Brain Wave, Entrepreneurship & Business Talks, Money matters

A steady passive income.

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This pandemic has taught us so many things but the uppermost is that we should have a steady passive income from which we can build a fund for emergencies such as the lockdown that happened last year. Several co-workers were retrenched because the company was in dire straits. We needed to cut costs to be able to stay afloat and not close shop like what so many other companies did.

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My brother is looking for used tire for sale and it made me think of a car repair shop. My Dad used to own one but it folded and closed shop when someone in the family got sick and we needed the money to pay for his hospital bills. My Dad liquidated his business to use for the hospitalization. But we grew up around that shop so my siblings and I know how to run one. Plus, I am an accountant by profession so it would be easy for us to set up shop again and start that kind of business from ground up. It will become a steady source of passive income for my siblings and I because we do not really plan to quit our nine to five jobs.

Another idea is to go ahead with the plan to put up an online shop for our handmade candles. It has been months since this idea came up but I am really busy so my sister and I put a hold on it for now. My sister has been testing, researching, polishing processes. She is also completing documents so we can register our company very soon. This will be a work-in-progress for now but very soon, I am sure it will come to fruition. This business idea excites me the most because it was a long-standing dream of my sister and I to dabble in candle and soap-making. We love the idea of making something out of our own hands and for others to use the product for their enjoyment and relaxation.

These are just two ideas of our family on how to have a steady passive income flowing into the family coffers. We want to build a sizable egg nest in preparation for old age and also for the little ones. The idea also is to have them grow into businesses and not rely solely on paychecks like what we have been doing for how many years now. We want them to learn that it is totally fine to be an employee but it is so much better if there is a business that they can grow and earn so much from.

This pandemic really made us think and look back to some goals that we have set aside in the past years. Now, more than ever, is the right time to begin working towards those goals again. If not for us, for the little ones in our family. For their future.

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Becoming a “Plant Mom”.

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plantita Being a plant mom is the “in” thing these days. Maybe in this part of the world but I have seen in Instagram that a lot of people in different parts of the world have become certified “plant parents”!

I believe it is the need for a healthier environment, one that you can easily control through the placement of plants that help clean the air inside the house. We have seen homeowners remove popcorn ceiling to make sure that they are not breathing fibers in the air which can eventually cause lung diseases.

But that is not enough anymore for most homeowners, most especially those with kids or sick family members at home. A cleaner air is much needed nowadays considering the amount of air pollution that we get when we go out, or even when we open our doors and windows. That is one of the reasons why many individuals are now buying plants to put inside their homes. That is also the very reason why I have become a ‘plant mom’.

So, what is a plant mom, anyway? It is a woman who owns a variety of plants and takes care of it personally. It is very similar to being a pet mom except the things you take care of don’t move or make sounds.

The first plant that was given to me was a snake plant. It is scientifically called Dracaena trifasciata which originated from West Africa. This type of plant is so easy to care for. You need a large pot, or a planter box like what we have at home. Very little sunlight and water needed for this plant. You just put it in a corner and let it be. After just a few weeks, you will notice small growths in between its leaves. You can easily replant those growths and it will start to breathe and grow on its own. No fuss plant. It is the best one I own.

Another plant that I am proud to call my baby is the spider plant or Chlorophytum comosum. I have them planted in plant boxes outside the windows of the house. It purifies the air inside the home while absorbing carbon monoxide and other bad elements in the air. It is also edible so it is safe for kids and pets.

There are a number of succulents and small plants that I also own, given by a friend. And a lot more given to my Dad before he passed away. One other reason why it is really cool to have plants at home? It is soothing to both the eyes and the soul.

Some individuals buy plants to show off that they have more than enough to shell out for pricey plants. I do not like those people. My reason for bringing plants, bought or given, inside our home is for the sole reason of purifying the air we breathe most especially for my nephews. But, hey, if you have the money to part with, then, why not flaunt it. It is your choice, anyway.

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Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Preparing for the rainy days.

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Rainy season in this part of the world comes around late June up to early October. There are rain showers even in months which are supposed to be sunny and clear skies. Being prepared for the rainy days is a priority in this part of the world, especially when your house is situated in low-lying areas which are prone to flooding.

The residential area where our house is located is not prone to flooding but every year we prepare a checklist of what we need to do and get repair or maintenance professionals for. Here are the parts of the house that we check annually to make sure it is in good shape and condition.

Roof – Clean off whatever trash that got stuck on the roof as those stuff will cause deterioration fast. Make sure there is nothing that holds water like a dent or a broken shingle. Water that gets stuck on the roof will make it rust and rot.

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Inspect the flashing just to make sure that it is still in good condition, solid, and not deteriorating already. Get the sealant ready should there is be need. Scrub and make sure it is clean. Also, make sure there are no loose shingles. Again, if there is a need, replace. The gutter is another very important part of the roof. Clean, secure any holes, if there is any, and make sure that the water is flowing freely down the pipes.

Windows – Dish soap with warm water is the best cleaning agent for windows. I have read that when I did a research on how best to clean windows. Not when the sunlight is at its peak, and do not use power hose when washing it.

Remember that windows control the temperature inside the house depending on how you use it. If there really is a need to, get windows winnipeg experts to check your windows. They might need to be replaced and you want the experts to install good and long-lasting windows for you.

Pipes and Drain – This is actually being done every quarter in our house. We make sure there are no leaks in the pipes and water flow freely. The drains we make sure are not clogged and there are no trash in it.

We remind each other at home to not throw away any greasy items in the drain. Also, to always pick up balls of hair that gets stuck in bathroom drains. We already use a drain guard but it is still best to pick up strands of hair that get stuck in it.

These are just the basic parts of the house that we check annually to make sure we are ready for the rainy season. We schedule an earlier check so that when the rains start falling earlier than expected, we will not panic whether the roof over our heads will hold or it will start leaking like crazy.

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Brain Wave, Computers and gadgets, Internet-Web Devt, Money matters

Vlogging: Can you really earn from it?

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A couple has been on the hunt for furniture toronto for a few days now. Not for a brand new home or renovation. Not to give as a welcome home gift or for a newly-wed couple starting to build their forever home. The furniture will become the backdrop for their videos. The couple is into video blogging or, simply called, vlogging.

Vlogging has become such a trend nowadays that even ordinary individuals have their own YouTube channels you can subscribe to. Do you know why? The money to be earned in a video viewed by the millions. It is rumored that a YouTube video viewed at least five hundred million times will earn you a whopping one million US dollars!!! Not too sure about the accuracy of that article I read but if it is true, then you cannot really blame the hundreds of ordinary individuals who would do anything just to get their videos to go viral online.

But, can you really earn from vlogging?

Apparently, yes. You need to reach a certain number of viewers in order for your uploaded YouTube vlog to start getting advertisements. Those ads will pay you depending on the popularity of your channel. I believe celebrities command a higher rate for their vlogs especially as their videos generate millions of views in a span of weeks.

Very recently, an unknown man uploaded a vlog of his. He was spaced out in the video, looking somewhere in front of him, eyes wide open and unblinking. The caption of the video was this… wait and see if the man will blink his eyes. It was a two-minute video with nothing but the wide-eyed man spaced out. It went viral! The video was viewed millions of times by netizens who got curious if something would happen in between 1 second and two minutes. Nothing happened. I was also duped by that video but can you imagine the amount of money the vlogger earned just by that simple vlog of his?

In reality, vlogging was coined to connote a new performance art or music released by an artist. It was used in a different manner, with everyone who has a video camera and some confidence to record themselves, would create a video to be uploaded in YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or even their own blog sites. In all honesty, had I know that vlogging will generate a big chunk of income, I would have joined the bandwagon a long time ago.

Still, I wish that some people respect the platform. Not everyone can vlog! And not because you have the equipment, you can now record video after video, then find a way to make it go viral just for you to earn. Vlog if you have something important to say or impart. Vlog if you really think you will entertain someone to lighten their daily load. Vlog if you must but hopefully with the good intention and not only for you to earn from it.

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Brain Wave, Careers, Freelancing and Self-Employment, Family and Home living

Graveyard Shift

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It has been a few weeks of searching online for the best custom drapery for my sister’s room. It has been a work from home set-up for her since March of last year. In the beginning, it was not a problem for her to be in the graveyard shift. Her work begins at eight in the evening up to five the next morning. Sometimes, it goes beyond five and I would wake up with her still working at past seven in the morning.

Exhausted from her graveyard shift, she would demand all lights turned off and no noise near her room.

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So, my idea is to find the best blackout curtains for her. 100% of light coming into the room will be blocked by it but I want curtains that will fit her personality and be elegant as well. My sister is the serious kind but when she is in the mood, can crack up everyone around her. I want that to reflect in the draperies I will find for her room.

What is the difference between blackout curtains and room darkening ones, you would ask. Blackout curtains totally shields the room from 100% of light coming in, while room darkening rooms can still let some light, 1% of it, come in. I am totally fine with room darkening curtains because I am not much into dark rooms. At night, yes, but in the morning, I love some sunlight coming in through the windows.

I know there are some people out there who are not into curtains. I remember visiting a friend’s newly renovated condominium unit. I was surprised that her windows looked bare. I asked if she planned to get curtains or blinds for it but she said that she was leaving it like that, bare with the light coming in 100% of the time. I was there in the afternoon and my eyes hurt the whole time we were catching up in her living room.

Drapery is a must in our home. I may like dim rooms but I also like light coming in the house in the morning. Drapery is also for privacy. Our home is a three-storey house and we are located in an area with mix residential-commercial establishments. The structure in front of our home is a car accessories shop so from time to time there are men who would look up at our house. For privacy, we would block out the light and the lingering eyes of strangers. So, you can say that curtains are also a layer of security for our home.

We will be doing another round of general cleaning soon. We will re-arrange stuff inside my sister’s room and we will have the draperies installed. It will be peaceful and quiet mornings for my sister after her graveyard shift five times a week.

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Brain Wave, Life in general, Money matters

Budgeting as a side effect of lockdown.

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When the year 2020 came in, a lot of positive stuff came with it. Everyone was hopeful. People have kept their faith that everything would fall into place that year, with luck being on our side. January 2020 was good, February even better. Then, came March…

A super typhoon wreaked havoc in several parts of the country through flooding. A volcano erupted after it. The eruption left so many families without their livelihoods, destroying crops, tourism, and so much more. Then, this corona virus claiming so many lives and causing massive lockdowns around the world!

One side effect of the lockdown due to the virus is retrenchment. A number of people lost their jobs because companies had to let go of some of their employees in order to stay afloat. Can you imagine losing your steady source of income? It is scary. But I’d like to think that this virus also brought about some positive changes in our lives. One such positive outcome is budgeting. Majority of individuals, especially parents, learned how to budget properly.

money-organizer These days, instead of immediately buying a brand new appliance when the one at home gets broken, an appliance repair brampton specialist gets called instead. Practical, cheaper. Economical.

When a double-income household becomes a single-income household, you learn to tighten the belt, fix this and that, to make ends meet. You learn to budget properly. You learn how to keep track of your family cash flow in order to make sure all the needs are met and some spare can be saved.

If you are having a hard time budgeting, here is a suggestion, an easy way to budget your income. Get a money organizer, label it with the expenses you need to pay off and spend on for the next fifteen days (this is particularly for salaried income earners), and start putting cash in every pocket until you have enough for every item of expense you have there. Mommies have been swearing on the effectiveness of this method of budgeting. One way of being able to properly budget through the money organizer is by sticking to the plan. Writing down what is truly needed for the next fifteen days, sticking to the list, doing meal planning… it is a big part of a successful budget.

Not everything brought on by this virus lockdown had negative effect on our lives. The lockdown taught us hard lessons. Save up for emergencies. Create and stick to a budget. Learn to tighten the belt when the household income drops. Get to know the needs of every member of the family living under one roof in order to avoid clashes. Be sensitive to the needs and quirks of everyone around you. The lockdown is probably a way of the world to teach us to look beyond what is in front of us, to improvise again like we used to, to become better versions of ourselves.

I would like to believe that we will come out of this virus period stronger and better.

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Brain Wave, Life in general

The importance of spare keys.

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Home rentals can be tricky at times. After getting the master keys from the owner, what should be the first thing you must do? Call an emergency locksmith and change all the locks! Or at the very least, the lock of the gate and the front door.

front-door You are not sure if the keys you hold are the only keys leading into your home. The owner could be an unscrupulous fellow who can get in and out of your home when you are not around. You do not want that to happen.

There was a news in the past about a landlord who went inside his rentals, went through his renters’ things, then pretended that he didn’t know what happened. Good thing there was a CCTV in one of the rentals so he was caught in the act. From then on, changing locks became a habit.

But here’s one of the tricky parts of changing locks: you need to make sure that you have spare keys for emergencies. Yes, you can call a locksmith when you need one but what if it’s in the middle of the night and you accidentally lock yourself out of your house or room? Here is a suggestion: find a good hiding place. Not under the welcome mat at the front door or even under the plant pot near the stairs. Too obvious! Find somewhere you can hide it properly. It can be an alcove, a dent on the fence, a figurine with a hole in it. Hide your spare key there. You need to have a master key and a set of spare keys inside your house, of course. The spare key hidden outside is for emergencies only.

The same goes for your car. A set of spare keys in a secure place is also very much necessary. It is a must! A co-worker has a spare key for her car in the office. She once lost her car keys somewhere and when it was time for her to go home, she was panicking because she could not find her keys. Good thing someone remembered her emergency spare key inside the office so she went back to get it. To this day, she was not able to find her lost car keys. She promptly brought her car to an automotive locksmith to get her locks changed.

Spare keys are very important to have. Hide it somewhere secure. Lock it inside a cabinet you have access to anytime. Do not make the mistake of locking the keys inside a room which when locked, you would need the keys to get it unlocked. Someone made that mistake in the past and it cost her a pricey doorknob and a chunk of the wood surrounding the knob.

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