More Frugal and Inexpensive Valentine's Day Ideas

Posted by on Feb 9, 2009 in Frugal Tips, Frugality | 2 comments

Around this time last year I wrote a post about some frugal Valentine’s day ideas. I pointed out that this day should be a day of relaxation and fun, instead of a stressful day where lovers are fussing about dinner reservations and expensive out of town trips.  825627_cherry.jpgHere were some of my suggestions:

  • Cook a meal together.
  • Handpick and arrange flowers yourself.
  • Take a walk together.
  • Watch DVDs.

To read the entire post, click here.

This year, I’m adding more tips to that list.  After all, given today’s economic climate, most people can’t afford to splurge on Valentine’s Day.  Here are some other frugal things you can do with that special someone:

Moonlit stroll.  This is an offshoot of my “take a walk together” suggestion.  The twist is that you drive somewhere peaceful with a romantic view, such as in Antipolo or Tagaytay, and take a walk at night.  You can end the stroll with a bottle of wine, or even a picnic.  I won’t be a full moon on the 14th, but it will still be bright nonetheless.

Have a DIY spa date.  You can both get a romantic spa date in the comfort of your own home.  Get your massage oils ready, light some scented candles, and play relaxing music.  Here are some additional resources that can help you out:

Give a scrapbook or memory box.  Look for the mementos that are relevant to your relationship, such as old theater tickets, wrapping paper from your partner’s Christmas gift to you, etc.  Put these into a scrapbook, and be sure to include some photos.  If you don’t want the trouble of gluing things and laying them out, you can just look for a nice box and put all the mementos in there.  Feel free to include small chocolates and petals in the mix.

Go on a group date.  If you have other friends who have significant others, or if you’re single and want to go out with your other single friends, then you can go on a group date.  If done right, it will be cheaper than a one-on-one date, especially if the group orders dishes meant to be shared.

Do you have other frugal Valentine’s day suggestions?  Go ahead and share them in the comments section :)

Photo by G & A Scholiers

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A different way of looking at income

Posted by on Feb 6, 2009 in Earning and Income | 5 comments

How much do I get paid per month?  This is the common question we ask ourselves when looking for new jobs or business ventures.  The “per month” way of measuring income has always been the default approach.  But is it the best one?

When I was listening to “The 4-Hour Workweek” audio book for the first time, the writer, Tim Ferriss, proposes a better question which changed the way I perceived income:

How much do I get paid per hour of work?

Why is this a better question? Let me answer that with an example:

877749_cash_grab_1.jpgJose earns P100,000 per month, working at a high profile job for 10 hours a day, 5 days a week.  He works 10 hours a day because apart from the actual time in the office, he does overtime and takes some work home.

Maria, on the other hand, makes P50,000 per month, working 12-hours a week as a freelance web designer.

Based on the details above, this means that Jose makes only P500 per hour, while Maria makes P1041 per hour(*).  Apart from that, Maria has a lot of “free” time on her hands, which she can use to spend quality time with loved ones, pursue hobbies, and even look into other income streams.

“So what?” you might say.  Jose still makes more per month.

That may be true, but unless Jose is truly passionate about his job and never thinks “I’d rather be doing something else” or “I’d rather be somewhere else”, then he’s just trading his life for money. Rita Mae Brown said it best, “Don’t trade the stuff of your life, time, for nothing more than dollars. That’s a rotten bargain.”

If we look at income this way, then it seems like entrepreneurial ventures, consultancy, and freelancing sound like the best way to go.  Corporate telecommuting is also a good option, provided that your boss doesn’t require time-based logs of your work, and that you are productive enough to get the most tasks done in the least amount of time.

Try to do this exercise for yourself and see how much you get paid per hour.  What are your results like?  Was it less or greater than what you expected?

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(*) Of course, if you’re a service provider like Maria, this doesn’t actually mean that you should charge clients by the hour.  In creative fields, that’s never a good idea because you can easily be exploited.  Charging by project milestones is the best way to go.  To know your hourly rate for yourself, note the overall fee you received and divide it by the number of hours you worked.

Image by Steve Woods

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Online money-making opportunities: Jan 30-Feb 04

Posted by on Feb 4, 2009 in Online Job Listings | 0 comments

Happy Wednesday, everyone :)   Below are some online job opportunities this week.

Note: I try to list legitimate job opportunities as much as possible, but some illegitimate ones might fall through the cracks.  Please use your best judgment when communicating with prospective clients, and make sure you get a signed contract before doing any work.

Blogging and Online Writing:

Web Design & Development:

Miscellaneous:

That’s it for this week.  Happy online job hunting!

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