WE ARE NOT 100% SURE...

We are not 100% sure that...

...we will impress our friends and coworkers, but we still buy that new shirt or dress 
...we will use all its features, but we still buy that latest gadget (i.e. cellphone, laptop, etc.)
...we will jog or run every week, but we still buy that new and a little bit expensive running shoe ...we will improve our game, but we still buy that latest Kobe or Le Bron sneakers 
...we will lose weight, but we still enroll in an expensive gym or buy that home gym equipment
...we will always be on time, but we still buy that Rolex or Tag Heuer watch 
...we will always have lots of money in our wallet, but we still buy that Hermes or LV bag 
...we will always have that youthful face, but we still buy those facial products 
...we will wear all those bling blings, but we still buy those jewelries 
...we will be able to shoulder increasing gasoline prices and cost of maintenance, but we still buy that new car 
...we will enjoy the trip, but we still buy that plane ticket and book that hotel
...we will be successful in business, but we still buy that franchise or invest in a new venture
...we will earn more than the inflation rate, but we still put ALL our money in banks 
...we will be safe and be fully maintained in the future, but we still buy that condominium 
...we will earn and be successful, but we still invest and join that new network marketing co. 
...our children will be successful in the future, but we still enroll them in the best schools

On the other hand, we are 100% sure that we will die, but we still don't buy that LIFE INSURANCE 

Please get one not for yourself, but for your family, loved ones, and dependents... 

Hope this helps.


Ge

Gerald Cantor is a Financial Consultant of Pru Life UK, a Registered Financial Planner graduate, a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor.  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", a baller, a newby entrepreneur and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia (4yo) and Clarie (3yo).  

Why people don’t like to buy life insurance

Why people don’t like to buy life insurance

REFLECTIONS ON POVERTY, FAMILY & FAITH

"...For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:35-36

Recently,  I've been blessed to visit two institutions for the first time:  Kanlungan ni Maria (a home for the aged in Antipolo City) and Molave Youth Hall (a "therapeutic center" for youth/minor offenders in QC).  
***
Kanlungan ni Maria takes care of 21 abandoned lolo's and lola's while Molave houses around 230 minors who were charged or in the process of being charge of crimes (such as robbery, theft, frustrated murder, rape, public scandal, etc.)
***
The first question that came to my mind is why is this happening to our "kababayans"?  Who in their right mind would neglect and leave alone a lolo or a lola?  Why kids at their young age would commit such crimes?
***
One reason I can think of is POVERTY.  Maybe lolo's or lola's family cannot support him/her anymore so they have to let them go.  Maybe our youth offenders come from poor families as well and they have to make ends meet by stealing and robbing other people instead...
***
Another cause maybe is FAMILY.  Maybe our family foundation is getting weak so that it's okay to let go of our grandparents and it's okay for our kids to roam around the streets and do whatever they want without proper guidance.
***
Maybe its also a question of FAITH.  Maybe since we are poor that we feel that we are neglected by God.  We have our own free will and we choose to do what is "practical" in order to survive instead doing what is "moral and right".
***
In a recent Advent recollection, the priest said that we must be ready to feel the "tsunami of faithlessness"....I think this is also one cause why these things are happening to us...
***
But there is always a ray of light....a goodness in every heart....such as the tireless men and women who provides care to our lolo's and lola's...the social workers and staff who dedicated themselves in guiding and counseling our youth offenders...
***
But we need to do more...a question to ask ourselves is NOT WHETHER TO BUY THE NEW iPHONE 4S =)...but more importantly, what can we do more to alleviate POVERTY, promote strong FAMILY values and stress the importance of keeping and living the FAITH...
***
Washington SyCip (founder of SGV) said he admires someone if he has done something to reduce POVERTY....
***
Ma. Lourdes Carandang (well-known clinical psychologist) mentioned that PARENTING plays a most critical role in nation building...
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Lastly, Jesus said " Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
***
Let us join the fight....starting NOW...in our own little way....whatever we can....

To God be the glory and have a blessed Christmas everyone!

Hope this helps.

Ge

IF I AM SANTA CLAUS...

If I am Santa Claus....I will wish and give you some "priceless" gifts this holiday season...

But first, I will remind you that Christmas is not about me but about the Baby Jesus who was born in a "manger"...

For your country, I wish you freedom from war, poverty and corruption...

For your family, I wish you will celebrate Christmas together and may LOVE and PEACE reign with all of your family members...

For your belief or faith, whether you believe in Jesus, Buddha or Allah, may you continue to keep the faith and your Supreme Being bless you always...

For you my friend, oh there's a lot of things that I would like to give you.  I know you would have wanted a new phone (i.e. iPhone 4s is coming), a new car, a new house, a new job, etc. ..but since your Santa Claus is now an advocate of personal financial planning, I will wish you and give you some "priceless" gifts instead...=)

• HAPP"Y"NESS...(hey, start smiling...)
• PEACE OF MIND...(hey, start appreciating the simple things in life...)
• GOOD HEALTH FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY....(hey, start exercising...)
• FINANCIAL WELLNESS....(hey, start budgeting and saving...)
• CAREER FULFILLMENT...(hey, start about thinking and living your passion...)
• POSITIVE FRIENDS...(hey, when was the last time you catch up with your "positive" friends..)
• GOOD LUCK...(hey, we all need some luck too...)
• FULFILLED GOALS AND DREAMS....(hey, dream big and start living your dreams..)
• BACK TO BASICS...(hey, what is really important for you?...)
• LOVE....(hey, GIVE LOVE NOT JUST ON CHRISTMAS DAY...but EVERYDAY!...)

I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a blessed NEW YEAR!!!

Hope this helps.


Ge

Gerald Cantor is a Registered Financial Planner graduate and a Financial Consultant of Pru Life UK.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor.  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", a baller, a newby entrepreneur and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia (4yo) and Clarie (2yo).   
 

THINK DIFFERENT: STEVE JOBS and MONEY

I just started reading Steve Jobs' biography written by Walter Isaacson.  I read about one-fourth of the book only and I got so much insights already.  For one, Steve was a perfectionist, impatient a@#$!!hole who only cared about developing the best product and making a dent in the Universe....Anyway, here are some excerpts from the book and Steve's thoughts about money, pursuing one's passion and believing in oneself.

• "I never worried about money.  I grew up in a middle-class family, so I never thought I would starve.  And I learned at Atari that I could be an okay engineer, so I always knew I could get by.  I was voluntarily poor when I was in college and India, and I lived a pretty simple life even when I was working.  So I went from fairly poor, which was wonderful, because I didn't have to worry about money, to being incredibly rich, when I also didn't have to worry about money."

• "I watched people at Apple who made a lot of money and felt they had to live differently.  Some of them bought a Rolls-Royce and various houses, each with a house manager and then someone to manage the house managers.  Their wives got plastic surgery and turned into these bizarre people.  This was not how I wanted to live.  It's crazy.  I made a promise to myself that I'm not going to let this money ruin my life." 

•  Andy Hertzfeld:  "Jobs thought of himself as an artist, and he encouraged the design team (of Macintosh) to think of ourselves that way too.  The goal was never to beat the competition, or to make a lot of money.  It was to do the greatest thing possible, or even a little greater...  We said to ourserlves, 'Hey, if we're going to make things in our lives, we might as well make them beautiful."

• "We all have a short period of time on this earth.  We probably only have the opportunity to do a few things really great and do them well.  None of us has any idea how long we're going to be here, nor do I, but my feeling is I've got to accomplish a lot of these things while I'm young."

• On deciding to start Apple:  "Even if we lose our money, we'll have a company,  For once in our lives, we'll have a company."  This was exciting to Steve Wozniak, even more than any prospect of getting rich.  He recalled, "I was excited to think about us like that.  To  be two best friends starting a company.  Wow, I knew right then that I'd do it.  How could I not?"
  

• On being a drop out:  "All of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition.  I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out.  And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life.  So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out okay."

Hope this helps.

Ge

Gerald Cantor is a Registered Financial Planner graduate and a Financial Consultant of Pru Life UK.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor.  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", a baller, a newby entrepreneur and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia (4yo) and Clarie (2yo).   

THE VALUE OF FINANCIAL PLANNING

":For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he may have enough to finish it; lest perhaps, after he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all those seeing begin to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish." - Luke 14:28-30

To realize the value of financial planning, ask a Lotto winner who suddenly won a hundred million but only to lose  all of it after a couple of years....

To realize the value of life insurance, ask a young widow who lost her husband and left her with three pre-schoolers...

To realize the value of a fire insurance, ask a businessman whose store or warehouse has been burned and nothing was left...

To realize the value of health insurance, ask a sick person who needed to advertise in a daily newspaper that she has cancer, she has no money and she is pleading for donations...

To realize the value of having an "emergency fund", ask a parent whose child suddenly had an  accident or a homeowner whose house or car has been flooded due to Ondoy or Pedring...

To realize the value of budgeting, ask a mother who earns a minimum wage and is feeding eight children and a sick parent...

To realize the value of saving, ask a young couple who can't wait to get married and start their own family...

To realize the value of investing, ask an OFW who worked for more than 10 years in Saudi only to come home broke, in debt and with only his appliances and "Magic Sing" as his treasured possessions...

To realize the value of a retirement fund, ask a Lolo or a Lola who worked for 40 or more years and raised his/her kids to be professionals but only to be left with no money and is unsure who will take care of them at their old age...


To realize the value of investing in debt payments, ask an employee who is "baon sa utang" and credit card companies are hounding him left and right...

Lastly, to realize the value of giving away money, examine the lives of St. Francis of Assisi or Mother Teresa...

Hope this helps,

Ge

Gerald Cantor is a Registered Financial Planner graduate and a Financial Consultant of Pru Life UK.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor.  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", a baller, a newby entrepreneur and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia (4yo) and Clarie (2yo).  
   

BASKETBALL FINANCE: ALI "MAN MOUNTAIN" PEEK

“Every man dies - Not every man really lives.” - William Ross Wallace

A couple of weeks ago, Ali Peek (PBA Talk & Text center/power forward) was shot in the neck at a parking lot after his workout.  Up until now, the police and Ali's family/friends are still clueless who did this and why.  Gladly, Ali survived and is now getting better. 

But the question is why?  People say Ali is one of the nicest guys in the PBA. He even won the Sportmanship Award back in 2007.  


Sometimes we really can't tell what will happen to us...


Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down...


Sometimes its hard to understand why bad things happen to us even if we try to be nice to everybody...


Sometimes we worked so hard for our future, only to be stricken by a major illness or an unfortunate event...


So what can we do...the answer is to be ALWAYS PREPARED...let us cover the major aspects in our lives...

• Spiritual - Are we prepared to meet our Maker anytime soon?  Have we done enough for His glory?   Have we shown that we love Him and our neighbors?
• Relational - Do we treat our families as our top priority? Do we strive to spend quality time with them and show our unconditional love to them?  What legacy are we going to leave our children? 
• Financial - Do we have "income replacement" in case of sudden death, disability or critical illness?  If you are suddenly taken out of the picture, how will your family sustain their lifestyle?
• Physical - Are we taking care of our bodies to prevent any illness?  Are we strengthening our immune system so that even when illness or an accident strikes, we can recover quickly?
• Mental - Do we firmly believe in ourselves and stay positive?  Are we focused on our dreams despite the ups and downs?
• Social - Have we surrounded ourselves with positive and supportive friends who will always be there for you in good and bad times?  Do we prefer to have a thousand FB friends or just a few TRUE friends?
• Intellectual - Have we used our degrees, titles, and talents to the best of our ability and for the common good?  

I know we have lots of things to do.  We just need to prioritize which ones are important and take one small step at a time.

Hope this helps,


Ge

P.S.  God bless you and your family Mr. Ali Peek!


Gerald Cantor is a Registered Financial Planner graduate and a Financial Consultant of Pru Life UK.  He is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Internal Auditor.  Ge is proud to be an ex-OFW, a "career-shifter", a baller, a newby entrepreneur and most importantly, a "proud" dad of Gia (4yo) and Clarie (2yo).