Note: In case you were wondering, this post is a follow up to this one - where I got more emails than ever in the past few days from other Frugal Pinoy readers. I’ll try my best to respond to each and every email or comment, by the way.

Okay, so marami akong natanggap na emails and comments from readers who were curious (and even upset) about the previous blog post.

Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to be too dramatic. Di ko sinadya. It’s FrugalPinoy’s 4-year anniv and maybe that’s why I was too dramatic.

Anyway, as you may or may not know, my freelance career and my business are both getting WAY out of control – but in a good way.

When I first started my ventures, I was still a college student in 2004, trying to support my family and make ends meet. I never in a million years would have IMAGINED I would get to where I am today.

I still have far to go, and more to achieve, but I’m proud of the things I’ve built. Most importantly, I built it by myself. And without a college degree.

I’ve been blessed also for the opportunity to regularly share at least some of the things I’ve learned through the FrugalPinoy blog and Facebook Page.

And I’ve been deeply touched by all the heartfelt emails, comments, and messages you’ve sent over the years.

And I learned a lot.

So here’s what I’ve been holding out on for years…

I’ve been:

• Nicely asked
• Encouraged
• Begged repeatedly
• Pleaded with

For years I’ve resisted teaching this stuff.

I made the usual pathetic excuses. “I don’t have time…” or “I’m too busy with my actual business to actually teach this to others…” and even “Jusko. Sino ba ako para magturo!?”

And I’m embarrassed to admit that during that time, even during my “lean” months, my freelancing business grew bigger, my clients became more high-profile, and people started paying more attention to my work…

… I started wondering if teaching my fellow Filipinos this would actually HURT my own business and result in fewer clients. I also wondered if it was possible to teach everything I’ve learned in the past 8 years, including things I learned from respected mentors, paid courses, and experience. (I know, I know, what a stupid and small way to think!)

Also – I’m kind of a perfectionist.

Ok maybe not just “kind of”. I’m a super, 100% full blown perfectionist.

And because I’ve given up all hope of fixing my perfectionism, I can’t go half-way on this new project with you guys. I have to go all the way or not at all.

How I’m Trying to Learn from the Past

Before I started Frugal Pinoy, my mom and some of my friends would tell me, “Celine, you should write about this!” (referring to my ideas and business experiences)

BUT, I thought, “Jusko sino naman ang magbabasa niyan? And ano ba alam ko sa businesses and finances ng ibang tao? Mangingialam pa ako…”

Still, I ended up launching this blog anyway. And it ended up having such a profound impact that I’m understanding only now.

It would’ve been stupid and small minded of me to NOT start FrugalPinoy.com.

So this leads me to think: maybe it’s also small and stupid if I don’t share what I know about starting one’s own online freelancing business.

So I’m Seriously Considering Doing This

Despite my fears, hesitations, and complete nervousness, I am seriously considering pulling back the curtain and showing you EVERYTHING I know about starting your own business online.

I’m going to start sharing things – from how to find profitable freelancing business ideas to finding your first paying clients. These are things I’ve never shared yet with ANYONE, except maybe a handful of people who were very very good at drilling me for information (you know who you are, you determined FP readers!)

I would have LOVED to have this kind of training when I was starting out.

If I Do This, It Will Be A LOT of Work

I’m excited about sharing these things with you, but I’ve been working solo long enough to know that my tiny projects turn into giant projects that go out of hand.

So I ONLY want to do this IF there is enough interest.

So I want to know…

• What do you think?
• Should I do this?
• Would you be interested?

Anyway, if you have a second, please leave a comment here to let me know what you think.

Or you could email me at support@pinoy500.com.

It would mean a lot to me, and I’ll do my best to respond to EVERYONE.

Talk to you soon,

Celine of FrugalPinoy.com

Usually I write about financial and business tips for you Frugal Pinoy readers.

Well… today is a bit different.

First of all, FrugalPinoy’s 4-year anniversary is approaching.

To celebrate, I want to stop holding back and reveal some things that are a little more personal.

Here goes.

Last 2010 was one of the worst years for me. This goes for almost every aspect of my life – professionally, financially, and even personally. I had:

• Lost a high-paying client/project which accounted for 60% of my income
• Completely depleted my emergency fund because of some super expensive family emergencies
• Ended a 4-year relationship
• My very old house was falling apart and repairs were costly
• Felt like I had “plateaued” professionally – I had reached a very good level in my career and felt like there was nowhere else to go. This led to boredom and monotony.

This is why I look forward to New Year’s Day every year. While the date itself isn’t that important – it’s just like any day of the year, except there are celebrations – I think of it as a time of letting go, creating change in my life, and expanding my horizons.

Here are some examples of goals I used to set:

• Earn at least $2,000 per month for my freelance work (all my clients are foreign)
• Be fluent in Spanish (I wanted to start pitching my services to Argentinian businesses)
• Take up a new professional course each month
• Finish repairing my house
• Learn how to negotiate better
• Raise my hourly rate

As you can see, some of those goals are HUGE, while some are small. My main intention was to do something new with my life. Change things up.

This is why 2012 is important for me. If 2011 was my year of rebuilding, I see 2012 as the year where I’ll outdo everything I’ve ever done before. Even if this year doesn’t “feel” important, it feels hugely different.

How is it different?

Well, instead of focusing on myself…

This year is about YOU.

I’m serious.

As many of you may have noticed, I’m revamping the type of content we have here at Frugal Pinoy. I’ve started focusing on what YOU readers have told me over the years.

This is why I’ve covered topics on earning more money, creating an automatic financial plan, and changing your financial life without too much dependence on willpower.

There’s still more to come. I’m always interested in what you guys have to say, so keep the ideas coming!

But… (eto na)…

There is really ONE big request that you all have been asking me – through your emails, comments, and even your Facebook responses. I’ve been ignoring this for YEARS – even if you keep writing to me about it.

And, more importantly, it seems like you readers aren’t 100% aware that this is what you’ve been asking me to do.

So that’s what I’ll give you, especially since after thoroughly studying your emails and comments over the past 4 years – it’s what you’ve secretly been asking for all this time.

BUT (na naman) I am very, very, very nervous about this. Doing this means sharing more about myself and my business, even more than I have done in the past.

And I’m also going to need your help.

So I’m going to ask you guys to do something for me.

But that will have to wait until next time.

See you then,

Celine, founder of FrugalPinoy.com

P.S. I’ll update you with more details in the next few days. Until then, please email me at support@pinoy500.com and let me know your #1 most important, super priority goal for the rest of 2012. I read every email and will try to respond ASAP.

As you may have noticed, the last update to this site was several months ago. Recently, I’ve been planning new content for the site, and I’ve also been making a few changes.

The first thing you’ll notice is the new site design. If you’re viewing this via email or feedreader, click here to see the new site. It’s still a clean, uncluttered look which reflects the slight changes that are going on behind the scenes. I moved FrugalPinoy to a new, more reliable web host, since I had issues with the site being down several times with the old web host. Because of the transfer, there may be some bugs that I haven’t worked out yet. If you find anything broken, please feel free to contact me.

Another change is that I’ve created a Frugal Pinoy Facebook page. You can click “Like” on the sidebar on the right, or visit the page itself. I’ll be using that Facebook page to share interesting articles and websites about personal finance, or I’ll post tips that are too short to post here at FrugalPinoy.com. By clicking the “Like” button, you’ll be able to receive these updates that I won’t publish here.

Finally, there are new articles lined up for next month, so stay tuned

First of all, I’d like to greet all Frugal Pinoy readers out there:

Happy New Year! Thank you for supporting and reading Frugal Pinoy. I hope that you continue to find this site useful in 2010. Most of all, may you have a healthy, happy, and productive year ahead of you!

Now before we leap into 2010, let’s take this opportunity to review Frugal Pinoy’s top 10 most informative articles for the year.

Does Frugal Pinoy apply to you?

At the start of 2009, I wanted readers to ask themselves if the articles I  post here are relevant to them. This was my response to some comments from both friends and strangers that the site was not applicable to them.

A Different Way of Looking at Income

Do you judge or measure your income per month? If so, you may not be earning as much as you think. This article explores the reasons why we should measure our income by the hour instead.

Money Myths: Frugality Means Sacrificing Fun

In this article, I attempt to debunk the myth that a frugal life is a hard and boring life.

6 Signs That You’re Living Beyond Your Means

Don’t know how much you’re spending each month? Feeling guilty about using that credit card? Watch out. You might be spending more than you earn.

My Investment Strategy

In this short post I talk about my decision-making process behind my investments. Hint: it has nothing to do with the hot stock tips.

Getting Out of Debt vs. Saving: Which Should You Prioritize?

When you’re trying to make ends meet as well as paying off debt, you might feel like you’re being spread too thinly. How do you choose between saving for emergencies and being debt-free?

When Listening to Experts Use Your Brain

Researchers found that when people are presented with an expert, they drop all attempts at decision-making – even if the expert is fake. Is it possible to make independent financial decisions despite all the “expert” advice we receive?

Money Myths: Can Money Buy Happiness?

Scientists learned that having enough money for necessities can buy a feeling of peace and security – but anything else beyond that is up to you.

The Hard Truth: 30 Money Questions You Should Ask Yourself

A no-BS list of questions to help you face the truth of your financial situation.

Free Download: Frugal Pinoy Budgeting Spreadsheet

I made a free downloadable budgeting spreadsheet for Frugal Pinoy readers. There’s a video tutorial to help guide you through it.

Also, let’s not forget that nearing the end of 2009, I launched the 25  Days to Healthier Finances series. In that series, I posted one article per day with an actionable task that readers (and I) can do to make our financial lives better.

That’s it from me for today. Again, I’d like to thank all the Frugal Pinoy readers (even the newcomers) for supporting and reading the blog this year.

All the best,

Celine

Image by puskar from sxc.hu

Hello everyone! I’ve got some exciting news. I’ve been planning a new series of blog posts for quite some time now.

The series, called “25 Days to Healthier Finances” will start on November 20, Friday. For 25 straight days, I’ll be uploading a new blog post each day. Each post has one actionable item that you’re supposed to do by the end of that day. Some items will be difficult, while others will only take a few minutes. The difficult ones, I’ll usually assign during the weekend.

If you’re struggling financially or if you’re just getting started managing your finances, you shouldn’t miss this series. I recommend that you subscribe to receive email updates if you haven’t done so yet.

As usual, I welcome your feedback about the series once it gets started. Thanks!

UPDATE: Here’s the list of published articles from the series so far:

1. Define wealth and financial freedom.
2. Fine-tune your budget (or start one).
3. Learn all you can about one investment instrument.
4. Automate your savings.
5. Pick 2 no-spending days this month.
6. Identify employment benefits.
7. Commit to learn a new skill.
8. Sell something.
9. Level up your cooking skills.
10. Read one personal finance book.
11. Compute your net worth.
12. Evaluate your subscriptions.
13. Start collecting loose change.
14. Organize your financial paperwork.
15. Carry only one credit card in your wallet.
16. Make a debt repayment plan.
17. Know the things that you don’t care to spend on.
18. Pick a hobby you can monetize.
19. Quit an expensive habit.
20. Maximize customer loyalty programs.
21. Prepare for the holidays – for next year.
22. Discuss finances with a friend or relative.
23. Do a financial review of your year so far.
24. Write down your ideal income and expenses.
25. Make a financial plan for your future.

Image by malko from sxc.hu

Hello everyone!

I’d like to hear from YOU, the readers of this blog. I want to get your feedback and know what you think about the articles I post here. Because of this, I’ve decided to hold the Frugal Pinoy Survey.

This survey contains 7 simple questions about what you’d like to see here at Frugal Pinoy. In exchange of answering the survey, I’ll send you 3 personal finance books that will hopefully help you live a better financial life. So please put a valid email address in your entry, and I’ll send you the books in PDF format within 2 days.

Here are the titles of the books you’ll get:

• “Zen to Done” by Leo Babauta
• “Thriving on Less” by Leo Babauta
• “Investing Made Simple”

I’ll only be collecting responses until October 31, 2009.

If you’re interested in getting these free downloads, please click the link below:

Click here to take the survey now.

Thanks for participating!

Happy Friday everyone! I have a few announcements to make. Mainly, this blog will undergo several changes so if there are bugs or if you see some weird things happening, it’s just me fixing things. Here are the changes you can look forward to for August:

Redesign. I’ll be using a new design for this blog, mainly to add more “breathing room”. Nasisikipan ako sa current design, eh.The new design will be less cluttered.

WordPress upgrade. Frugal Pinoy is built on the WordPress blogging platform. I’m using a very old version, so I’ll be upgrading to the latest version. You won’t notice this because it’s all happening behind the scenes, but there will be tighter security and additional features.

New topics on online careers. One of FP’s features, The Personal Blogging Degree, has become so popular that I’ve been getting requests on creating similar features on other online careers such as freelance writing, web design, consultancy, etc. I’ll be uploading those throughout August, so if you’re looking to learn more about making real money online, you have that to look forward to.

So that’s it for this week. Enjoy your weekend!

Several readers email me asking questions about blogging.They want to know how to make money blogging, what makes a good blog, and how to build traffic. Since many of my answers are repetitive, I decided to launch a new page here at Frugal Pinoy:

“The Personal Blogging Degree” is a compilation of articles, podcasts, and other resources that can give beginners a good overview about professional blogging. I was inspired by The Personal MBA and The Personal Web Design Degree.

If you’re just new to blogging, head to the Personal Blogging Degree page to learn more. You can also access the page from the sidebar on the right.

Just letting everyone know that I’ll be taking a break from Frugal Pinoy – in case you haven’t noticed it already. I’m just so busy with my freelance work and other projects, that I have to invest more time in them for a while.

I hope to be back with fresh new posts mid-May. Still, I might post a few times when I find the chance – I just won’t be posting as often. If you want to be automatically updated when I have a new post, then feel free to sign up to receive Frugal Pinoy posts via email.

Thanks for the patience If you want to contribute a guest post while I’m on a break, feel free to reach me via the contact form.

Thanks again,

Celine

“Your site doesn’t apply to me.  I can’t use your advice.”  I hear this comment a lot, especially from friends and family.

It could be true.  The blog posts here at Frugal Pinoy may not apply to you, especially if you’re…

• feeling so secure in your finances that you know you can provide for yourself and your family even if you lose your job and have no income for 6 months,
• a multi-millionaire who wants to learn more about aggressive stock market investing rather than saving,
• or someone who thinks “I know all of this already!  In fact, I can write a book on it!” every time you see a new blog post here.

If you’re any of the above, congratulations!  You might not need this site.  In fact, feel free to contact me and send a guest article containing advice that other Frugal Pinoy readers could use.  (I’m serious about this.  Guest articles are welcome.  Just click here to send me a message via the contact form.)

But if you hear yourself saying or thinking the following lines, then this blog will definitely be beneficial to you:

• “I want to make more money.”
• “I need to get out of credit card debt.”
• “I hope to save more money so I can afford the things I want.”
• “I want to save more money so I can afford the things I need.”
• “I still accept financial help from friends and relatives.”
• “If I get laid off tomorrow, I won’t be able to pay for my living expenses until I get another job.”
• “I want to have the financial freedom to travel and pursue my passions.”
• “I’m spending too much on clothes/food/entertainment/etc.”
• “I want to retire early.”
• “I want to leave the rat race and start my own business.”

What is Frugal Pinoy really about?  Why is it relevant to the people who can relate with these statements?  In one sentence, Frugal Pinoy is a blog about defining financial freedom and the steps you need to take to get there. I’m willing to bet that almost anyone who is earning an income (or wants to) would benefit from defining the word “financial freedom” in their own terms, as well as take the steps to get to this freedom as soon as possible.

Personally, I want that financial freedom myself.  The good news is that I believe I’m on track to financial freedom, even with the economic downturn (in fact, I’m thriving).  If you want to be on this journey yourself, then you’re welcome to use the advice on this blog.

The best part? It doesn’t cost you any money. It doesn’t make me any money either*, so you know I’m not out to sell you multi-level marketing products and other scams.

That’s all This post just serves to remind both myself and the readers about what Frugal Pinoy is for.

If you want to receive Frugal Pinoy updates in your email, please click here and fill up the form. (It only takes 3 seconds.)

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Photo by: Melodi T

* UPDATE: As of December 2009, I started using ads here at Frugal Pinoy to help support the maintenance of the site. But they are secondary to the content. I’ll always be putting the reader first.