Tips When Playing Host to Visiting Family and Friends

Over the holidays, I played host to family and friends who flew in from all over.  My relatives just recently flew back home to Toronto and Los Angeles, but I also helped out some friends with their own balikbayan challenges.

My mom chatting it up with one of the friendly merchants at the Salcedo Weekend Market in Makati.

This situation isn’t new to me.  Plus given the fact that I now stay in Makati– conveniently near the airport, a few minutes away from some of the best malls in the city, and pretty much everything you need just a stone’s throw away– my new place makes for an ideal spot for incoming relatives (and friends) to crash whenever they’re in town.

When playing host to family and friends from faraway lands, it’s usually the case to take them around and check out what Makati, the rest of Metro Manila, (or even the rest of The Philippines, for travel-happy relatives) has to offer.

So expect yourself to put on your best tourist guide hat while your folks are in town.

Things to Consider:

1.  Agenda. What sort of activities are your visiting family/friends into?  Do they want to check out new spots?  Get to know the real, urban, gritty side of Manila?  Here to do business?  Visit old favorites?  Immerse themselves in some history?  Go right ahead and ask them what they want to do.  No point bringing them to a place like Divisoria, when all they want is to hit up some beaches.

There are lots of great spots to visit just outside Metro Manila if you have the time. A shot of the path leading to our cottage at Nurture Spa in Tagaytay, about an hour and a half drive from Makati City.

2.  Time. How much time do you have?  Depending on the itinerary, you might have a day, a week, or maybe several months.  Map out your recommended activities around a particular location: if you’re going to Intramuros, you might want to swing by Binondo, then head on over to The Cultural Center of The Philippines, before finally feasting on seafood along Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City.

3.  Budget. Sometimes you’ll be paying, other times they’ll be paying.  Part of the fun is knowing how to stretch their vacation money somehow, and remember, part of the fun for your balikbayan family and friends is the fact that their cash goes a relatively longer way here in the Philippines.

You got all kinds of food in the Philippines. Here's my friend Gerry and his kids taking their sweet time at the lovely Spiral buffet at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.

4.  Food. The Philippines has an awesome assortment of food– all kinds of world cuisine can be found here, and then you have all kinds of great stuff in markets and supermarkets everywhere.  Are there allergies you need to be aware of?  Cultural or religious limitations, or maybe even just personal preferences perhaps?  Keep all those in mind when thinking about which restaurant to visit, or what you’ll be cooking for your next meal.

5.  Safety and Security. You can never be too careful, really.  Brief your guests well on what they could/should/couldn’t/shouldn’t do while in the Philippines.  Acquaint them with your neighborhood, equip them with their own mobile phones, and provide them with numbers to contact in the event of an emergency.  Furnish notes or index cards for them to carry around if they have to, and teach them to get home (to your place, or to the hotel) just in case.

Bumped into my friend Tessa, who flew all the way from Atlanta to chill in the Philippines for the Holidays. Taken at the Salcedo Weekend Market, Jan 2011.

Bear these in mind, and you can make your balikbayan family and friends enjoy their visit so much more.   Organized well enough, you don’t get too stressed, plus you get the distinction of being an awesome host.  Heck, if you think you’re really good at these things, putting up your own travel agency/tour operation might actually be a good business venture for the future!

Cheers, everyone!

A Few Important Things You Need To Know…

Share This Post: “…this video will blow your mind!” –Renzie Baluyut

Seriously it will.

Not too long ago, I posted an article, pretty much evangelizing the importance of having a continuing desire for learning and discovery.  I go online and try to learn something new everyday, on top of reading a book, or immersing myself in some of the latest songs.

That last one was probably a habit I picked up from my days in radio.

In any case, I actually got a few friends into the same idea, and so we’ve been actively sharing all kinds of useful (as well as some not-too-useful) things with each other: links, blog posts and articles, ebooks, webinars and webcasts, podcasts and video.

One of the most interesting videos I’ve seen lately was this one posted by the good people of TeacherTube, which they shared over their YouTube channel.  Particularly of interest to business-folk and internet professionals, entrepreneurs and small business owners, as well as all sorts of marketing and media professionals.

That highly informative video, along with so much more great stuff, is available on TeacherTube.com’s official channel on YouTube.

Almost totally useless trivia: You were watching that video to the tune of Fatboy Slim’s “Right Here, Right Now”. The song was released in 1999, from Fatboy Slim’s second studio album, You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby.

A similar video and blog post can be found here on Keyboard Monkeys | Tips, Tricks and Advice for the Digital Entrepreneur.

Cheers, everyone.

Does Renzie Make Money Blogging?

Share This Post: advice on blogging and internet marketing, with Renzie Baluyut.

A friend of mine asked me if I actually made money out of my blogging efforts.

The answer is: yes, I do, but not as much as I would want to. At least not yet.

It is not uncommon for new bloggers to get into the blogging lifestyle for the sole purpose of making money. So let me make one thing clear to all of you: there is no get-rich-quick-formula to blogging, contrary to what you might see in ads, or hear about from some friend of yours, or a friend of a friend of a friend, etc. You get the idea.

But yes, you can make money from your blog. However, just like any serious venture, you have to be willing to put in all the hard work that comes with it. You need to do things the right way, you need diligence, and above all, you need to have a real passion for discovering and sharing.

Yes, there are bloggers out there who make a substantial passive income from their blogs. Now you have to imagine the kind of work they must have put in to get to that point. It’s going to take patience and time. And a whole lot of effort.

Do I make money from blogging? A bit, yes. But mostly I get to land blogging gigs, or consultation gigs for clients, as well as get lots of free stuff.

As for me personally, I do make some money with my blogs. But nowhere near the kind of passive income some of my more successful blogging colleagues are making though. My main source of income really is from projects I get when the occasional client likes the way I write, so they ask me to develop content for their sites. Others ask for my help in getting a blog started. Still others enlist my aid on marketing ventures, or for projects that require a great deal of promotion, advertising or events management.

So while I don’t make that much money blogging, I do make cash from all sorts of gigs, projects and business ventures as a result of my efforts. I’d say I make enough. I’ve finally left the corporate world in early 2008, and no, I have no plans of heading back. I love the freedom and flexibility of being a digital entrepreneur, online freelancer and marketing consultant.

Then again, I’m not completely contented with my achievements so far. In fact, my long-term goal is to generate a substantial passive income from my blogs.

As far as making more money for yourself is concerned, there are many ways to go about this with your blog. Plug in all the Adsense/Chitika/Widgetbucks modules all you want, or go ahead and put up an Amazon A-Store or two, sign up for all kinds of affiliate marketing programs– the internet is full of all these make-money-from-your-blog strategies.

For me, I believe it’s still about content. Real stuff. Doesn’t have to be popular stuff, but at least something that appeals to a niche enough audience who are about as passionate as you are with the same things.

And you know what would help as well? A whole deal of internet marketing, search engine optimization, and a great deal of networking.

Tell you what, there are a couple of online talks going down that can really help you out if you’re serious about making money off your blogs.

First up, there is a webinar on how you can make money writing blog reviews and news articles on Sept. 17, 2009 at 7pm, Philippine time (GMT +8:00). It’s an online talk, so you can conveniently plug in from anywhere, as long as you have a decent PC or laptop and a stable internet connection. If you want to make some money blogging, or at least want to find out how, then go ahead and register right here, and attend the workshop once you get the confirmation. This particular webinar is free, so all you have to do really is register for it and attend it.

Next, you have slightly more intensive series of webinars– a certificate course where you can learn some real tips on how to optimize your site and make it more discoverable and search-friendly. I’m attending it myself, as I feel I have a serious need for it. You have a certificate course on Search Optimization Techniques, on October 6 (Tuesday), 8 (Thursday) and 10 (Saturday), 2009. All three classes are scheduled from 6:00PM to 8:00PM Philippine time (GMT +8:00). For that 3-day course, you can register for the series, and know more about payment details here.

Lastly, there is another online certificate course, but this one is all about link-building techniques, and is also spread out over 3 days: October 13 (Tuesday), 15 (Thursday) and 17 (Saturday), from 6 to 8pm. It is a direct continuation of the SEO certificate course, and for this set of webinars, you can register and know more about payment details here.

All of these courses are being conducted by Janette Toral, one of the Philippines’ foremost authorities in e-commerce and internet marketing. So yes, you will be in very capable hands.

So there you have it, if you want to make money from blogging, you’ve got three venues to learn how. I’ll be there myself, so I’ll see you then.

Cheers, everyone.

Renzie Celebrates One Internet Day 2009

Share This Post:  advocating the internet as a means of empowerment, with Renzie Baluyut.

The following post originally came out on my other blog, Keyboard Monkeys | Tips, Tricks and Advice for the Digital Entrepreneur.  I think One Internet Day 2009 is a cause well worth supporting, which is why I decided to put it on this blog as well.

It’s called One Internet Day, a day to celebrate the power of the Internet to bring people together. It’s about connectivity, empowerment, and synergy. One Internet Day encourages us to step back a bit to appreciate all the things we can now do online- whether for business, learning, discovering and sharing, or for recreation.

Janette Toral of Digital Filipino first came up with the idea in 2000, reaching out to around 300 people in Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao City to celebrate One Internet Day by providing updates on the development of e-commerce in the Philippines.

One Internet Day 2009: Empowering Filipinos Globally with the Internet

Incidentally, Digital Filipino celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and once again, Filipinos are encouraged to continue the legacy of One Internet Day 2009. According to Janette of Digital Filipino:

To celebrate that milestone, I—in partnership with ProFora Media—will conduct a series of free webinars that will cover the state of e-commerce in the Philippines, website best practices, Internet as a research medium for children, software process improvement and making money from blogging, among other topics.

From the ProFora Media website:

The webinars for the day feature an interesting selection of topics: e-commerce, outsourcing, internet marketing, training, even video production, web development and blogging. The series is a must-attend for entrepreneurs, professionals and business-folk, as well as for new media enthusiasts, students, and members of the academe.

If you’d like to show your support for One Internet Day 2009, it would be appreciated if you could help spread the word and encourage folks to check out the webinars lined up for September 17. In fact, with the availability, convenience and cost-effectiveness of webinars, more speakers have been encouraged to share their expertise and connect with an online audience.
Also, it can be expected every year hereon and we will call on more individuals to share their knowledge online during this day.

Here are the webinars lined up for One Internet Day 2009:

• “Introduction to Software Process Improvement” by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino PH-SPIN | 9:00am to 10:00am, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “State of E-Commerce in the Philippines” by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino | 11:00am to 12:00nn, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Website Development Best Practices: A Briefing on the 3rd Digital Filipino Web Awards (2009)” by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino | 2:00pm to 3:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Managing Training Effectively and True ROI” by Karthik Subburaman, Country Manager of The ECC International | 3:00pm to 4:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Internet as a Research Medium For Children in Elementary and High School: A Briefing on the Philippine Schools Cyberfair 2010″ by Janette Toral of Digital Filipino | 4:00pm to 5:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Outsourcing in the Philippines” by Gio Carino of Prodigy AE | 5:00pm to 6:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Video Editing For Profit” by Mary Tolentino of Client First | 6:00pm to 7:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.
• “Blogging For Money: How To Make Money Writing Reviews and News Articles” by Janette Toral of Blog4Reviews | 7:00pm to 8:00pm, Sept. 17, 2009.

About The One Internet Day 2009 Webinar Series:

Attending the Digital Filipino One Internet Day webinars are easy and convenient- anyone with a decent PC or laptop can register online, and then plug in from anywhere with a stable internet connection, and join the sessions from the comfort of home, office, or even at a coffee shop or a wi-fi-enabled resort.

You may want to check out the One Internet Day 2009 event page on Facebook right here, so you can reserve your slot for the webinar series on Sept.17.

For details and registration, you might want to check out the official websites of Digital Filipino and ProFora Media.

Cheers, everyone.

Living Solo: Moving Into Your Very Own Place

Share This Post: more tips on independent living, with Renzie Baluyut.

A friend of mine sought my advice the other day and was asking what she needed to get ready for, now that she was dead set on moving out of the house.

Personally, I think making a move from the comfy confines of the traditional Filipino home setup to getting a place of your own is a bold and admirable move.  I’m all for independent living, and you can build so much character by managing your own household, all by yourself.

Obviously, one of the first things to consider when you want to set out on your own is to find your own place.

It would be great if you actually buy your own piece of property (you can get a decent condo for a good deal these days), or at least get something rent-to-own.  It’s still alright to rent one, but keep costs manageable.

As a rule of thumb, I’d say 20-30% of your monthly income could go to your rent.  Factor in bills for utilities, groceries and daily transportation, you should only be spending at most half of your monthly income on all your living expenses for the month.

Any more than that, and you’re probably living beyond your means.   Take some time to sit down and assess your spending habits, so you can see where all your money is going.  If you think you might be spending too much, either scale down some, or make more money.

Don’t forget to figure in location.  Ideally, you would want a place as close to work as possible, to cut down on daily travel time.  The further away from work, the cheaper it gets (in terms of monthly rent and maintenance), but you’ll be spending more time on the road rather than doing something else like sleeping or relaxing.  So strike out a good balance.

Usually you will be needing two to three months’ deposit and one month advance.  So expect to cough out a little more cash at the start.  In most cases, the deposit gets used up when you decide to leave, so you get your last couple of months for free (assuming of course, you have fulfilled the terms of your contract).

Moving in will also entail some costs, as well as renovating and cleaning up your new place, and even buying new fixtures, furnitures and other personal effects.

At the very least, your new place should have a decent bed, a desk and chair, and some closet space.

As for appliances, you should probably start getting a few essential pieces…

• An electric fan or two, because the Philippines is hot and humid like that,
• A refrigerator, so you can store all the essential food you need living on your own, stock up on deli meats, sandwich stuff and other grocery items, have cold drinks, and essentially make life a lot easier for yourself,
• A one- or two-burner stove, so you can do basic cooking and reheating, allowing you to save some money by not relying too much on eating out or having food delivered at home,
• A basic oven toaster, for heating up bread and other food, or for doing some simple roasting  or baking,
• A lamp, for controlled lighting at night.
• A rice cooker, not only because Pinoys love rice, but also because you can do more cooking in it.

For utilities, apartments usually come with electricity and running water.  Depending on your needs, you will probably end up getting…

• Cable TV.  Only if you’re more into TV.  Personally, I’m not a TV person.  I’d rather put my money into…
• Broadband Internet.  You might actually be better off using a provider like Smart Bro, only because I haven’t had any issues with them these past couple of months (I had a couple of terrible experiences with Globe last year, one in June and another in November).
• A landline service.  Landline phones are so easy to get these days.  In fact, you can load a landline sim onto an old mobile phone of yours, so you can take your landline with you wherever you go.

As you gain a little more money, you can probably afford to but yourself a few more high-ticket items:

• A radio/CD/mp3 player. Because everything is so much better with music.
• A TV.  Used best with cable, or with a DVD player, or even a gaming console- totally up to you.
• A PC.  Used best with internet or broadband connection.  Depending on your needs, you can make it more work-friendly, or more gaming-intensive.  Even better if you’re seriously considering doing more work from home.
• Air-conditioning.  Particularly useful during the summer months.
• A microwave oven.  Cooking and reheating gets even more convenient that way.

Of course, later on you can put in money from time to time for new curtains, or even those aromatic oil lamps, throw pillows or little decorative pieces.  Maybe you might even decide to invest on a better bed, so you can get more quality sleep, or you can build up your kitchen some more, spruce up the bathroom, work towards a more impressive home entertainment center- you can have whatever you like.

With hard work, and some smart spending decisions, you’ll eventually have the home away from home you’ve always wanted- a place where you can chill, relax or crash, or have a DVD marathon with some friends, or just spend some much needed alone time with yourself.

Cheers, everyone!