Life in the Philippines

Why are you not making money

This is the time of year that people start to have doubts as to weather the opportunities they signed up for in the new years are going to work for them. To be honest it is unreasonable to expect success in such a short time what one should be doing is making sure you are taking the right steps in building your business and here is a simple checklist.

• If you sell products are you buying and using them yourself, most MLM have a minimum monthly purchase level to qualify for commissions so even if you have no downline get used to making this commitment especial as when you introduce other people to your business you will expect them to do the same.
• Do something every day to promote your business, write a blog, place and advert or talk with someone don't just waste time aimlessly surfing the Internet or writing about what you watched on TV unless it is rel event to you business.
• If someone contacts you about your home business get back to them as soon as possible whilst your business is fresh in their minds.
• Learn something everyday about your business or a technique which will help your business develop.
• Read an inspirational book or listen to a tape to get yourself excited, excitement is infectious and makes it easier to sell.
• Do not ask anyone to do anything that you are not doing yourself, keep your business simple and duplicatable
• Seek help/guidance from other people in your business organisation before a small matter develops into a major issue.
• Stand by any commitments you make.

Remember Rome was not built in day stay committed to your dream and in time you will be rewarded, it will take month and sometime years but you will reach you goals provided you remain focussed.

David Ogden

http://seriouswealth.net

Life In the Philippines

The Waiting Period

I finally managed to contact The Department of Foreign affairs in Manila and found someone to answer the question as to how to get documents authenticated when you live in the provinces. the solution is so simple its a pity it is not posted on the DFA website.

All you need to do is find the nearest DHL branch, take the documents you want authenticating plus the supporting documents for validation, DHL will check them and then send them to Manila, after a few days they will be returned stamped with a red ribbon, Yes we have to drive a few hours to a DHL office, so will let you know how it all goes in a couple of weeks time. there is even an option for them to deliver the documents directly to you home.

We had a final meeting with our lawyer at the weekend, as one document has not been signed correctly, so will need to await a replacement... another 14 days wait.

The President of the Philippines visited Dipolog city to open a new school and revealed plans to upgrade the airport and provide more shopping malls and hotel for tourist. This is the start of a general upgrade to the island of Mindanao which is rich in resources that are starting to attract the interest of investors. This is some good news especially as I have a house for sale ready for occupation.

There is not much more we can do at the moment to expedite our move, our next milestone is receipt of Jays passport so we can apply for Cyprus Visa's

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Slow Life in the Philippines

Planning To Move - Sometime

We have discovered that it is very difficult to ship packages from the Philippines If you use conventional removers or even Courier companies you end up paying through the nose. Inwards shipping is not so difficult as you can use the balikbayan box system from virtually any country where Filipinos are working and shipping rates are very low.

Yesterday I discovered I was not alone and others are having the same difficulty. One guy in Manila has even set up his own business to help people out. We approached a local packer and he suggested using the local postal service which can ship parcels weight up to 31.5 K, the only drawback being shipping by sea to Cyprus will take around 3 months.

We are bow having a rethink on our strategy and are considering carefully what we plan to ship, where items cost more to ship than we can purchase new.

We are getting really frustrated with officialdom in the Philippines it seems Jasmins paper work is at least another week away, this will have a knock on effect on our whole schedule and I can see us not being able to leave the country until May which is cutting very short to enable us to raise paperwork to visit the UK to celebrate my fathers 100 Birthday.

The Spanish I think invented the word Manjana and of course they colonised the area so its understandable that the locals just are not in a hurry to do anything other than sleep.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Leaving the Philippines

Planning To Move

This last week with three months to go to our planned move, I decided its was rime to get down to some detailed planning and costing and this is why moving house is so stressful. WE last moved a year ago.

We are going to rent in Cyprus for a year, so although we have a couple of properties earmarked we will need to wait until we can inspect them and check out the surrounding areas. We we arrive we will rent an apartment for a week at the moment there a quite a few available so we plan to choose one in an area that we will also consider for long term. As soon as we know our passports and visas are going to be ready we can make bookings for flights and temporary accommodation.

Once again the local weather effected our plans our lawyer was due to go to Manila to collect final Annulment documents but flight was cancelled so the contingency time we had in our plan has been wiped out which may delay our departure, praying now for no more hiccups.

One area we have been rethinking is our baggage our initial plan was use my bike box as accompanied baggage to carry my bike and other bulky gear, but then I remembered the first time I arrived in Cyprus with the box and had to hire a stretched Limo as it was too big for an ordinary taxi so this time we will air freight it and travel only with out clothing and my computer. As we will be renting a furnished property for a year we will leave our other possessions until we either sell our house or have storage space in Cyprus.

We have had one offer on our car, which we have not yet put up for sale, but will consider nearer the time after we have advertised it as the offer is too low.

We have also had an offer on our Dipolog city house but once again not really in the ball park, so are making tentative plans for Jasmins Parents to live in the house until it is sold/

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in Philippines - 2013

A Good start to the year

The new year started with a bang and 30 minutes into the year there was a black out and since then power and Internet connection has been effected by bad weather. We are keeping pour figures crossed that next week we will have all the documents required to start registering our marriage in February.

We still are waiting clarifications of our visa requirements for Cyprus but have drafted out a schedule made at the moment are looking for a packer and forwarder. We do mot have that much to move just personal possessions. we have also started to research in detail what properties we are interested in renting.

We are also ramping up the sale of our Dipolog house and lot and it would be great if we can get a buyer before we move, or else Jasmin's parents will live here with the dogs until such time as it is sold. we also will be putting our car on the market. Finances are going to be tight and we will need to dip into our savings to finance the move, but it seems we are off to a good start.

We still have worries about our respective parents health and Jasmin's mother will need to consult a heart specialist for treatment.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in Philippines - Year End

End of another year

So much changes in a year. A year ago we were looking forward to moving into our new house in Dipolog City getting married and being able to settle and start running a local business. The problem of the slow pace of life and the fact that local people have no financial resources, has forced a complete change of plan, the south of the Philippines is like a different country compared to the Capital area, and it will take sometime to change.

Jasmin's annulment was delayed by a technical error, this however was resolved yesterday so we now just have to wait for the official records to be adjusted, and can finally look forward to getting married in the Spring.

Once we are married we will be returning to Europe to live in Cyprus. It will be challenging due to the financial issues, however will provide a way into the housing market before prices start rising again. Cyprus will provide better possibilities for us in the long term and provide better communications with the rest of my family in the UK.

The year did not end well for either Jasmin or my parents, with my father being admitted to hospital with a heart problem just before Christmas and Jasmin's mother suffering a heart attack on a ferry returning from Manila. both it seems will require pacemakers fitting in the new year.

2013 promises to be a landmark year with everything finally falling into place.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net

Life in Philippines

Back to work

The Philippines have a strange way of celebrating Christmas a big build up, then a day of celebration and straight back to work. I do not understand the use of fireworks to celebrate Christmas, and to be honest find them most annoying, fire crackers and banger just serve to make a noise, disturb people and frighten pets and livestock.

I can only imagine it is some Chinese tradition but would have preferred that they restricted the noise to new year and provide some colourful fireworks.

My Father spent Christmas in hospital in the UK and the rest of my family celebrated at home.

Business wise, matters are quiet at the moment, but I will be starting a new campaign in a weeks time, in the mean time its a matter of just checking and updating websites in preparation.

Hopefully we will have a meeting with our lawyer this week to continue on with the great paper chase to relocate to Europe.

David Ogden
Dipolog city
+639991141149

http://seriouswealth.net