The Beauty of Working at home

It's been quite some time that I've been working from home. So, I'm just here 24/7. And it's really a blessing on my end and here are the reasons why.

Flexible schedule at work. I start working any time as long as it's in my client's time zone. It would also allow me to do some home stuff in between, especially now that I'm a new mom. I don't have to worry about breastfeeding breaks. Plus there's no work on weekends! But of course I still see to it that I am productive and efficient at work. 

No need to beat traffic jams. You have to admit that you are annoyed with traffic like I do. But I don't have to worry about it since my working area is just the room next to our bedroom. haha! Just 5 steps away to be exact. Aha! No rush!

I don't have to worry what to wear. I think this is one of my favorites. Haha. It's fulfilling that I can earn even if  I'm on my pajamas or "daster". That means less clothes to wash (so I can save with laundry soap) and my clothes don't easily get worn out. 

I can sleep right after work. I so value resting time especially SLEEP! It keeps me energized.  Usual travel time from work to home is 30-40 minutes. But since I am just a few steps from our bedroom, I can just jump into the bed if I want to rest after work.

I can prepare healthy meals I have all the time to cook for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can just take a break to prepare our meals. Food cooked at home does not contain any MSG since we got married. We only eat in restaurants or fast foods during weekends or on dates.

I can save and manage our finances wisely. Really I can! Before when I was employed at a local company expenses would include daily food, transportation, clothes etc.  I don't have to spend on those stuffs right now. A blessing indeed!  There are time when I don't spend a single centavo a day. Also the salary rate is higher for virtual assistants. So don't underestimate a VA's job. 

I can do our household chores. This is a big favor for me I believe. The women's role in the home can never be replaced. Now that we have a baby that would include washing cloth diapers. That may change if I have some urgent things to attend to. Cooking time is of course everyday! haha. I can just do whatever I want in the house. And I make sure that I am totally free on weekends (unless there are church meetings).

Opportunity to Learn More and Become More Independent. I was able to learn new skills that I have never known before considering I am a nurse by profession. It broadens my horizon as the scope of my tasks and projects has increased. There's always room to learn marketable skills. Other than  the online sphere I was also able to enroll in a cooking and sewing class.

Quality Time with Family Oh yeah! Because love is spelled T-I-M-E, quality time is really important. My husband also happens to be working at home (in a different company). I gave birth a few months ago. Life is different with our baby in the picture. I want to be part of every milestone of our his growth. I want to be the first one to witness every growth and development. Even when I'm working I can see him playing and also feed him when hungry. We are exclusively breastfeeding so I am really grateful enough. 

I can still find time for my hobbies and interest. Each day I make sure I have time to study the scriptures and read some of the books I have. I cannot live without books. haha! I can live without new clothes but I cannot live without books. And of course my calligraphy stuff!

This is my working area at home. Just the room across our bedroom. :D

Where our Money Go

One of the blessings of being married in my 20's is having developed the skills to see the "beauty" of money in a mature way.

1. Pay an Honest Tithe
Marvin Ashton said, "successful financial management in every LDS home begins with the payment of an honest tithe." It is our goal to be honest with out tithes. We've been doing this before we got married so it never is a problem at all.  We just pay out tithes online. Thanks to BPI for making it possible with ease. No matter how meager we earn, we make sure we put this first.

2. Use a Budget
Even before I got married, I already keep track of my expenses. It requires diligence to really take note of daily expenses to the very cent. It takes 100% discipline to stay on your budget. As in!

Money management when mastered is an accomplishment. Spending patterns is way different when you are single compare to when you you are married. But because I was able to see things in a wider perspective, seriously I was able to save more when I got married. Plus there's a husband who is your partner in money matters.

I usually get hold of the money so I also create a budget plan for certain categories like food, home investment, retirement fund, savings, transportation and  apartment rent. The secret is really to just stick to your budget no matter how enticing advertisements are.

There's evaluation time at the end of the months so we can see where our money go.

Monday Run!

Time to get those feet on the ground. 

"Health is weallth"

TRUST

Goal for this year is to finish reading the Old Testament! I'm in Proverbs now. Proverbs 3:5-6 is really well known. It always reminds me to trust in the Lord's timing and to acknowledge his presence in my life. He is the ultimate source of my strength.

Good things happen to those who put him first.

This is a photo of my own scriptures. I love marking a lot when I study. I have the gospel library app in my phone but I still prefer to read the scriptures that  I can touch and mark. Call me old school, but I still prefer reading books than ebooks.

So, whoever who may come across this today, remember you are loved and you matter to Him. Just keep on trusting!

Sewing is Fun!

I enrolled in advance dressmaking class this summer! Say hello to my new buddy, Singer!  She has his place in one of the corners of our rented home.

The Big Day!

Girls really look forward to have their dream wedding. One time I've read a blog post regarding the cost of getting married in the Philippines. What??? I find it overwhelming to spend a lot for weddings alone considering there are some finances that lie ahead. I've been married nearly 16 months and the expenses is way different between single and married life.  Even if you can afford all the cost, I think it's still wise to spend a "just right" amount.

Of course weddings are meant to be beautiful. In fact it's possible to have a great but cost effective wedding. The list really goes on and on if you are preparing for the big day. So planning is really a must. Cut the cost as much as you can like what we did. Haha! If you have a budget of let's say 100,000 just be sure you still have that same amount in your bank. Just my own opinion though.

Allow me to share "how resourceful" we are. :P Everything can just be so simple yet you'll love it. You may not believe it, but we only spent three weeks preparation. At some point you have to break with traditions and have the wedding your way.

What is the goal of money for you?

My FB wall is recently flooded with posts of people going crazy over iPhone6. I think there's nothing wrong wanting things if you can really afford it. By saying so, what I mean is that you don't have to go through debt just to have it or gamble your savings until you are left with none just to have it. If you have savings and emergency funds and still have extra money go grab it. But don't save every penny you have just to stay with the fad. In my case even if I can afford it, I will still not buy one. Haha!