You Need a Budget
It’s been a while now since we started using You Need a Budget (YNAB)… If I remember correctly, we bought this amazing software last May 2009. Since then budgeting has never been easier! Here’s why:
- It has a super cool user interface that’s robust, yet still easy to use –> Think Apple UI
YNAB
- I have always been confused with debit and credit, good thing, this app uses IN and OUT instead
- It’s more than an application… it encourages you to make saving a habit through goal setting and living by its 4 principles:
Give Every Dollar a Job
Each month you assign your Available dollars to spending/savings categories. This process takes 20 minutes and revolutionizes the way you think about your money.
Result: Dollars are told what to do. Your awareness will increasetremendously and you’ll find contentment as your spending aligns itself with your core values. Communication between spouses is restored.
Save for a Rainy Day
You’ll anticipate larger, less-frequent expenses and will be ready for them. Insurance premium due in six months for $600? Save $100 each month and watch the Car Insurance balance grow.
Result: Eliminate the crazy ups and downs in your life. Gain atrue picture of your discretionary income. Enjoy opening the mail again (the money will be there waiting to pay that bill).
Roll with the Punches
The key is to keep moving even when you fail (you will). YNAB will make small adjustments when you overspend, ensuring that you fix those mistakes before you go to the next month.
Result: It keeps you on your budgeting feet, so when you fail, you don’t quit. You start each month with a clean slate–a hugepsychological boost.
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck
We want you to work toward living on last month’s income. Both the software and methodology will help you do just that.
Result: You’ll find breathing room. You’ll stop wasting time by timing paychecks with bills, and if you’re on a variable income, your budgeting “problem” will be eliminated.
Budgeting
- It is super lightweight and multi-platform, it even has an iPhone and now an Android application
- Syncing is very easy, it highlights the updates or conflicts between devices, and allows you to easily check for it and approve as necessary
- Beat this — It has an awesome website, awesome community, awesome crew, awesome tutorials
- It focuses more on changing lives rather than scoring money from its users because it focuses on YOU learning by giving free tutorials and coaching classes, it focuses on YOU getting the latest update for free for life, it focuses on YOU being able to access your application from all of your devices
If you’re still in doubt, read what others think about YNAB:
- http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0611/The-Best-Budgeting-Software-For-2011.aspx
- http://financialsoft.about.com/od/budgetingsoftware/gr/You-Need-A-Budget-Review.htm
- http://www.onemoneydesign.com/ynab-3-review-you-need-a-budget/
- http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/you-need-a-budget-ynab/id372076250?mt=8
- http://www.amazon.com/You-Need-Budget-YNAB-Personal/dp/B000QO76HU
Enough said, why don’t you guys just try this wonder for free 
I know, this is starting to sound like a paid ad but that’s how happy I am! 
I can’t stop spreading the good news! =) In fact, I’m glad that I am finally able to post this one because looking back, I really owe Jessy (founder of YNAB) big time! Read their story here.
If you have any question about this app, feel free to contact me via email. I’ll be a YNAB consultant for free!
How to Make Your Faucet Shine
It is always frustrating to see water markings on bathroom faucet and not be able to do anything about it. Believe me when I say I tried scrubbing for what seemed like eternity but nothing happened! I even wanted to replace my faucet because I couldn’t stand seeing the water markings and the foggy faucet look (dull and not shiny at all). 
Good thing I didn’t give up and gave it one more shot. Look at my output below, that only took me around 3 – 5 minutes waiting time.
What did I do? Simple, just spray this on and wait for a few minutes. After that, wipe the faucet with wet chamois. It would be better to leave the room after spraying because this Lysol disinfectant cleaner releases bad odor and is possibly harmful to your health.
Financial Literacy
Math is one of the most important subjects in school, but I do think that focus on finance and budgeting will probably equip students more in battling their way through life than geomerty and trigonometry. I mean, let’s face it, people encounter all sorts of problems in their everyday life but the most important problem they face is determining how they can earn extra income for their family; not figuring out the exact dimensions of their water container. To all the schools out there, can you please consider adding a new subject as important as finance and budgeting?
Anyway, the real purpose of this post is to share with you the rule of 72. This method is invented by Albert Einstein and is probably one of the most important facts you’ll ever encounter in your life. The rule of 72 simply teaches us that if you divide the number 72 by the rate of interest, will yield the number of years it will take to double your money. It is used in compounding interest rather than simple interest calculations.
For example, if you divide 72 by 8 percent interest in an investment, your money will double in 9 years, regardless of the amount of your money.
Why am I sharing this? To give you a wakeup call. Saving in banks can only give you at most, 4% interest and they would probably require you to save millions just to get that rate. And if we are being strict here, we would need to include the inflation rate of 3% to 5% into the picture, which will give you 0 to 1 percent interest. Using this scenario and applying the rule of 72, in how many years can you double your money?
Level Up
The grease, dirt, oil, and other particles our eyes cannot see…
My emotional quotient is higher than ever and I’m so proud!!! I was able to withstand the urgency of the situation… I was able to ignore the immense need to wipe the stove top until after cooking (1 dish). Wow, it feels like passing the marshmallow test! Awwwesomeeee!
So how should one clean a stove top? I usually use a coarse rug in wiping off the oil and dirt to make sure the markings are removed. But before doing that, I wet the rug first with water and a little bit of Lysol Concentrate just to be sure that I’m not merely spreading the dirt all over my stove top. After that, I wipe it dry with a clean cloth or chamois, also to make sure that no water markings will be left behind.
P.S. No matter how hard it is to resist the urge of wiping splattered oil from your stove top while cooking, resist it, to avoid accidents.
Manage Your Life
I always feel like 24 hours a day isn’t enough to do all the things you have to do. I mean, there’s the clothes to wash, iron, and fold; food to cook; house and car to clean; movies to watch; blogs to read; social networks to update; places to go to; friends to meet; errands to run; and of course, self to maintain and pamper. Whew! That was a long list =)
Truth is, I just wanted to list all the things I have to do so I won’t forget and I can plan ahead. You see, listing your tasks is a simple way organizing your life. You can use a pen and paper to do this, but you can also opt to take advantage of today’s technology.
Hubby and I opted for the latter in managing our medical, sports, and travel appointments. We chose Google Calendar because allows us to:
- View several calendars at once — upon approval, you will be able to immediately see your friend’s calendar. You can also view Philippine holidays and daily weather, etc.
- Invite people with Google accounts to appointments — once they accept, the appointment will also be added to their Google calendar; think online version of Microsoft Outlook
- Receive appointment reminder either through pop-up, email, or SMS
- Add tasks
- Sync with iPhone/iTouch via Internet (no need to attach the phone via USB)
- Create appointments via iPhone/iTouch
Note: Click the thumbnail to view the screenshot of my calendar in full size.
Actually, the best part of Google Calendar is… it’s free! So, isn’t Google hot?! I strongly recommend that you guys start managing your life by managing your appointments and tasks, this way, you are able to plan ahead and make use of time efficiently.
Dried Parsley
Are you always frustrated in trying to prolong the life of parsley just so you can use it on different recipes before it finally dies on your fridge? I always am! In fact, I even tried to put it on a container with water just so I could prolong its life… but to no avail. tsk
Anyway, I’m sharing a solution that I’ve watched from the heaven sent Martha when she guested Eleonora Scarpetta to cook Chicken Cacciatori. Here’s How:
- Get the freshest parsley you can find in the market.
- Wash carefully and dry with paper towel.
- Place on top of paper towels and wait for a while to let it air dry. Remember that the parsley needs to be very dry before putting it in the oven.
- Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees celcius for 10 minutes.
- Spread a baking sheet on top of the oven tray and place the parsley on top.
- Place the tray inside the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the parsley is crispy.
- Once done, get the tray and place the parsley on a strainer.
- Crush the parsley with your hands.
Honestly, the entire process is not easy but like Martha said, having parsley within your reach is just like having gold in your kitchen and I totally agree!
Where to Buy Fresh Christmas Tree
Yep you read that right! Fresh Christmas tree is actually available here in the Philippines so go get one from SnR now! All you need to do is to order and make a PHP 500 peso deposit.
How to Clean a Squid
Manong magpupusit (squid vendor) was kind enough to show us how to clean a squid. I bet he only agreed to that because he didn’t want to clean the half kilo squid that we bought from him hmp!
1. First of all, remove the squid’s cuttlebone (transparent and plastic like part of the squid.)
2. From the squid’s head, remove the beak (round shape).
Video available here:
How to clean a squid from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.
International Donations to Ondoy Victims
Dears,
Thank you so much for your concern and interest in donating to all the victims of the typhoon Ondoy; we really really appreciate it.
You may donate via the following organizations:
1. Worldvision Foundation: For $ donations, BPI:USD acct #4254-0050-08
3. TXTPOWER.org: All donations will go to Philippine National Red Cross
Paypal (https://www.paypal.com/ph/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_flow&SESSION=txrSrwJ22EYrg20WoG3shUX2IQXpUdqgWAgcRdJUZWpNF69y5Z2pDZllGIy&dispatch=5885d80a13c0db1fca8cb0621aa94a5fc157eca86dc6e6adbec4b69650d8a3ec)
4. http://www.philippineaid.com/
5. Go to www.myayala.com/ondoy. Select “Typhoon Ondoy Donations.
How to Clean a Squid
Manong magpupusit (squid vendor) was kind enough to show us how to clean a squid. I bet he only agreed to that because he didn’t want to clean the half kilo squid that we bought from him hmp!
1. First of all, remove the squid’s cuttlebone (transparent and plastic like part of the squid.)
2. From the squid’s head, remove the beak (round shape).
Video available here:
How to clean a squid from Kathryn Ong on Vimeo.