peso-dollar rate, nov. 17, 2009

Since I last posted the dollar exchange rate, it’s one dollar down this time.   It’s awfully bad coz I wasn’t able to transfer my money last time.  So now,  I am holding on to it and expecting that the dollar exchange rate will go higher in the coming weeks. 

Here is the Peso-Dollar Rate as of November 17, 2009.

I may not have a big savings in my account (not even enough to buy pond pumps) but I am hoping that by next year, I will have enough to pay for my planned trip to the Philippines.  Little by little I can do it and with the constant flow of assignments I am getting, who know I will even have extra for other things.  

many freebies!

There are a lot of freebies around us these days.  Free massage, free taste of food, free spa, free insurance quotes, free movies…especially this Christmas season when companies are giving away treats to their valued customers.  I guess one of the best freebies we get on Christmas are the food! hahaha With parties here and there, it is sometimes difficult to say no to the invitations.  

Have you got any free gifts lately?  I did!  I got three bags full of clothes for Caity and future baby. hehe  And anytime soon, I’ll also receive a package with clothes (still for Caity) but with the expensive price I paid for the delivery, it isn’t actually considered free. Oh no! I’m reminded of that foolish mistake I made. huhuhu

let beauty magazines inspire you

If you don’t want to get frustrated over your looks and figure, stay away from those beauty magazines!  They say that looking at beauty magazines makes you feel ugly. heheheh…Flipping through the pages and seeing those svelte bodies models are flaunting makes you want to hide under the blanket and wish you have their slender figures too.  Then your mind races, wondering what are the best fat burners that can turn your fat body into a slim one. 

Don’t be frustrated!  Instead let what you see inspire you to look better! Exercise, eat healthy, dress fashionably, and learn from others how they achieved the weight and look they aspire to have.    

shorter days are here

They days are definitely getting shorter!  When Caity and I get up from our afternoon nap usually about 4, it’s already dark.  During summer, it was still bright until 9pm the most and her dad can still bring her to the playground when he gets home from work.  These days, we just stay inside after our nap and play with her toys or she watches her favorite kiddie shows.  If not for the outdoor lighting lining along the streets, it would be dark outside.  But even with the bright lights, I still don’t get tempted to go out coz its cold also. As winter is approaching, the weather will be getting more colder and the days shorter and shorter. Brrrrr…  That’s the downside of being in Europe.

how safe is your drinking water?

I know most families spend a lot of money buying bottled water.  Here in Prague, we used to do that before.  But it all changed when one time I was at a friend’s house and found out that they drink directly from their faucet.  She told me that it’s safe. Taking her word for it,  we followed suit.  We don’t buy bottled water anymore which added more money saved in our pocket, and also lessened our garbage. =) 

Back home in the Philippines where the tap water is not advisable for drinking, we have a water purifier at home.  Water filters, water softeners are only some of the water systems that can help clean the water you’re drinking.  I think it is best to invest in this rather than spend daily on bottled water.  In the long run, having your own water purification system is better and cheaper.  Our purifier is already more than a decade old and it’s still working perfectly.  Just imagine the money we saved for all those years.  

sluggishhhh

Duh! I don’t like it when I am lagging behind with my work.  I feel like it’s getting to be a burden instead of a blessing.  My mind is in the sluggish state; it refuses to work!  If given a choice, I would rather just eat, sleep, watch my favorite TV shows  or browse on the internet.  But I’ve got a lot of other things to take care of… a demanding toddler, a husband, house chores and online work.  Do I sound like a candidate for weight loss?  Not really.  With my constant eating, I don’t think I’ll lose weight.  In fact, I am gaining weight!  And that’s not just because of food but because of the growing baby inside me (I’m on my 27th week!).

Anyway, little by little, I hope to finish all my assignments.  I really need the money coz I’ve got a lot of things to spend for. 

don’t stand so close to the TV!

Little Caity is always attracted to stand near our TV set.  I have tried putting her kiddie table before the tv stand to keep her near the TV but smart as she is, she sometimes moves it and takes her place instead. If only we own this place we’re living, I would like to buy a wall mount tv stand so she can’t anymore stand close to the TV. I kept reminding her though not to do it which I hope she will understand as she grows older.  It’s only a matter of time till she will understand why.  I just have to be patient in telling her over and over until she gets over this bad TV habit. 

the car has to be fixed soon!

Caity is asleep already that’s why I have time to sneak in here and work a bit before I head to dreamland too.  Today has been a so-so day.  We spent most of our morning getting ready for the Mass and commuting back and forth.  It’s really inconvenient not to have a car especially when the weather has been getting colder and colder and my tummy getting bigger. It’s takes longer time to get up in the morning when it’s cold, longer time to dress up and also longer time for the hair to get dry.  And yeah, I wouldn’t mind all that if we have the car. 

I’ve been bugging hubby to bring the car to the repair tomorrow, so we can use it ASAP!  But definitely it won’t get fixed immediately so on Tuesday, I have to attend a party and we will be using public transport again! Whew! I wonder how much the repair would cost.  I hope it wont cost as much as those life insurance quotes I’ve seen on the internet, coz we don’t have that much money for it! hehe.

comfortable walking shoes for pregnant women

Being pregnant brings many discomforts.  As my baby bump grows, my back aches more often and my legs hurt from the increased weight that I carry.  I have noticed that I walk slow compared to my usual pace and I also feel tired sooner.  A good pair of walking shoes is a must for pregnant women especially if walking is part of their daily exercise. 

I have been browsing on some Dansko shoes and found this funky and colorful boots:

Authentic UGG Australia Women’s Classic Cardy #5819 - Sorbet - On Sale! 

It will sure stand out during the winter when almost everybody is wearing the boring black or brown colors.    It really looks comfortable and warm to wear, good for walking!

financial blessings

Today I was glad when the checked the peso-dollar rate in the Inquirer.  The dollar has increased against peso which means a bigger equivalent of my dollar earnings! 

With so many expenses coming our way, even the littlest amount means a lot.  I am not looking for a life insurance quote, but I am saving the money for more condo expenses that’s expected next month when the furnishing works resume.  It’s a blessing that I received many blogging assignments lately which would be really useful.  Thank God for continuing to look after and providing for our needs!  

pregnancy pimples

Aside from dark eye circle, one thing that happens when I lack sleep is getting pimples.  Geez!  So far, none popped out of my face yet but if this sleeping problem continues, it will be just a matter of days till they show. When that happens, I’ll need the best acne treatment there is.  Having pimples is the last thing I want! 

Pimple breakouts during pregnancy are common for most women.  I know one blogger who had zits all over her face when she was pregnant. 

What causes this pregnancy pimples?  They can be credited to an increase in your hormones. Hormone levels rise during pregnancy and the pores produce more oil which leads to oily skin which then causes pimples. Some even have it worse, though, coz their pimples aren’t limited only to their face but also in other parts of their body.

dieting when pregnant?

Even when I complain that my tummy is bigger than my previous pregnancy, a friend told me that I didn’t get fat.  I was happy to hear that news coz I was worried that I am gaining weight from eating a lot.  I was told that it’s usually like that when you’re carrying a baby boy, you tend to eat plenty.   That means there’s no need for me to take appetite suppressant pills which is probably not also advisable for pregnant women.  

Guess what?  While writing this, I have beside me a bowl of eggnog crackers. Yum, yum!  

insomnia during pregnancy

According to Baby Center, about 78% of pregnant women suffer from insomnia and other sleep problems.  I don’t know how the statistics are true but for me, this is a fact.  It’s been over a week since I have been bothered by sleeplessness.  At first, I thought it was just because my husband was working late which makes me uneasy when someone is still up.  But then even when he sleeps early, I still have a hard time getting a nice sleep.  I would usually wake up almost every hour which is getting to be annoying! 

I am getting dark eye circle because of this and during mornings, I really get sleepy.  What should I do?  I still have more than 3 months of waiting till my due date and based from my previous pregnancy, it will only get worse. 

where to trade or sell rare coins

Do you own some rare gold coins?  Lucky you!  Hold on to it!  When times get very difficult, these precious metals can be your life-saving possessions.  Should the time come when you really need money, you can sell or trade them for good money. 

This is where Monaco Rare Coin can help you get the most for your gold coins.  They are experts in the field of precious metal investments and trading.  They know where to find good opportunities that are sometimes not known or not available to regular or less- established dealers.  You wouldn’t want to trust your prized investments with less-experienced dealers, would you?
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helping each other in difficult times

Typhoon after typhoon is hitting on the Philippines the past days.  First there was Ondoy that wreaked havoc to Luzon area with the unexpected flooding. Then comes Pepeng that’s pounding on North Luzon as I’m writing this.  My kababayans who were affected by the typhoon (either they lost their families, houses or means of living because of the floods) are in dire need of help.  Many organizations and countries have already pledged and sent in their financial aid. Also fellow Pinoys who were spared from the wrath of Ondoy are doing their part in helping the typhoon victims. God bless us all!  Some may have given up their savings or their planned orange nj dentist  appointment in order to share their money for the hapless victims of this recent calamity. I pray that with everybody’s help, the victims may find solace and also will be able to rebuild their lives. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! We can do it!

weekend’s here

Good Friday morning!  I’m glad it’s weekend again but our weekend will be fully loaded.  Tomorrow the Pope will visit Prague and there’s a also an orientation seminar at the Philippine Embassy about retirement opportunities for Filipinos.  Then on Monday, we’re going to Stara Boleslav to attend the Holy Mass by the Pope.  That’s why today, I want to work as much as I can so we don’t have to do that on weekend. 

I’ve got lots of things to do!!  The living room is dying to be cleaned up!  I let Caity play there yesterday and her toys are scattered all over the floor.  I hope the carpet isn’t soiled with food or juice coz I don’t have a steam cleaner for that. 

Anyway, that’s what’s happening  here in our end.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! =)

stairway to heaven

=)  I’m hooked again with another Korean drama after a long time of not watching any.  I heard that our local TV station back home is showing a Tagalog version of this famous Korean hit, the Stairway to Heaven. I got curious and googled it.  The synopsis seemed intriguing, so I gave it a try and watched.  You’re right, I’m hooked now!  It’s even nicer to watch movies in my PC coz I have a bigger screen than before, a 19″ LCD monitor which my hubby bought for me last month.  

I’m currently on Episode 9, and it’s getting more exciting coz Han Jung-suh (the lead actress) has already regained her memory! Weeeee!!! 

let’s hike!

 
Taking a short rest after few minutes of walking…

Walking can be a good exercise, as good as taking the best diet pills to lose weight. That’s what we did last Saturday.  We were just looking for an activity that our little girl can enjoy and since she likes being outdoors, her dad drove us to this place called the Valley of Silence.  She sure did have a lot of fun there, while her dad and I were just sitting in the grass watching her play around.  Today is officially the autumn season but I’m hoping we’d still be blessed by more sunny and warmer days so we can have more outdoor bonding.  

we didn’t expect this!

Hubby has been worried about our car.  He said that it needs auto accessories replacement coz it’s not running well.  It will cost a big amount to have it all completely repaired, so he’s planning to just prioritize the ones that needs immediate attention and follow the least important ones when we have enough money, probably next month.

This unexpected expense has surely affected our financial situation.   We have to give up certain things like vacation in order for our car to be fixed. It’s a pity coz summer will soon end… no more nice sunny weather for a long road trip. 

what shall i do?

Hola!  It’s the weekend again and the weather outside is perfect for an outdoor activity.  We’re still waiting for the flat owner to collect our rental fees so I am taking the time to work a little. I still don’t know what we will do today - if I should take advantage that hubby’s home and work with many online assignments, read what’s the best weight loss pills, bake that carrot cake I’ve been wanting to do since last week or kick my butt out from the computer and relish the fine day.

If we’re to go out today, where will we go? Hmmmmm….  Such a tough decision! hehehe  I hope hubby has some nice ideas.