Tuesday, August 11, 2015

SSS R3 File Generator Downloading and More with Windows 10

I recently upgraded from Windows 8 to Windows 10. While I might have a longer blog regarding this as I am facing a few challenges with this new version I would like to share one of the advantages of upgrading - SSS R3 File Generator downloading.

I have been to the SSS website several times using Chrome to download the said app but for some reason it keeps giving me a virus error. It has become very frustrating as I cannot find anyone or any site online where I could get the said R3 File generator. However, with my recent migration to Windows 10 I tried opening it with the new Edge browser and boom it downloaded faster than I expected with no errors. Having gone through the difficulty of downloading this thing online, I am creating this blog to help others who have the same issue.

Most blogs I saw advised readers to use Internet Explorer or other browsers aside from Chrome. I guess they are correct but since Windows 10 does not show an IE browser but Edge, I tried the latter and it works.

Right now, I am searching online for ways on how I can keep security settings permanent with Windows 10. So far every time I try to save changes to any document I always have to keep going to Properties and Security settings to allow me to have full control on the document and save them. For now getting the SSS R3 File Generator is very helpful. Should anyone want to get a copy just like this page and send me your email info.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Another Scam Online? Beware of Used Cars for Sale!

There's that time in your life that despite the traffic in Edsa, the flooded streets, the high cost of penalties and charges for traffic violations, the ever increasing cost of gas, toll and parking, and all bumps in the road, you still want to own your own car. If it has not happened to you, it has happened to us.

Just like everyone else, we tried all we can and what we can and even who we can - to get a new car. After finding out the requirements, rate, initial deposit, chattel mortgage, insurance, LTO registration, and monthly payments and others, we realized it costs a lot to get a new car. Added to this is my not so good credit rating because of my previous credit card issues so the interest went higher and the required deposit is a lot higher too compared to the normal 20%.



I, with my normal audit and accounting skills, but honestly my "kuripot" expertise, got into thinking about other options. And so, I went ahead and spent hours and almost every day checking various sites for used cars for sale. I was thinking maybe they would sell less considering the mileage and depreciation cost. Of course, I was right. Since my budget increased for every month my car loan was not yet approved, I started hoping to find a better car. I no longer look for older models but I was now looking for bigger car, an SUV, considering the flooded streets from Laguna to Manila and back.


In my normal "woman's calculator" brains, I was thinking if I get a used car then we do not have to think of monthly payments. We can use the money for something else, like start paying for our own home. We can also have extra budget for whatever. I won't go through PMS monthly thinking about higher bills. 

And so there it goes, I realized OLX.com and Tsikot.com have cars that I wanted and they have a user-friendly search engines for me to customize my search based on the vehicle I wanted and I can afford. And eventually, I found something I like. It was a Toyota RAV4. It was sold for only P160K and it was automatic, runs on gasoline, first-owned, low mileage and only in Metro Manila. I was getting excited. I emailed the owner in June and he got back to me just this October. Was I still excited? Of course, I still was until the emails were getting a little suspicious and I was becoming more hesitant than excited.




The owner, a Mr. Enriquez says he is in France and his caretaker will send me the vehicle and documents. He asked for my info and on the same day the caretaker, a Mr. Bayona emailed me the payment details. Mr. Bayona wanted me to make a Western Union payment of P150K and a cash payment of P10K. I should give him the Western Union payment details without the MTCN and when I have the vehicle, done a test drive and willing to buy the vehicle, I will give him the P10K cash, the MTCN for the P150K and he will in turn give me the documents with the pre-signed Deed of Sale. Well, of course, the "Kuripot" me started checking how much fees would it cost to send P150K through Western Union? If I did not like the vehicle, how will I get these fees back? Who in their right mind would pay me back the fees even if I did not buy anything from them? Am really getting a Toyota Rav4 for P160K? Too good to be true, right? 

I told my partner of this proposal and I am sure he can tell with my voice that I was half-hearted with the entire thing. He was 90% hesitant. He felt that there was something fishy with the transaction. I emailed back and told them if we can make a check payment instead. We can even deposit the check right away if we are satisfied with the vehicle performance. They insist on a Western Union payment. They wanted proof that we can deposit the payment so he can prepare the vehicle as he was coming from Naga. I was starting to have more questions now. Why is he in Naga? He will be driving my Toyota Rav4 from Naga, what happens to the car mileage? LOL!

Before giving my final decision, I made a last search online. I started checking for their names, Facebook accounts and other info but I could not find any. Hmnn. I then started checking online car sale scams. I found these articles very helpful and one which is very similar to my case. It seemed to me that this was not just a coincidence. In short, we have arrived at a decision not to proceed with the sale. I am not saying that the persons I corresponded with are certified scammers but as they say - when you doubt, don't!

To conclude, friends and family would always say, "If you can afford it then buy a new car and save yourself the trouble." My financial expert friend says, "If you still want to buy used cars, buy from the bank." And my God smiles and says, "Wait." I hope you learn from this experience too. 



For us, we learned and we'll keep praying, doing and moving till we have our prayers answered. We just know we'll get there and we'll drive our prayed for car soon!







Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Work From Home Realizations: Letting Go is Key

It's been years now since I left the corporate world and embraced the "work from home" life. It has been quite a blast at first, having to wake up when you are done sleeping. Not to mention you do not have to worry about rushing to work, commuting and getting stuck in traffic. You do not have to think about having enough money for a cab or taxi or getting a memo or being denied of a bonus for being late. You do not have to feel sorry for yourself because everyone else is sleeping while you are out there braving the rain, storm and thunderstorms because you work at night or simply because you are employed and expected to be in the office at a certain time.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Learnings from Hiring Online Job Contractors

I'd say "Learnings" because I was so frustrated the other day when I met some of the worst online job contractors posing as experienced and professionals but were fake. It was the first time that I really felt so bad with someone who works for me and with me online. I even told my sister if this were an employee in the call center I used to manage I would probably send her home right away. It was twice in a row for the week and I was just so disappointed.

I have been writing online for years now. I have received various writing tasks from clients all over the world -just about any topic under the sun. Most clients are from the UK, US, Australia and Indonesia. I remember writing about Scholarship Grants, Bankruptcy, Goodyear Tires, Barbie Doll Houses, Destination Weddings, Wedding Rings, Mobile Homes, Cars for Hire and Foot Solutions. I also wrote hundreds or thousands of Finance articles including Factoring, Mortgage and other Work at Home options. You can check out my Odesk account for the number of clients I have had. I also have clients for Accounting jobs and just the same the clients are not from the Philippines most of the time but it gives me a chance to explore Cloud Accounting more. This job has been truly rewarding and fulfilling. My online job has been one of God's channels in blessing me and my family. It has helped me a lot especially when I was in between jobs and when I finally decided to go freelancing and gain freedom with my time that employment usually would not offer.




However, early last month I tried hiring online job contractors to help me finish a huge writing job I accepted. Since I am now a practicing accountant, I am not as free to write as before. I realized I could help others earn extra if I hire one online. Most of them anyway are like me who are looking for work from home opportunities to payoff some bills. Therefore, I started hiring one through various job seeker hubs. I would say, I was very fortunate to find really reliable ones but because they are so good they have other demanding jobs, they can accept limited job orders only. This prompted me to hire more. 


Saturday, August 17, 2013

Reminding Yourself of God's Promises

It is always great to feel loved! Am sure everyone would agree with me on that. Unfortunately, not all of us feel loved all the time. Some of us even suffer from depression every now and then. Some feel worse. It is amazing that we do not realize that we ought to feel great every second because we are actually loved every single second of the day. God loves us! This is a reality! Regardless of who you are what you do, you are loved by the Most High God!

A few months ago, I changed the wallpaper of my laptop. I also used it as my cover photo for my Facebook account. Check out the picture below. This is one way to constantly remind me how greatly blessed I am, highly favored and deeply loved! Why do I have to remind myself? Like you, I used to forget, I didn't feel like it and for some time I felt, I did not deserve them - blessings, favor and love. And although today, I feel the same every single day - bless, favored and loved, putting these words in front of me still makes a great difference in my daily life.



Monday, August 5, 2013

One Confusing Home Sonic Experience: Scam or Strategy

Since I started my practice as an accountant I have been very fortunate to have the time to visit the malls again as I move from one client to another. I love the free time to check out the sale and the new items in the malls and freely window shop just like everyone else. I get to dine and shop in the places I want to especially that most of these places or merchants do not have branches yet in Balibago and Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Yesterday, I was in Ortigas for BIR stuff and passed by Starmall in Shaw Boulevard. However, this time I was there since they have this terminal for vans to Balibago. I passed by the mall as well to find a restroom so I can attend to my personal needs before taking the long ride home. Just as I was reviewing my day and realizing I forgot to drop by BPI bank, I saw a this small BPI mall shop and was able to enroll two accounts for fund transfer. I left the shop feeling blessed and happy that BPI has these mall shops. I felt relieved. I was in a happy, content and satisfied mood having done all I had to do when suddenly this guy greeted me from the back. I was so surprised and my reaction was just so funny that I continued to laugh even after he introduced himself.

Well, I have been in Starmall Shaw Blvd. several times and I know that there are many marketing people here selling all kinds of stuff and just pretending to give out coupons, freebees and other items as a baiting strategy. Anyway, I told the guy/girl - Aristotle, that I was in a hurry and I can't seem to find the restroom. He continued asking for my time just to introduce their products. Finally, he said the comfort room is near their showroom. I told him I don't want to spend an hour with them (like Philippine Prudential guys in the same mall). He promised it was just for a few minutes just to help him with his "attendance" and since he was almost begging, I pitied him and gave in advising him that I cannot stay longer because I need to go to the restroom soon. He led me to their showroom and I entered HOME SONIC.

Monday, March 18, 2013

How To Deal with Cellulite Effectively this Summer


As an article writer, it is always easier to write for something that you are interested in. Today, I submitted an article about a popular skin issue, Cellulite. It allowed me to research about the subject more. I learned what it is and what are the possible ways to effectively deal with it. I want to share with you my new found knowledge, which I believe every woman (even men) would want to know.



Summer Fun and Cellulite

They become issues especially if you can no longer wear shorter pants, miniskirts, and bathing suits. Now that summer is here, dealing with cellulite is a major issue for most women. What is the point of going to the beach if you do not have the confidence to show off some skin, or you cannot swim freely with your chosen outfit?


Know What Is Cellulite, What It Is Doing and Deal with It Accordingly

Are you like everyone else who asks, what is cellulite? Are you also interested to know how to deal with these ugly cellulite found in different parts of your body? Are cellulite fat deposits? Are these the same fats, which you should live without? Do you find it necessary to buy the most expensive creams that promises permanent solution for cellulite? Do you really have to get rid of them? Can you really get rid of them for good? Can you get rid of cellulite by dieting? Do you need surgery instead to take care of what is cellulite in your body? These are some of the questions, which most women want to know, when it comes to cellulite and looking good. However, understanding what is cellulite and what it is not is a good start to find the best solution to it.



Monday, February 18, 2013

2013 Employment Trend: Going Against the Current


Early this year countless predictions became essential to start 2013 right. Employment growth is one of the concerns of many people. Unemployment rate in the past decades has been on the rise. With more people graduating, migrating, returning home, and losing jobs, people want to know if there is still hope for everyone.  

The continuous slowdown of economic growth worldwide is the main cause of anxiety for many. Wage freeze and wage cut have become a norm in many industries and economies. Despite labor law compliance posters that require equal opportunities and minimum wage, some people still did not earn sufficient income. While this year does not prove to be very promising in the overall employment trend globally there are some sectors that continue to thrive. Positioning yourself in these sectors can help you go against the current and enjoy higher returns than predicted. 

Monday, February 11, 2013

The Pope is Resigning! How About You?

It is confirmed, the Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, is resigning. According to the news, the Pope is resigning due to old age. This unpopular move succeeded a pope who resigned in the 13th century. However, I guess the whole world would understand, he is resigning because of old age. Anyone at age 85 would probably want to resign too.

However, how about you? When will you resign or when do you plan to retire? Personally, I want to retire early so I can enjoy life more. However, I want to retire rich. If you check my Goodreads account, I am still reading the book "Retire Young Retire Rich" by Robert Kiyosaki. I am hoping to finish this before my birthday.  





Saturday, February 9, 2013

Monetizing Blogs and Money Making Made Possible

I got so excited with this new blog site that I spent hours and days updating it including the template, layouts, pages and of course in finding ways to improve it. Guess what? I found out too that you can actually monetize your blogs which means you have some earnings out of it. I got even more excited. Of course, I spent more sleepless nights too.





I remembered an old friend's advice, Borg Sulapas, that you can actually earn online by adding different adds to your website. Back then though, I just loved writing and spending time with social media sites like Multiply and Friendster (remember, Friendster?). However, during those days, I thought having your own website meant additional expenses or fees. I never found the time to create my own website.



These past few days, I went back to my friend's advice. I looked for ways to earn through this blog. I checked out AdSense, Amazon, and Ebay. I got so busy checking how to add some links, widgets and banners. I became a little frustrated seeing that there was a lot to read and learn in order to get this process right. I was so focused on which ads to put and where to put them properly. In fact, I spent an entire day reading online blogs and checking different sites, affiliate marketing programs and Pay Per Click articles, and everything else available online.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Gratitude: Counting My Blessings this New Year

It's 2013! We are on our second month already but I guess there is a need to look back in 2012 to move forward with more peace and positive outlook. I couldn't say much for others. Perhaps, we all have our share of joys and sorrows in the past. However, I am still thankful for everything God has provided to us for the past year. 



Pregnancy: Women's Expectations, Success and Failures

They often talk about teen pregnancy these days. When people see young adults get pregnant, they call it unwanted pregnancy simply because they are not ready to get married or to be parents yet. People talk as if there is little or no hope for the young mother and her child. However, years would always prove them wrong. There is always a bright future ahead of these young parents and their child. If they can believe it then they can see it and live it.