen, not even a steely-eyed former CEO.

 Barack Obama was elected in 2008 primarily because he persuaded us that fixing our problems would be easy. All we needed was hope and audacity, and we can do it. Yes we can!

 But when Obama got into office, he was quickly schooled.

 Even though the Democratic Party had huge majorities in both houses of Congress and Obama personally had an immense mandate from the people to “change the way Washington works,” he was forced to compromise from Day One. Even a Congress led by allies won’t be dictated to.

 His stimulus package didn’t fully please anyone, his health-care reform bill didn’t fully please anyone, his rewrite of financial regulations didn’t fully please anyone. His foreign policy — from Afghanistan and Iraq to China and Ukraine — didn’t fully please anyone.

 Being president means never pleasing anyone completely, especially yourself. It takes a rare leader serving at the perfect time to overcome our system’s programmed hostility to efficiency.

 It would be nice if the candidates running for president would admit that, but if they did, they’d all sound like John Kasich, and none of them want to be the reasonable one on the stage.

Being realistic is such a turnoff! It’s much better to pound your chest and fire up the base and pretend that the president of the United States can accomplish anything. Build a wall! Put Putin in his place! Grow the economy at 4%!

 It’s easy; all you need is a steely gaze and will of iron.

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Who is Carly Fiorina

If you know Carly Fiorina is running for the Republican presidential nomination, you probably know at least one other thing about her: that she once ran Hewlett-Packard — and was fired from the company. But did you know she attended high school in … Ghana? That’s one of many places she went to school. Fiorina, 61, was born in Austin, Texas, and had a peripatetic childhood thanks to her law-professor father’s career. Fast forward to the present, and she’s being hailed for a strong performance in Wednesday night’s Republican debate. Here are five things to know about Fiorina — besides the rockiness of her tenure at H-P.

 ‘Perpetually the new kid’: In her memoir, “Tough Choices,” Fiorina describes herself in her early years as “perpetually the new kid in class.” She writes that she went to elementary school in New York, Connecticut and California. Junior high was in California and England. For high school, it was Ghana, California and North Carolina. “In the course of all this moving around, I learned a lot about people and a lot about change,” she writes in her book.

Her favorite college subject wasn’t economics:Fiorina’s academic résumé doesn’t start off sounding like that of a CEO. Though she later got an MBA, her undergraduate degree from Stanford University is in medieval history and philosophy. In a 2001 commencement speech at her alma mater,“The most valuable class I took at Stanford was not Econ 51. It was a graduate seminar called, believe it or not, Christian, Islamic and Jewish Political Philosophies of the Middle Ages.” Why was it so valuable? Distilling “huge texts” into two-page papers was a great intellectual workout, she told students. “Through the years, I’ve used it again and again — the mental exercise of synthesis and distillation and getting to the very heart of things.”

Carly Fiorina

She lost a Senate race by 10 points: If you’re not a political junkie, you may not recall that Fiorina ran for the U.S. Senate from California in 2010. She lost. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat, won the race by nearly 10 percentage points. Yet polls during the race showed Fiorina as close as a point away from Boxer — evidence of her appeal in a traditionally blue state. The race is also remembered — not least by Boxer — for Fiorina’s calling her opponent’s hairstyle “so yesterday.”

She lost a daughter: During Wednesday’s debate, Fiorina said she had “buried a child to drug addiction.” That child was stepdaughter Lori, who died in 2009 at age 35. After relating the experience, Fiorina said the U.S. must invest more in drug-treatment programs. It became the most-searched moment of the debate, the Washington Post reported.

She opposes requiring paid maternity leave: The issue of paid maternity leave didn’t come up in Wednesday night’s debate, but it’s been in the news with Yahoo YHOO, -1.50% CEO Marissa Mayer saying she plans on taking minimal leave after the birth of the twins she is expecting. Fiorina’s take: The government shouldn’t require companies to offer such leave. “I’m not saying I oppose paid maternity leave,” she told CNN in August. “What I’m saying is I oppose the federal government mandating paid maternity leave to every company out there.” On this issue she sounds much different from the only other major female candidate seeking the White House, Democrat Hillary Clinton. “The United States is the only country in the developed world without guaranteed paid leave of any kind. That has to change,” Clinton’s website states.

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