7 Tips to Manage Your Finances While Traveling

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Whether you are traveling solo, going for honeymoon vacation, or going for a family holiday, any kind of overseas vacation involves heavy planning especially when it comes to your finances. It is essential to have a plan for managing your money, as it ensures safety while traveling and saves you a huge amount of trouble. We’ve put together 7 tips that will ensure better management of your finances while traveling overseas.

Set a Spending Budget

Once you have decided on the destination you want to visit, the next important step is preparing a spending budget. When you prepare a financial spending budget, you can observe where your money is going. This helps in avoiding overspending which can lead to you running out of finances halfway and returning with heavy financial burdens such as heavy travel credit cards bill.

Your budget should take into consideration the expenses of accommodation, meals, activities, souvenirs, transportation, gratuities, etc. You should ensure that your budget has a certain flexibility in case of occasional splurges so that you enjoy your journey to the fullest.

Use a Bank Account with Low International Charges

One of the easiest way to access funds while abroad is through withdrawing money from ATM machines using your travel cards. ATMs are present almost everywhere and are an easy way to access funds as you do not have to carry large amounts of cash.

The common problem that occurs while withdrawing cash is that banks charge a high cash withdrawal fee for international transactions. It is best to always find out the fee charged by your bank beforehand. If the fee charged is high, it is advisable to change to a different bank account as it could lead to a great amount of savings.

Inform Your Bank or Credit Card Company

When you plan to head for your vacation, it is important to inform your bank or the credit card company about the travel including the duration and reason for the travel. This is important as it helps to prevent your travel credit cards from being blocked when they detect unusual foreign activities. You should also keep in handy the assistance helpline number for any service required when you are traveling.

Some credit card companies do not allow overseas transactions unless the cardholder puts in a request. It is advisable to check with your company for the procedure.

Use Travel Credit Cards for Your Purchases

You should always keep some cash in hand while you are traveling. However, it is advisable to use your travel credit cards for the majority of your spending. This is because you don’t have to go through the hassle of converting your currency. It also helps in getting you an economical exchange fee charges. It helps avoid dealing with the risks of carrying a huge pile of cash, in case of theft of your card you can simply report your card without losing any money.

Set Up Online Banking

While you’re overseas, it is essential to keep track of the financial transactions on your card for better management of your expenses. It is important to have access to internet banking with your travel cards. Online banking helps in keeping a track of the transactions occurring on your travel credit cards and managing other financial tasks.

However, you should avoid accessing your internet banking on public computers at the hotel or internet café. In case there is no option, you should ensure that you sign out of the secure sites and close the browser. Public WiFi should only be used if a safe connection is ensured.

Carry Multiple Travel Credit Cards and Debit Cards

It is always recommended to carry more than one travel credit cards and debit cards. It is possible that your travel cards are stolen or blocked by the bank, or they simply may not be acceptable at some ATMs or merchants. In such cases, you do not want to be stuck with no funds to carry out your payments and therefore, it is essential to have backup travel cards.

Don’t Keep All Your Valuables in One Place

It is not the best idea to keep all your valuables such as cash, travel credit cards, passport, and other important documents gathered in one place. This is because, in case of theft, you end up losing everything at once. It is best to spread out your valuables across your pouch, bags, hotel safes, pockets, etc.

The Bottom Line

If you are planning your dream vacation, make sure to add these tips to your financial to-do list. It is important to keep into account the financial spending and plan for it well in advance. This not only ensures a hassle-free trip but also allows you to step into your daily life comfortably without any financial burdens. Nobody likes to kill the post-vacation buzz with heavy bills to pay off.

Araneta City Joins the Celebration of the Chinese New Year on January 25, 2020

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!

New Beginnings and Renewals Spurred by the White Metal Rat

The year 2020 has jumpstarted for Araneta City by welcoming the first ever ibis Hotel brand in the country, the ibis Styles Hotel. As the Year of the White Metal Rat approaches, Araneta City looks forward to unveiling more developments and new beginnings that will revitalize the City of Firsts.

To invite prosperity this Chinese New Year, Chinese dragons and lions and Chinese Drummers will be performing in all malls, hotels, and residential buildings in the City.

Good luck and fortune also await shoppers and patrons of Gateway Mall, Ali Mall, and New Farmers Plaza on Chinese New Year. They will get a chance to hear from Feng Shui Master Hanz Cua, or get exclusive sessions with tarot card reader Rob Rubin. Participants will also have a chance to join the tassel knot décor making contest, take selfies or groupies in the Chinese New Year-themed photobooth, and enjoy many more exciting surprises.

To participate, one simply has to present a minimum single-receipt purchase of Php 500 from any Araneta City establishment in registration tables at the activity area of these malls from 11am to 3pm on January 25.

Famed hopia brand Eng Bee Tin is also expected to shower blessings on Chinese New Year. A minimum single-receipt purchase of Php 250 from any Araneta City food courts and Dampa entitles one with a free regular pack of Eng Bee Tin in any of its classic variants – monggo, ube, buko or pandan.

Everyone is also invited to join JC Santos and Bella Padilla for the “On Vodka, Beers and Regrets Mall Tour” on January 26, 2020, 4pm at the Activity Area of Farmers Plaza, Araneta City.

Have fun this Chinese New Year, and celebrate new beginnings and renewal only at the City of Firsts, Araneta City.

5 Time-tested Tips for Finding the Right Jobs in Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Metro Manila is not just the biggest urban center in the Philippines — it is one of the densest population centers in the world. Because of this, job hiring in Manila is extremely competitive, with openings in virtually all industries within the area.

For decades, Metro Manila has been the place for ambitious job seekers from all over the country to start and develop their careers. While the development of other urban centers such as Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo have eroded Manila’s desirability as a job destination, the megapolis still offers the widest variety of jobs and the highest median salaries in the Philippines.

That said, there are several challenges to finding the right jobs in the Metro. These problems are due largely to the population density and the lack of adequate infrastructure. Long commutes and expensive housing are a fact of life throughout the area, and these can dramatically affect the suitability of different jobs.

If you’ve never worked in Manila before, we’ve got a few choice tips here for you. Here are a few tips for ensuring you get the right jobs in Manila.

1.) Consider the job’s location

Many job seekers from the provinces or overseas are often unaware of how big Metro Manila is. It’s a mistake to assume that just because you have a friend or relative willing to give you a place to stay that you can automatically accept any job offer without thinking twice. Oftentimes, the distances involved can make it impractical to take on some jobs if your living accommodations are simply too far or cost too much to commute from.

To avoid these issues, be sure to look up the job’s location as well as your commuting options. That way, you can consider whether you would prefer to take a different job or move to a more convenient living space.

2.) Account for commute times and expenses

It’s no longer unusual for commutes in Metro Manila to last as long as two hours each way — a total of four hours a day. Given that this is about as long as half a regular shift, you’ll have to consider if a commute this long is worth your time, health, and promised compensation.

It’s also important to realize that longer distances don't always mean longer commute times. Because of the chaotic transport situation in Metro Manila, distances on a map don’t always reflect how long a commute is or how expensive it might be. For instance, if you live in Makati, commuting to Diliman is a straightforward affair. Commuting to Eastwood, however, might mean multiple transfers and longer commute times, even if it’s much closer to Makati.

Of course, things are much easier if you have a car. But you will also have to contend with gas prices, parking, and ongoing maintenance. Plus, even with a car, you might not be able to use it every day because of different traffic schemes.

Regardless of how you commute, some sacrifices have to be made. Make sure to account for these before you accept a job offer because your salary might not be enough to cover everything.


3.) Consider a work-from-home job

Even job locations with difficult commutes can be quite tolerable if the employer lets you work from home on either a part-time or full-time basis. These types of jobs can also allow you to save time as well as money on commuting expenses. If you’re lucky, you might not even need to move to Manila for the job which means you can earn Metro Manila rates even if you live in the provinces.

4.) Negotiate if you can

Employers in Manila tend to be much more receptive to negotiations compared to employers in smaller cities simply because the job market is more competitive. It’s far easier for applicants in Manila to find opportunities elsewhere simply because the job market is larger and more dynamic. This gives applicants in the metropolis a bit of an edge over those in smaller cities where opportunities are scarcer.

5.) Take the time to find several different options

It’s usually worth taking your time to weigh different job options, even if you’re currently employed elsewhere. Better jobs are popping up all the time, and chances are better opportunities are coming up right around the corner. Never be so sure about one job that you aren’t willing to take something better!

Conclusion

Manila’s sheer size gives it a unique job market, especially when contrasted with other major cities in the Philippines. If you’ve worked elsewhere in the country — and even if you’ve worked abroad — few things will prepare you for the fast pace and the chaos of working here.

If you’re ready to look for jobs in Metro Manila or anywhere else in the country, be sure to check out Mynimo.com. Mynimo’s simple yet powerful local search functions make it simple to find the perfect job — wherever you are in the Philippines.