Planning My Next US Visit

Well, it’s confirmed- my flight to LA is on May 30.  That means I have roughly just a little over a month to get ready for it.  This time, I’ll be staying for about a month, then I’ll be flying back with Mom, my sister and maybe a couple more aunts to meet up with the rest of my relatives to attend my brother’s wedding in July.

A month is still quite a bit of time.  And yes, I do have a plan to work out.  The ultimate goal, really, is to prepare for our eventual move to the US- for Cristina and myself.  I’m more like the advance party, to figure out our options and to get some business done.

First of all, I gotta get me a social security number.  I’ll need this to get me a bank account, and get my credit going.

Next, I’ll need to get a license, and hopefully, a car.  I’m thinking of a Honda.  Just a preference, really.  Have you heard? Honda launches VCM 643-  supposedly it’s great on fuel economy.

Then I gotta work on my business prospects- hopefully close a few new accounts, attend a few trade shows, build up a new network of suppliers, contacts and clients.

Lastly, I gotta start considering getting some real estate.  No idea how the market is right now, but I know I’ll have a better feel for it once I’m there.

Definitely there’s lots of stuff going on in-between.  Need to get me a new PC, the DSLR I’ve had my eyes on for so long, a new digital handycam, meet up with some old friends, spend some time with mom and my sister, and just basically have a good time.

Wish me luck

Cheers, everyone!

Finding a Place of Your Own: Starting Out

One of the most daunting challenges of anyone who’s out to live independently is finding a place to stay. I’ve been living on my own since 18- and I’d like to think that I’ve tried out all kinds of living arrangements. Enough to pass on some wisdom to people who’s seriously considering the bachelor lifestyle.

Your options in terms of living arrangements totally depends on your incoming cash flow. A typical 9-to-5 white collar job in Metro Manila is barely enough. At Php10,000-15,000 a month for someone starting out in 2008, it does present itself as a challenge, even if you are single and without any dependents.

Let’s assume that you are making that much, and let’s assume you’re single, and you have no one else to worry about but yourself for now- don’t go blowing away your whole monthly salary on rent. Yes, you control your own cash now, but you’ll need to set aside some for your…

• Daily expenditures. This includes transportation, food, and even a modest allowance.
• Monthly bills. Electric and water. Also, your mobile phone/s, landline, cable TV and internet.
• Weekend money. You do need to spend some on yourself, you know.
• Savings.

So that leaves you with about 20 to 30% of your monthly income just on rent alone. What are your options?

If you have about Php2,000 to Php4,500 a month allotted for your own place, you may consider a couple of things:

1. You can rent a bedspace. A number of people rent out these modest-sized rooms which you actually share with 3 or more people, depending on the arrangements. Renting bedspace is not more than that: you have your own bed, some closet space for your stuff, maybe even a desk- not unlike dormitory conditions back in college.

Pros: it’s cheap. It’s available just about anywhere- particularly near business and commercial districts and schools/universities. Cons: you get what you pay for; so there’s not much in the way of privacy, you’re sharing a bathroom with everybody else on the floor, and if you’re unfortunate enough, you end up with roommates that go through your stuff.

2. You can rent a room. If you’re lucky enough, you might actually be able to find yourself a house that’s willing to rent out a room for your own. Sure you have your own privacy, and your stuff’s a lot more secure, but it might be a stretch to have your own bathroom. In any case, it’s a step up from #1.

Pros: Improved privacy and security. Cons: Just a little more expensive, and chances are, you’re probably still sharing a bathroom with others.

3. Get some friends together and rent an apartment. Sure Php2,000 to Php4,500 isn’t much, but if there are three or four of you, and if you pool your money together, you might actually get yourself a fairly good deal.

Pros: At least you get to pick who you’re staying with. Shared resources. Shared bills. Even better if you and your homies all get along. Cons: Gotta come down hard if someone’s late with rent or the monthly bills. Sometimes, you find out after a while that you don’t get along with some of your homies.

Remember, it takes some sacrifices at first. But as you climb up the ranks at work, or at least find other sources of income or improved livelihood, then your living conditions can improve as well. It’s all part of building character: you get to appreciate where your hard-earned money goes, and you get better at spotting opportunities and better deals for yourself.

Cheers, everyone!

Should I Worry About Cebu Pacific?

It’s summertime, and as you all know, it’s that time of the year when you talk travel with your friends whenever you all hang out. The usual bunch of questions are thrown around every time- whether you’ve heard something nice about a new hotel/resort/summer destination, how much a 3-day-2-nighter would set you back, which airline you’re flying this time, etc.

It’s really that time of the year when you all compare notes and check out which ones were actually good deals. After all, going to a much-raved summer spot might just be better than that crappy resort you just stayed in the last month.

Understandably, expectations run rather high when anyone plans a vacation. Not only do you work your ass off to get that much-deserved vacation leave (and not leave work hanging) of even just a few days, you also save up for it. And needless to say, it doesn’t come cheap at all- more so if you plan a rather ambitious overseas trip with hotel stays and all that.

I can’t help but notice that this year isn’t a good year for Cebu Pacific. From the online stories alone just these past few weeks, I’d say there’s a lot going on that leaves a lot of customers not just unhappy- but irate enough to write about it and tell other people how bad their experiences were.

Take for example these recent incidents posted online for all to read:

• Here’s Lattex’s blog entry on how unsatisfied he is with Cebu Pacific’s new Navitaire system. Read the rest of his blog for other Cebu Pacific stories.
• Aileen Apolo’s blog tells of her going so far as writing the Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection, apparently frustrated that Cebu Pacific hadn’t answered to her original complaint letter.
• Here’s Jason Magbanua’s experience and a number of other experiences from unhappy Cebu Pacific customers.
• Fruitcaked has this to share on her Multiply- let’s just say she’s not very happy about her own Cebu Pacific experience.
• Rai of PinoyTux Weblog had this to say about Cebu Pacific.

Now that’s not even counting the stories from my friends who don’t blog. This unfortunate friend of mine booked a vacation to Bangkok with her friends last week, and had the most horrendous experience with Cebu Pacific.

Here’s what I think: I know Cebu Pacific positions itself in the budget airline category- an alternative to Philippine Airlines- but even if you are a no-frills, low-cost airline, it doesn’t give you a license to have terrible customer service. And at a time when word-of-mouth spreads so much easier because of blogs, online discussions and social networking? This is the time to get your act together, right?

Whether it’s a vacation or a business trip, everybody deserves to have a worry-free flight.  And we’re talking about the whole experience- from booking your flights online, getting your e-tickets, to moving through the airports, and the actual flights.  At the rate things are going, I wouldn’t mind paying a little extra just to avoid the stress of going through what the others have been through.

But then again- is it really too much to ask for decent customer service?  Shouldn’t great customer service be expected from a company that- I dunno- blows millions in advertising and promotions just to get people to try out what they’re offering?

So yes, I am worried about Cebu Pacific. I’ve flown in several Cebu Pacific flights in the past, and while I’ve been fortunate enough to not have had any major problems, I simply can’t ignore what my friends have gone through recently, or what I read online.

I’m leaving for the US in May, but I’m coming back on July with a whole slew of relatives coming over, and I’m tasked to take everyone around. I really hope Cebu Pacific can get straighten things out by then.  In the meantime, it might not hurt to consider other airlines.

Cheers, everyone.