Freedom to be Inspired

Aside from financial security and the perks attendant to it, one of the reasons I strive for financial independence is so that I can finally be inspired. 

Right now, I can say that I like what I do and I like how it gives me the freedom to pursue my other passions, but it just doesn't inspire me. I've always wanted a mentor, someone to look up to and be my peg for my career path and, unfortunately, I have yet to encounter that person. Or maybe it's because I grew up surrounded with exemplary public servants (i.e. my lolo the public prosecutor/ default mayor, my ninong the judge, my grandparents the public school teachers and my father the bureau director) who took to heart their vows of honest and capable service, that I find myself dismayed that I haven't found anyone similar in six years of working.

I want to be inspired and so in my next career move, I will take my time in looking for an organization that will have me jumping out of bed every morning, raring to go to work and face the challenges ahead. I want to learn from someone who walks the walk and talks the talk, someone who gets things done and done splendidly.

I want to be inspired and I am making myself financially secure so that I don't have to pounce on the next job opportunity just because of monetary considerations. When I move on career-wise, you can bet that it's because I want and I choose to be there.

That's why it's important for me to be financially secure.

But rereading what I wrote, I just realized that I've had more than enough inspiration than most. After all, not a lot of people have had the privilege of growing up surrounded with stellar examples. I remember a professor in law school telling the class about my uncle, who used to be his classmate: "Sandy is a great lawyer, but an even greater human being."

:)

And so maybe I should stop actively looking for inspiration and let things be, as my quest for perfection might just end up disappointing me. Basta, a job being just a job is no longer acceptable. I don't want a job, I want a vocation.

Freedom to be Inspired

Aside from financial security and the perks attendant to it, one of the reasons I strive for financial independence is so that I can finally be inspired. 

Parking Woes

A car is not just a car, it is a gas-guzzling, maintenance requiring and insurance needing thing that is sadly essential in my day to day existence. Living in a condominium complex, our car needs a parking space and that also brings forth its own set of expenses.

When we moved to our condominium unit almost three years ago, we rented a parking space right outside the complex and paid Php3,500/mo for a six month contract. We were then able to rent a slot inside the covered parking area for Php4,000/mo for a one year contract. After one year, we moved to another parking slot, and are now paying Php3,000/mo., again for a one year contract.

When I inquired about a parking slot at the then newly opened parking building, I was aghast at the prices. Seriously, Php475,000 for a parking slot?! I expressed my surprise in Facebook and almost everyone else reacted the same way, except my real estate agent friends who remarked that it was normal for parking slots to be priced that high and Php475,000 was even a steal, considering how much other condominium developers price their own parking slots.

Our developer put up a five story parking building almost two years ago and up to now, only the second floor is occupied with the other three floors still vacant. It actually makes sense since a good chunk of the condo owners rent out their units as boarding houses for the students in the nearby school and thus don't see the need to buy a parking slot. I don't know what the exact statistic is, but every weekend or holidays, the whole place becomes practically deserted with all the students gone.

So now my issue is, do we continue renting a parking slot or do we cough up the cash and buy a slot? With the upcoming renovations, we'll be staying here for at least another five years and if we continue renting a parking slot at our current rate, we'd be spending Php180,000 plus the Php84,000 we already spent for the last two years of renting a parking slot. Basically, for 7 years of renting a parking slot, we'd be spending  Php264,000. If we continue renting a parking slot at the same rate, we would be paying more or less Php475,000 after 13 years. 

I don't think we'll be staying here for 13 years, so maybe renting is the best alternative after all. Besides, all of our extra cash is targeted towards buying out my brother's share of the next door unit and the upcoming renovations. Thus, all this talk about buying a parking slot is purely speculative.

Writing that out and crunching the numbers made me realize that our status quo is still the best option for now.

Parking Woes

A car is not just a car, it is a gas-guzzling, maintenance requiring and insurance needing thing that is sadly essential in my day to day existence. Living in a condominium complex, our car needs a parking space and that also brings forth its own set of expenses.

How to Reactivate your PAG-IBIG Membership

My husband recently emailed PAG-IBIG to inquire about reactivating his membership since he stopped his contributions years ago when he ceased to become an employee. I honestly didn't expect anything to come out of it since, you know, this was a government agency, but I had to swallow my skepticism because PAG-IBIG replied not just once, but both times my husband sent it an email!

Amazing!

Kudos to the present CEO Atty. Darlene Berberabe (who was my professor back in law school) for whipping this agency back in shape and also for initiating the case against the mega estafador- hiding because he's hella guilty-Delfin Lee.

Anyway, I have pasted the email response to my husband and it contains the different documentary requirements for membership and reactivating your PAG-IBIG membership.

You're welcome :)

How to Reactivate your PAG-IBIG Membership

My husband recently emailed PAG-IBIG to inquire about reactivating his membership since he stopped his contributions years ago when he ceased to become an employee. I honestly didn't expect anything to come out of it since, you know, this was a government agency, but I had to swallow my skepticism because PAG-IBIG replied not just once, but both times my husband sent it an email!

Amazing!

Kudos to the present CEO Atty. Darlene Berberabe (who was my professor back in law school) for whipping this agency back in shape and also for initiating the case against the mega estafador- hiding because he's hella guilty-Delfin Lee.

Anyway, I have pasted the email response to my husband and it contains the different documentary requirements for membership and reactivating your PAG-IBIG membership.

You're welcome :)