Alexander von Furstenberg

A friend of mine mentioned about Alexander von Furstenberg. My friend seems to keep talking about him for weeks now so I opted to write something about him here. He comes from a very well-known family. In fact both parents were icons in the fashion world. He is a designer and at the same a philanthropist.

I have quite a limited knowledge about him but all I know is that I love the stuff I got from DVF(Diane von Furstenberg). Oneo f my favorite and a recent addition to my DVF collection is a white dress. Very simple, very casual yet very elegant. I admit I rarely get to wear it but when I wear it, it's definitely a head turner. Ha!

I also love their coats and jackets and regardless of the price, and though they're a bit pricey I don't mind because they are all so worth it.

Also I appreciate the fact that Alexander von Furstenberg is funding several projects, programs and initiatives with good causes, so I don't mind buying from his lines of clothing. I feel my money goes a long way, beyond the nice and trendy outfit to the quality of the fabric to the social responsibility that his company shares.

Today for whatever reason, I did try to know him more and did some online research. So if you want to know more about this guy, I just found something about him and it may be a good start for your readings. Friends, please meet Alexander von Furstenberg!

Going for Gold!

I'm still not so over with my topic about investment with my friend. Today we discussed about another type of investment which will guarantee a large yield and at the same not too prone to risk. I mean with the many environmental factors to consider, how do we mitigate risks in our investment?

So my friend was telling me so where would you invest given those considerations? I readily said, real estate here always appreciates. "Not in times of war", he added. Well, that is true. So I said, we invest in gold? I asked that half joking...but then he seems serious about it.

Investing in gold is nothing new I realized. It's just that, I guess people has to be educated about it. They have to understand how the whole deal works, what are its pros and cons and how can they leverage on it.

He gave me one nice site which you all can go to should you want to buy gold prices.Whether you are an investor or a simple collector, that site offers some nice deals. They offer all types of precious metals and rare coins which you can keep for period of time to earn or you can simply keep them handy.

To be honest this opens a new dimension for me, I am so considering into going into this kind of investment!

American Residential Law Group

Few weeks ago I wrote something here about bad credit management. Today let me share with you an online resource I found which offers information about loan modification process. American Residential Law Group discusses details such frequently ask questions about loan modification. This site can also help you assess loan modification programs which are suitable for you such as the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

If your home faces that risk of foreclosure, then all the more you need to visit this site as certainly, this program could be the best solution for you. This is not a refinancing program at all. In fact, it gets you to keep your same existing mortgage only that you are able to manage within your span. I always believe that information is our greatest aid in finding solutions to our issues and concerns, so you may want to start investigating about it!  

Managing Bad Credit

Anyone ever applied for an auto loan? I guess most of us. But have you ever been denied due to a bad credit standing? This does not just happen to car loans, this even happen to credit card applications, right? Well anyway, this is awful. At some point people need into credit because all they can afford is financing but then they can’t because they have bad credit standing. And most of the time we need to put things into financing to manage our finances. Huh, another chicken and egg situation.

I don’t know how I got into this conversation with the IT Guy. Maybe we were discussing about the economy and how bad it has been to most people. Then he told me something about people with bad credit standing still being able to get loan application approval. I was like, really? Then he said yes. All they need to do is just declare their financial standing and apply for bad credit loan. I never knew such a thing exist but then, I went ahead and check it online.

Bingo! I saw one offering bad credit auto loans. And while most people might shy away from this due to fear for a very high interest, I believe it’s just a matter of financial planning. One just need to know how much he or she can afford in a given time. Anyway just my morning thought, you might want to check it yourselves!

Paypal Bank Codes in the Philippines

It's been awhile since I last did my Tech Tuesday post. I'm trying to catch and make up with you guys so here I am! ;)

Anyway this week will all about PayPal and PayPal in the Philippines. Yes, you read that right, PayPal now works in the Philippines.

Not so many years ago I remember having to maintain my US account to keep a PayPal account which I always use for most of my online transactions, thank goodness now I can do it with my local accounts in the Philippines.

If it's your first time here and you are asking the question how, well very simple!

First off, you need to open an account at PayPal.com. Now to transfer funds to Paypal as well to withdraw from it, you need to add your bank account to your PayPal account. This is very easy if you have a credit card or debit card. You can make payments through PayPal that easy...but then if you have funds that you need to withdraw, comes the problem because they only transfer to a Visa card or savings/checking account. To do this you need a PayPal Bank Code.

This PayPal Bank Codes are needed for you to add your savings/checking account to your PayPal...and please take note this is the usual "routing number" that we use for our checking accounts to make online payment. This is another code!

Let me share with you below the list of official PayPal Bank Codes...but please before you make any fund transfer, it will not you any harm to call your bank and confirm. At least you have the CODE ready to lead your bank into understanding that you are looking into PayPal Bank Codes and the routing number as what happened to me when I first asked my bank.

List of PayPal Philippines Bank Codes

Bank Name	Bank Code
ALLIED BANKING CORP	010320013
AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND	010700015
ASIA UNITED BANK	011020011
BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS	010030015
BANGKOK BANK	010670019
BANK OF AMERICA	010120019
BANK OF CHINA	011140014
BANK OF TOKYO	010460012
BANCO DE ORO (& EQUITABLE PCI BANK)	010530667
BANK OF COMMERCE	010440016
BANK OF THE PHIL ISLANDS (BPI)	010040018
CHINA BANKING CORP	010100013
CHINA TRUST COMML BANK	010690015
CITIBANK N.A.	010070017
DEVT BANK OF THE PHILS (DBP)	010590018
DEUTSCHE BANK	010650013
EAST WEST BANK	010620014
EXPORT & INDUSTRY BANK	010860010
FUJI BANK	010640010
HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANK (HSBC)	010060014
INTL COMML BANK OF CHINA	010560019
INTL EXCHANGE BANK	010680012
JP MORGAN CHASE BANK	010720011
KOREA EXCHANGE BANK	010710018
INTL NEDERLAND BANK	010660016
LANDBANK OF THE PHILS	010350025
MAYBANK OF THE PHILS	010220016
METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST CO	010269996
PHIL BANK OF COMMUNICATION	010110016
PHIL TRUST COMPANY	010090039
PHIL NATIONAL BANK (PNB)	010080010
PRUDENTIAL BANK	010150018
PHIL VETERANS BANK	010330016
RIZAL COMML BANKING CORP (RCBC)	010280014
SECURITY BANK & TRUST CO	010140015
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK	010050011
UNITED COCONUT PLANTERS BANK	010299995
UNION BANK OF THE PHILS (UBP)	010419995
UNITED OVERSEAS BANK	010270189

To add a savings/ checking account to your PayPal, log in to PayPal, go to My Account > Profile > Add or Edit Bank Account then fill in the Bank Name, Account Number, and Bank Code.

That's it for my Tech Tuesday! Happy online banking... ;)

Deb Management

To be honest I never paid much attention to my finances until lately. And I have to be honest it is only recently that I get to know the concept of Debt Management Plan.

I feel blessed to have a good job which lets me buy the things I need and want...yet I cannot say that I am debt free. I have credit cards and I have other obligations...but I'm not in financial trouble...and I don't want to get there! But fact remains that most people at this time are having challenges with managing their payable and not that it's their choice and how they want things to be. Who would want to be dealing with debts?!

Lately I've been looking around and bumped into this site which offers Debt Management Plan. What this organization does is they help you manage your payable and make it doable for you by first of all help you negotiate with your creditors in lowering your monthly payment and repayment. I believe this is a good start if you are looking for some help in managing your debts. In my experience banks and other credit companies would harass people and force them to make immediate payments. Usually they get a law firm to collect and these collecting agencies most of the time are not open for financial restructuring making it more difficult for people to pay.

I think one of the benefits of getting a third party help you manage your debts is the fact that once you entered into an agreement with them and they started to negotiate on your behalf, you're able to establish already the will to pay. The will to pay hopefully will stop your creditors from taking actions against you. Add to that the fact that this organization for example, can actually make a payment plan that will according to what you can afford.

I am so glad I get to know these things this early. It is always best to know what options we have.

Global News

Many companies continue to expand their operations in Asia and one of them is Golivemobile.

Golivemobile, a top 10 provider of mobile content services in North America just recently announced that it has opened a new office in Manila Philippines. It serve as one of their regional hubs for their Asian expansion as well as their global technology center.

With that said, it was also stated in the newly released article that their Manila office as well as its counterpart in Bangalore, India will be not open to the public. However clients and vendors are welcome to visit.

GoLiveMobile is global technology company based in Denver, CO. Its very siversified operations cover mobile content, premium sms, and internet technology among others. Currently it has employed around 100 employees and is serving thousands of clients worldwide.

Just A Quick Post

I've been absent and I miss so many things I've been meaning to do...but oh well I guess I've been too manic with my blogging the past days that Friday morning I woke up just wanting to have a super lazy day...totally away from my laptop!

I'm trying to enjoy my free days as next week I'm going to join my new company! Woohoo!

Anyway...just got a call from a friend miles away telling me she needs me to help her find mortgage options. Ummm...I know I used to be good at it...I can still help but not when you are miles away from me! I need you to be in the same bank with me for me to assist you...

Turns out...she thinks I'm better in online research and wants me to investigate about Mortgage Loans. I was torn between helping her and hoping it's not really happening. I wanted to tell her it might not be a good idea...YET the IT Guy told me that if she really needs it then the most I can do is help her find options. So I did. I figured it's not just finding the best rate but also the best deal. And I really hope she gets both!

I'm not so familiar with how the finance sector works in the US and in other parts of the world. I imagine they operate in more or less the same rules. I'd love to hear about it!

I really pray this whole thing we're all going through ends...and that it ends well.

Designer Footwear...

PhotoHunt: PLASTIC

©KINZÉNGUÉLÉ /COURTESY SCHOOL GALLERY PARIS

This photo is from "L’art...En Eaux Troubles" (Art...in Troubled Waters), an exhibition of contemporary art in Paris. I found this photo via TreeHugger and thought this is fitting for this week's theme.

This photo tells us a thousand stories! Others may see this as another brilliant creative idea...a new found way of recycling bottled water. Some may just look at this as something about shaping a culture. Well, I'd day it's more than that. The heartbreaking ingenuity of this person is an economic call not just to political leaders but to all of us.

You may have your own story for this photo...just as I could go on and type more...yet all I can think of for now is, I wish this person has real shoes!

This week is another challenge for me...and I am so excited to see what others have. Let's visit PhotoHunt's HQ to check more plastic!

To US friends...Happy Memorial weekend! Enjoy the long holidays...and for the rest...I wish you all a kickass weekend just the same. ;)

Hugs and Kisses!

Money Talks...

can all these be real?
i see debits all over
checkbook's sinking!

i need to balance
all my spending must at least
equal my income!

it's now mid of month
payment from my work come
must try to save more!

but they say a friend
in need is a friend indeed...
so when my friend called

i offered my hand
and give whatever i can
i've got only much!

i told her to get
a cash advance to take care
her issues at hand!

we're in worst of times--
no time for consequences,
no time for caution

let us just get by
one day at a time and
we will all be fine!

I always feel bad everytime I see friends struggle financially, it makes me ask so many questions. On the lighter note, I am just glad I am able to help them in little ways I can. I feel sorry hearing stories about people losing their jobs, but I'd love to look at it as an opportunity for them to get better ones!

It is in times like this we need to pull ourselves together not as an individual nation but as a citizen of the world. People should stop panicking and stop pulling out investments! Stocks are going down the drain because our panic and want to have more and fear of having less gets the better of us! So that last week, I decided to put more money on long term investments...I hope that helps too in any ways.

Let me share to you the following inspiring lines --

When you get into a tight place

and everything goes against you,

until it seems as though

you could not hang on a minute longer,

never give up then,

for that is just the place

and time that the tide will turn.”

-Harriet Beecher Stowe

Please don't forget to visit other people's wonderful haiku at A Mommy Story!

Missed A Call?

Argghhh...

This always happens to me!

I most of the time miss a call...the worst part is, when we do have a clue who just called us? Do we just give a call back outright? Or do we wait for that number to call us back? After all, if it was too important, they would call us back, right?

BUT, what if it was something else?!

Do we just stare at the number rocking our heads trying to guess who tried to call us?

Guess no more! I found a website that allows us to check on a number and get some information about it. Yea right, stop trying to decipher which state and city and caller is from...just log on to Reverse Phone Registry and you get the information you need to know about the number!

It really works...you may want to try yourself! ;)

Philippine Peso Is Getting...

STRONGER!

Singular Saturday's other participants.