Credit Card Loans: To Use or Not To Use

I have mentioned quite a few times in this blog that I have several credit cards. And I think for that reason, credit card agents are always calling me- offering all sorts of things. It can be annoying at times but I just learned to deal with it. One of my goals next year is to get rid of some of my cards. I really just need one or two. Anyway, the reason for this post is because a credit card company recently sent me a check. Again, it is a loan offer. Actually I have already availed a loan offer from the same card company less than a month ago (I have two cards with them) so I am surprised to received another insta-cash offer again. The offer last time was for Php16,000 with 0.5% interest per month.

This time, the offer was much higher (Php40,000) and it has an attractive offer of 0% interest. Of course it is impossible that credit card companies would offer a loan without an interest so I check the terms and conditions and saw that they would charge a one time service fee that is 6% of the loan amount. Looking closely one can easily see that they would still charge 0.5% interest per month that way.

Anyway I sent the check back to the card company because I again can’t encash it to my bank account because the check bears my maiden name. They promise to resend it again after one week. I did that not because I would avail the loan. I just want to keep it in case of emergency since I still have more than a month to decide before the offer expires.

I kind of hate it because I want to eliminate credit card debts. However I am also tempted because I know that they are offering me loan with a very low interest rate and that any people would grab the chance to use it if they are given the opportunity I have.

I am also tempted to use the money to buy the new laptop I want or the aircon and ref my husband and I are planning to purchase. But after much thinking, I know that the wise decision is not to use it. Why? Because I need to focus on my goal of more savings and less debt. And I should only avail a loan if I can use that money for business so the money will grow and I can afford to pay the interest

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Withdrawing Paypal Money Through Citibank Credit card

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The last time I attempted to withdraw money from my paypal account, I encountered a problem. The bank officer of Banco de Oro called to let me know that they can’t process the withdrawal because the name in my paypal account is different from the name registered in my bank account.

This is because my paypal account still has my maiden name while my bank account already bears my married name. I did not know what to do to remedy the situation then nor did the bank officer so after much prodding and pleading, the bank manager gave in and let me withdraw the money. They let it pass because it was the first time it happened and I have withdrawn paypal money before using the same bank account with my maiden name.

In the meantime, since name change in my account can take time, I opted to try another way to withdraw – that is by using credit cards (since I still use my maiden name in some of my cards). I decided to use my Citibank Shell Visa card to withdraw since I heard that paypal only allows withdrawal for credit cards with a  VISA logo (am not so sure with that).

I withdraw the money in paypal on October 29 and called Citibank customer service at 9995-999 on November 2 to check and they said the money is still floating. The money was credited to my account on November 4 so the fund transfer took approximately 6 days including the weekends and holidays. I find it pretty fast. I then requested for an overpayment cheque via phone and the agent told me that they will deliver the cheque to my billing address within seven days. I can then encash the cheque to any Citibank branch or simply deposit it to my bank account  Overpayment cheque has no charge.

Good thing I do not have any payable balance in my account so I was able to request an overpayment cheque. If i have a payable balance, my paypal money will be consider as payment so I can’t withdraw it.

Withdrawing money through Citibank using an overpayment cheque takes some time so there is another option for those who need to get their money fast. That is through the Cash Advance method but it has some charges.

Drawbacks:

Some Citibank customer service agents are unaware about paypal and they have the tendency to give confusing or wrong advice. One officer told me that I can only withdraw my money if I closed my account. It pays to be aware of the procedures so you don’t get misled.

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Got My Free Blog Hosting and Domain

I am feeling lucky lately. One of the reasons is the fact that I finally got my free blog hosting and domain name. I made a post about this a few weeks back and my efforts paid off. It was so easy, I just made one blog post, gathered 7 comments and wow, WP Webhost  already gave me free blog hosting with domain name worth USD30.  I want to extend my gratefulness to WP Webhost for this wonderful giveaway!

Now all I have to do is create my own niche blog. I have actually registered a domain name already but when I entered the control panel, I was quite overwhelmed with all the technical terms I saw that I am not really used to. I felt at a little lost at first. But I did some research, viewed some wordpress tutorial videos, made some inquiries so I am slowly getting comfortable with it so I think my website would be up and ready in no time. Wish me luck okay. Hooray for my new website!

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October is Rosary Month

I know that we are almost halfway through October but I just want to do a post about this. Actually I have been planning to do it since the start of October but it just keep on slipping my mind. Anyway now that I finally got the chance, i just want to acknowledge one reason why October is a special month. That is because it is the month of the Holy Rosary.

I remember when I was still in high school that i would pray the rosary twice a day; in the morning and in the evening at school because I was part of a religious club then. Now as I look back, I find it amazing. I know all the mysteries and can recite all the prayers in the rosary even while sleeping. Oh I am such a good girl then and I miss those times. It’s been ages since I have prayed a whole rosary. Hope I can do that before this month ends. Anyway here’s a short post about the Holy Rosary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_the_Rosary 

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Certified Gleek!

You know what, I am feeling like a teenager lately- like I wanted to be a high school student all over again. I just miss the feeling of having a crush in school and then hanging out with your best girl friends talking about anything at all. Time seems to stood still then as there is no need to hurry most of the time and almost no need to worry. Then we encounter minor sometimes silly problems and we feel like we are carrying world’s burden- These are the stuff that makes young life so charming.

Well, you might be wondering the reason why I am feeling like this lately. I know it sounds like I am having a midlife crisis. But thankfully not, I am too young for that (lol) The reason is because of the American show Glee!. Ever since I watched the first episode of its 2nd season, I am hooked.

I have watched the 2nd and 3rd episodes and I have also catch the few episodes of the 1st season.. I just fell in love with the story. I like Lea Michele- she reminds me of Ms. Lea Salonga whom I also look up to. And then after Sam Evans, I also have a crush now with the character of Finn and Puck.

Here are some of my fave clips:

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A Piece Of Me This...October 2010

This is my entry to the game hosted by We Loved The Toothfairy called Piece of Me.

This month....

 
I like: to save up more and minimize spending. I also want to be more organized and calm and happy.

I don't like: being late and absent at work. Need to wake up earlier to minimize tardiness at the office.

I want you to know: that I am feeling a little stressed out lately because I have to be a mom and a working girl and a wife all at the same time. But I am praying for God’s guidance so I will have the strength to perform my various roles in life well.

I've planned: to set up a new blog with my own domain name. I also want to start an online business.

I want to say to someone special: To my daughter, I want you to know that I am so proud of you and I love you very much.

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Review: SM Supermarket Salad Bar

When it comes to food, my husband is a healthier eater than me. While I mostly prefer chips and iced teas, my husband wants salad and buko juice most of the time. Since he really loves vegetables and fruits, the Salad Bar in SM Supermarket appeals to him. It’s that small area outside the supermarket where people can get a bowl and just choose from the selection of fruit and veggies to make a healthy, tasty salad. The price of your salad will be determined by its weight. We usually pay around 60 to 70 pesos per salad bowl. Well my husband seems to enjoy and I agree it is a tastier and a better snack than chips. But I just find it a little pricey. The salad counter only has melons, watermelons, pineapples, apples and sago so I think I can make a better and tastier salad at a much cheaper price. Also some of the fruit pieces are not so fresh.

I like the vegetable salad row better because for a small bowl, we can have a salad with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, etc. I love the carrots as they are crisp and fresh. I always find the price reasonable even if one has to pay a separate price for the dressing.

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Sophie’s 1st Photo Session at Pic A Boo

We celebrated Sophie’s birthday on a Saturday (September 4) but her real birthday is Sept. 5. This is because I have allotted the day of her birthday for her 1^st photo session. We woke up late that day (actually I woke up early) but everyone at home slept as much as they want probably because they are too tired the day before.) We had a late breakfast too.

I then arranged all of Sophie’s gifts in the living room and the cake from Red Ribbon and took pictures before we started eating the cake and opening the gifts. After that we hurriedly get ready for Sunday mass and it was hilarious because aside from Sophie I have three pamangkins to take care of that day.

We arrived at church just when the mass is about to be finished so we decided to wait for the next mass schedule. After that we went to Megamall in a hurry because our photo shoot session schedule was at 10:30 am and we arrived at 11am. I was surprised that Pic a Boo pala has many customers so they gave our slot to walk ins and we have to wait for 12:30. We just went to the Food court for a while.

Anyway, prior to choosing Pic a Boo, I did a little research on the net so I can avail the service of the best but affordable photo studio for babies. Well there are many excellent photo studios out there but I find almost all of them expensive.

My fist choice was Picture Company but their cheapest cost for printing is Php850  for an A4 size so that is equivalent to just 4 pictures. And I am not even sure if the 4 pictures will be four different poses. For non-members their photo session fee is 750. I find it so expensive so I tried Child’s Play.

The rates in Child’s Play are a bit cheaper than Picture Company but I am hoping I can get a photo studio that doesn’t charge for the photo session fee (parang sayang kasi). I was about to give in to Child’s Play when I saw Pic a Boo. Their shop in the 5^th floor of Megamall is very nice and child-friendly.  They actually look expensive but to my surprise, they offer free photo session and their packages for printing starts as low as Php550.

Plus I think their people there are friendlier and it’s also a plus factor that babies can have up to three costume changes. The photo shoot session was a nice experience for the whole family. Sophie was not in the mood at first but then started to smile and pose after a while. After the shoot, I had a hard time choosing just 12 pictures (I chose the package for 12 pics) because I like almost all of them.

Overall, I would recommend Pic a Boo to all parents who are looking for a good photo studio for babies. I am satisfied with the quality of the pictures and I am very happy because I felt choosing them was a wise decision. Here are some of the pictures from Sophie’s 1^st photo session.

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Help War Veterans by Purple Heart Car Donations Project

My grandfather is a war veteran. He was a member of the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East). Growing up, it was a source of pride for me to know that one of my ancestors is a hero. Too bad, my grandfather died during the war so I never got to know him. Even my father did not know him because he was still a baby when my grandpa died. But you know what; my grandfather was able to support his family through the pensions that he got as a benefit from being a soldier. So he remains to be a hero even after he died.

I think because of that I always seem to have a fondness for soldiers. I just look up to them because I know that their job is not easy. They are always ready to sacrifice their lives and leave for the sake of the government and the greater society.

So it is a must that veterans get the benefits they deserve. In USA, there is a project called Purple Heart Car Donations that aims to help war veterans through car donations . Though car donations, one will be able to help a better soldier because it will provide for their food, clothing and shelter.

 I wish  there would be programs like these in the Philippines. For those who want to help, do a great deed now and know how to donate your car.

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New Glee Fan

I was not able to watch any episode of the Glee’s 1^st season so I am actually clueless about the show. I just know that is somewhat like the High School Musical based from what I read in the news or heard from the conversations at the office. I got curious about it and really wanted to watch it but I didn’t find the time.

When it was revealed that Charice Pempengco is going to be part of the 2nd season, I said to myself that I need to watch Glee for me to understand what others are so excited about.  I bough a pirated DVD of the 1^st season but guess what-I still have not watched it up to now (lol).

So last Sept. 22, I just waited for the 9pm telecast of Glee at ETC cable channel and watched it for the first time. It was a fun show, got interested with the storyline and the characters right away and I was entertained further with awesome songs and dance numbers. It was nice to see talented kids there including Charice. Seeing her there makes me feel proud as a Filipino and I love her version of the song Telephone by Lady Gaga.  I think part of the reason for the show’s success is the fact that they provide better and fresher versions of popular songs.

I also think I have a crush on Chord Overstreet or Sam Evans, the other newbie in the show. His version of the song Billionaire is way better than the original Travis Mc Coy version and I just hope speculations that he will turn out to be Kurt’s boyfriend on the show is not true. I am really looking forward to the next episode.

Here are my two favorite scenes on the show:

 

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Sophie Turns 1

My daughter, Sophie is now 1 year old. To be exact, she is now one year and 19 days old (yes this is another overdue post). Can’t believe how time flies. The day when I gave birth via C-section in VRPMC in Mandaluyong is still fresh in my mind, like it just happened yesterday.

Well since that day, so many memorable things have happened. The first year of a child is really amazing. You will marvel at how a baby slowly grows up and develop under your care. Realizing that I have been a mother and a parent for a year now, I guess I can say that I have learned a lot, but there are still many more things I need to know. Sophie is growing up so fast! She is an active baby with a ready smile for almost everyone. I am so proud to have a daughter like her and I want her to grow up knowing that.

Well we celebrated Sophie’s 1^st birthday with family and friends at Jollibee Starmall. It was fun and I think the guests enjoyed it although I find it a little noisy and a bit disorganized. I think I want a simpler and more intimate celebration on her next birthday.

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Win A Free Blog Hosting and Domain

For some time now, I have been thinking of starting a new blog with my own domain name. Part of the reason is because I want to blog seriously this time. I want to challenge myself and start a new site where I can put all my creative juices. I want a useful and high ranking site that would be useful to my visitors and would also be a source of extra income for me.  

But you know what, I can be so stingy sometimes that even though blog hosting and domain does not really cost a fortune, I kept putting the idea on hold. I kept setting it aside because I have other priorities at the moment.

But you know what, I think fate wants me to pursue my plans now. That is because out of nowhere, I stumble upon this blog hosting and domain giveaway. I am so happy to have found it because it is exactly what I have in mind.

It is also very easy to win. Just create a blog post about the contest, get 7 comments, and then send the url of the blog posts to win. All of it should be done before September 30. For bloggers out there who also want to win this great freebie, click here.

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Great Opportunity For Deserving Teachers

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Woodrow Wilson. All opinions are 100% mine.

In my opinion and I guess many people would agree with me, excellent teachers are a gem. They are society’s treasure because in shaping young minds to be responsible and good citizens, they are doing a noble deed.

So it is not surprising that there would be educational institutions or private companies that would be willing to give scholarship to college graduates who have great potential to be an effective instructor. One of that is the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship. They are doing this because they want to hire and retain great teachers. Ultimately, the real beneficiaries of this program are the students and the schools.

I hope there would be also be a program such as the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship here in the Philippines that willingly grants USD30,000 stipend to qualified professionals so they can earn an intensive masteral degree at one of the fourteen participating universities. They are specifically looking for fresh college graduates and career changers whose specialization is in the field of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM).

What are the requirements for the Teaching Fellowship?

College graduate in a STEM field by June 2011

With a GPA of 3.0 or higher upon graduation

Shows a commitment to the program and its goals

What is expected?

Complete a field-based master’s degree in teacher education.

Commit to teach for at least three years in a high-need school.

Receive intensive support and mentoring in the classroom.

To submit an application to the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, just visit www.wwteachingfellowship.org

Spread the word to all who you think are interested.

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Movie Review: Salt

I am not so excited to see this movie because I thought it would be too violent for me. You see I want to relax while watching a movie so I tend to choose feel-good movies. I watch it because I got curios about it. Have heard some rave reviews and an officemate said that it was indeed very good. It reminded me of another Angelina Jolie movie that I have seen and like which is “Wanted”.

So I went to watch Salt in my laptop (yeah another officemate was able to download it in the net lol). My expectations are low but I find it interesting the instant it starts. There is no dull moment in the film and the story is clear, simple and compelling. I think it would be good for people who want a break from a movie like Inception which is mind-boggling.

In the movie, Jolie plays the character of Evelyn Salt who is a Russian spy but is working for the CIA. She was raised to be a terrorist and she would be hunted by the authorities all throughout the movie. The movie is action-packed but it has a heart. The scene when Jolie jumped from a bridge and landed on a running truck shocked me while I was moved by the scene where Angelina looked down at her dead husband. This movie is highly recommended. And in the end, all I can say is that Angelina Jolie is drop-dead gorgeous and is a very good actress

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You Can Earn A Masteral Degree Online

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

Several years ago I earned my degree in Education and I consider that a great achievement. Some of my classmates then who had pursued a teaching career have already earned their masteral degree and there are times when I envy them. I wish I can study again someday and earn a masteral degree too. But of course that desire of mine needs to take a backseat for now because I have no time and resources for that.

I am a working mom and so it will be difficult for me to earn a masteral degree. Well that is what I thought before. I just realized that though it seems impossible years ago, universities are now offering online courses. One of that is the USC Rossier School of Education. This elite research university gives aspiring teachers and educators a chance to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching through their online study programs.

This is definitely good news and lots of benefits awaits those who will take the opportunity to study online. Among other things students get to experience highly interactive online learning combined with field-based experiences. It also has a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program and accelerated program you can complete in as little as 12 months. There is also the possibility to be a part of the elite USC Trojan Family.

To those who want to pursue a teaching career but and wants to enjoy the benefit of online study programs, check out the USC website for their program information

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A Super Delayed Thank You

I have wanted to do this post for a long time. You see, I have been blogging for some time but I still don’t have a badge. Why? Simply because I don’t know how to make one (laughs). You know, I am quite slow when it comes to technical stuff. There was even a time when I consider myself someone with technophobia. I just became comfortable working with thenet and computers when I started working for an IT company.

Anyway, this post is for a very nice blogger friend who volunteered to make a badge for me. He is none other than Andy of Chronos blog. He wanted to display my badge in his new blog but can’t find any codes to copy in my site so he offered to make me one. I was delighted when he e-mailed me the codes and it is now displayed in my sidebar. He is also a regular visitor to my blog so I am really grateful. So to Andy, you are one of the nicest blogger I have encountered. Again, thanks a lot and may your tribe increase.

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Effects of The Hostage Taking Incident

Almost three days after the grim hostage taking incident that shocked the entire Philippines and the world, the country and our citizens are now reaping the effects of this sad event.  What happened that day was really disappointing. I first heard about the hostage taking through my officemate around Monday morning. I paid no attention to it but then just before going home from the office, I saw many tweets that the hostage taking is still not over.

When I saw the news on TV, that’s how I became fully aware of the hostage taking and I felt frustrated knowing that it has been going on since morning. My husband and I ate dinner while watching the full media coverage. The clock is ticking and the police seem to be moving so slow. When the bus driver escaped and I heard him say on TV that everyone in the bus is already dead, I felt cold inside like I wanted to cry. It’s unusual for me to feel teary-eyed for incidents I see on TV but this time I just felt horror and deep pity for all the people inside that bus.

I can just imagine how afraid they are and to think that they only wanted to enjoy and relax. The incident ended tragically and now everyone is pointing fingers- the incompetent and untrained police, the full media coverage, the President for being nowhere while the hostage taking is going on

It is sad because the Philippines is again in a bad light allover the world especially in China. In fact there is already a Facebook fan page that condemns that Philipine government and the Filipino people for what happened. I hope this page gets banned soon and  hope that the Philippine police have learned their lesson this time.

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Jollibee Party Packages

For those who are interested, here’s a copy of the Jollibee party packages. Right now, they have two party themes to choose from: MyScene and Jollitown. The packages are the same for all branches but each stores have different promos. Like Jollibee Shangrila is offering a sofa bed for a food bill amounting to Php15,000 while Jollibee Starmall is giving a free chair for Php9,000 food bill.

One can make a temporary reservation by just talking to Smart officers of a Jollibee store that offers party packages. One needs not to pay at first but one must confirm the reservation within 10 days after making the temporary reservation. Downpayment costs Php2000 for the food bill and full payment for the amenities. Here are the packages:

Food Packages (minimum of 30 persons)

Food Package #1

Spaghetti

Regular Fries

Regular Coke

Crunchy Twirl on Cup

=== Php3300/ 110 per head

Food Package #2

Spaghetti

Jolly Hotdog Classic

Regular Fries

Regular Coke

Crunchy Twirl on Cup

=====Php4560/ 152 per head

Food Package #3

Spaghetti

Regular Yum

Regular Fries

Regular Coke

Crunchy Twirl on Cup

=====Php4140/ 138 per head

Food Package #4

Spaghetti

1 pc. Chickenjoy with rice

Regular Fries

Regular Coke

Crunchy Twirl on Cup

=====Php5280/ 176 per head

Party Favors (mandatory)= Pay party fee for only Php1250 on top of your food package  that includes the following:

Assorted game prizes, crayons, 30 balloons, 1 guestbook, 1 mascot appearance

Theme Favors (Optional)= party hats, invitation cards, name tag, tray liner, thank you card= Php8 per set

Lootbags: Standard= Php25, special= Php 45, Premium= Php75

Cakes by Red Ribbon (optional)

Small: Php500 – Php650

Medium: Php800 to Php1150

Large: Php1250 to Php1950

One can also choose their create your own party packages. They just require that the food bill amounts to a minimum of Php4,000.

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Cute Baby Bitch

Saw this link in Facebook and I just find it so cute. The baby is so cute although I doubt that it is really her voice in the video. Sharing it here now:

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Sophie’s 1st Birthday Is Coming Up!

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After much thinking and weighing of pros and cons (yeah that is one of my weakness and I guess bad habit, the birthday venue of Sophie is set. It is going to happen at Jollibee Starmall Edsa branch next month.

My first choice is Jolllibee Maysilo near the Mandaluyong City Hall but I just don’t like the person that I got to talk to on the phone (laughs). So I transferred my sight to Jollibee Shangri-La. However the only schedule they have for September 4 and 5 is from 9 am to 11 am. I think that is too early for a birthday party so I tried Jollibee Starmall as a last resort. Luckily their schedules for Sept 4 and 5 are still so open. I immediately made a temporary reservation there.

Prior to that, I am choosing between Mcdonalds and Jollibee party package. I want to choose Mcdonalds at first because they have an ongoing promo for birthday packages but I chose Jollibee in the end because most kids love (adore) the cute bee mascot.

Having a birthday party at a fast food  resto saves me so much hassle. It’s a little pricey though as compared to having it at home. It is however a big convenience for busy parents so the Jollibee party package is perfect for us.

I am excited for Sophie’s 1^st birthday. Hope it will be a fun, happy and memorable event. I will post the party packages of Jollibee next time! And by the way, here’s an invitation I made which I will send to my friends via email: 

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Secret Recipe Restaurant Review

My husband and I tried this restaurant at the expansion wing of SM Megamall for the second time last weekend. The place was clean and quiet and good for those who want to enjoy a nice meal in peace. No crowds, no loud yelling of service crews, it is ideal for intimate talks.

We went back because we were satisfied with the food and service the first time we went there which I guess was almost a year ago. They had a combo meal back then for only Php250 which is really worth the price because it comes with a soup, chicken viand with rice and vegetable salad, drinks, and dessert. The serving was big then so we are so full and end up taking home the dessert.

I also like the service then, it felt like a real fine dining experience because the waiters would put the meals in order- soup first, then wait for us to finish then would add the main course, and so on. The spoon, fork and knives are also arranged in order. We did not experience this kind of service on our second try though the staff remains nice and friendly.

On our second visit, we ordered the following grilled mushroom chicken for Php 230, chicken cordon bleu for Php250, ice blended mocha for Php125, frosty lemon tea for Php90 and a slice of blueberry cheesecake for Php140. I really enjoyed the food and the drinks though the serving is not as big as before. Another good thing is that they have no service charge. Over all my rating for this resto is 8/10.

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What Every Credit Card Holder Should Know

I have been a credit card holder for years but I am proud to say that since then I have never paid any annual fee nor any interest and finance charges. A huge part of it is due to the fact that I strive to always pay in time and in full. Since I feel that I am such a good client, I think I can say that I have become a little demanding when I am dealing with them. I mean I treat them right so I think I deserve quality service. Along the way, I have discovered ways on how I can use credit card to my advantage. Let me share some of them now.

You can always find a way to waive your annual fee. That is if you are a good payer. Most credit cards waived the annual fee on your first year of being a member. But who said that it can’t be waived again next year. On my second year, Citibank waived it again as a reward for being a god customer. The third year, it was again waived with the condition that I received my billing statements via email. The fourth year, they waived it again because I was able to reach a certain amount of purchase.

You can waive your finance charges and late charges. Yes, you can request for a reversal of your charges. Again this is applicable the first time that you are unable to pay in full or in time.    

You can request for no interest. The sister of my officemate had a huge credit card bill when she unexpectedly lost her job. Worried that she would not have any money to pay for the bill, she called the card company to explain her situation. She asked if she could pay the amount in installment and if possible remove the charges to make it easier for her. The card company value her honesty and she got what she wanted.

Take advantage of the promos. Being a card older has its privileges and it pays to always be aware of them and how to avail it. I have enjoyed great freebies like 2 cute Mango watches from HSBC, a tall Starbucks treat from HSBC, movie discounts from Citibank, a manicure and foot spa with pedicure from East West Bank etc.

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Movie Review: Inception

When I came home from work one night, my sister told me that she saw the trailer of Inception and was really excited to see it because it seems to be such a good movie. I was intrigued so when my husband and I got a chance to watch a movie (yeah it’s so hard to find a time to go out these days), I suggested that we watch Inception. My husband wants to see Tekken but I got my way and was able to convince him to watch this Leonardo Dicaprio movie instead.

Well at first, I find it a little hard to understand the plot, probably because of the fact that I am really clueless about the story of the movie in the first place. When I finally got hold of the story, I was fascinated with the idea of the movie.

The story talks about how powerful one’s subconscious mind is and how active it is when one is dreaming. Of course almost all of the memorable scenes in the movie happened while the main characters are dreaming. The character of Leonardo and his team used Inception to enter the dream of a very powerful man and plant an idea in his mind. As they say in the movie, ideas are like virus so once it forms in one’s mind, it growth is unstoppable.

I find the story idea so unique and it made me remember philosophers such as Sigmund Freud. I really enjoyed it but you know what, my husband slept in the cinema and my sister who suggested it to me actually find the movie confusing. So this movie is probably not for everyone. It really is confusing; there are some scenes and characters in the movie I don’t quite get.  Actually, I did not understand the ending. Maybe I would appreciate it more if I can watch it again.

dtold me That is why

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Useful SEO Tool

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Aside from analytics, I discovered another google tool that can help one monitor his or her website- none other than Google Webmaster. Of course, it is again my boss who introduced me to it. I received an email from him with the instructions that I should monitor our various websites using the google webmaster tool.


So I opened our account at webmaster, saw reports of crawl errors and the search queries and keywords that the search engines associate with our websites. Then because I am quite confused on how to use it, I choose to forget about it. Until almost all of the websites I am handling experienced a drop in traffic and my boss demands that I provide an explanation for it. 

 I cannot find any explanation on Google analytics so I checked on Goggle Webmaster and that’s when I saw that there are so many crawl errors in our sites already. This is because of the recent changes that we implemented that affected the search engines.  Crawl errors such as page not found and 404 errors can really jeopardize one’s seo target. I seek the developer of our programmer and not long after installing a remedy, the traffic went high again and the crawl errors disappeared. I now know the value of webmaster and so I check it from time to time.

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