Earn Your Money Back With BPI Debit Cards

Retrieved from: https://www.bpiexpressonline.com/

For those of you who are not aware of these promos, I want to share these to you so you can enjoy them as well until December 31, 2015. We still have 16 days to go , pals! Using your BPI Debit/ATM Cards , you can SHOP ANYWHERE for at least P2000  and enjoy a 3% MONEY BACK. Isn't it amazing? And for those of you who newly opened their BPI accounts starting  May 2015  and on wards, you can enjoy a 10% Rebate if you pay using your BPI Debit/ATM Card.

Please find below the details on how to avail and redeem the cash back and rebate rewards from BPI. 

3% Money Back ANYWHERE Promo Mechanics

1. The promo is open to all BPI, BPI Family Bank and BPI Direct Debit/ATM cardholders (Express Teller Blue, Express Teller Gold, Jumpstart, BPI Direct, BPInoy, BPI One Ayala and Ka-Negosyo).

2. Promo period is from September 1 – November 30, 2015. Extended until December 31, 2015* Redemption period is from September 1, 2015 to January 31, 2016. Extended until March 1, 2016*.

3. To qualify, cardholder should pay using his/her BPI, BPI Family Bank or BPI Direct Debit/ATM card via Express Payment System (E.P.S.) within the promo period for a minimum single receipt purchase of Php 2,000 anywhere.

4. Transaction should be approved through a point-of-sale (POS) card terminal.  Cash withdrawals through ATMs are NOT qualified to join the promo. 

5. To redeem the 3%, Debit cardholder must register ONCE his/her 16-digit Card Number through SMS using the following format:

     IM REG BPIDEBIT (space) <16-digit Card Number> and send to 09229996000 and/or 2256 for all telecommunication networks.

     Telecommunication charges worth Php 2.50 per SMS will apply.

Example: IM REG BPIDEBIT 5895591234567890

Note: 

- Card number as it appears on the face of the card. 

- Only one registration is required for joint accounts.

6. Cardholder will receive an SMS auto-reply to confirm receipt of his registration entry.

7. After validation of the registration entry, cardholder will receive an SMS within two (2) banking days from registration date:

     a. Successful registration

Cardholder will receive an SMS saying that the rebates earned on his/her qualified E.P.S. transactions will be automatically credited to his/her account within 2 banking days.  Rebate amount shall appear as “4360 Co. Credit” in cardholder’s statement of account.

     b. BPI will provide the reason for unsuccessful registration.

8. The maximum rebate a cardholder can get per month is Php 300. If rebate amount earned exceeds the maximum rebate cap, rebate amount will be dropped and will not be credited to cardholder’s account.

Note: Joint accounts will have shared rebate cap. The rebate cap counter covers transactions up to the last banking day of the month. It will automatically reset to zero the following day.

9. The rebate amount cannot be exchanged for other products or discounts.

10. In case of dispute, the decision of BPI with the concurrence of DTI shall be considered final. BPI has the right to reverse the credited rebate once transaction is found to be invalid.

11. For BPI / BPI Family Bank Easy Saver accounts, transaction fees on all debit transactions, including E.P.S., still apply.  Please refer to www.bpiexpressonline.com for complete list of service fees.

12. BPI is authorized to give necessary information to its third party contractor or agent to perform or complete the redemption process.

10% Rebate Promo Mechanics 

1. This promo is open to newly opened BPI, BPI Family Bank and BPI Direct accounts starting from May 2015.

2. To be eligible for the promo, a BPI, BPI Family Bank or BPI Direct Debit (ATM) cardholder (Express Teller Blue, Express Teller Gold, Jumpstart, BPI Direct, BPInoy, BPI One Ayala and Ka-Negosyo) should have first received an electronic coupon (eCoupon) via SMS from BPI.

3. The eCoupon entitles the cardholder to a one-time 10% Rebate, subject to a rebate cap of Php 200.00, on their first E.P.S. transaction after registration via SMS.

4. Registration period is from July 20, 2015 to October 15, 2015 only. Extended until December 31, 2015*.

5. Shopping period is from July 20, 2015 to December 31, 2015 only. Extended until January 31, 2016*.

6. Crediting period of 10% Rebate or Php200.00 rebate cap, whichever applies, is until January 8, 2016 only. Extended until February 8, 2016*.

7. To register, cardholder must reply via SMS using the same mobile number that received the eCoupon, with the appropriate syntax to 2256 (Globe) / 09229996000 (non-Globe).  

Details are as follows:

Syntax

IM ON EPSNOW (space) <16-digit Card Number >

Cardholder will receive an SMS confirming receipt of his/her registration entry. Telecommunication (VAS) charge worth Php 2.50 for each SMS will apply.

Example: IM ON EPSNOW 1234567891234567

*Note: 16-digit Card number as it appears in the front the card.

8. Each eCoupon is non-transferrable and each eligible mobile number that received the eCoupon can only register once.

9. A card number can only be used for registration to this promo once.

10. To avail of the 10% Rebate, cardholder must use his/her BPI, BPI Family Savings Bank and BPI Direct Debit (ATM) Card to pay through a Point of Sale (POS) terminal via the Express Payment System (E.P.S.). Cash withdrawals through ATMs are NOT qualified to join the promo.

11. The 10% rebate will only be applied to cardholder’s first E.P.S. transaction after the SMS confirmation of successful registration.

12. Cardholder will receive an SMS confirming his/her successful registration within 7 banking days.

13. The rebate amount cannot be exchanged for other products or discounts.

14. Rebate amount earned will be credited to the cardholder’s account within 30 banking days from the first eligible E.P.S. transaction. Client will receive an SMS from BPI should there be any delay in crediting of the rebate.

15. Cardholders may contest his/her rebate redemption (i.e. incorrect rebate amount credited, uncredited rebate amount, disqualified E.P.S. transaction) up to December 31, 2015. Extended until January 31, 2016*. For clarifications and complaints relative to this promo please call 89-100.

16. In case of dispute, the decision of BPI with the concurrence of DTI shall be considered final. BPI has the right to reverse the credited rebate once transaction is found to be invalid.

17. For BPI / BPI Family Bank Easy Saver accounts, transaction fees on all debit transactions, including E.P.S., still apply.  Please refer to www.bpiexpressonline.com for complete list of service fees.

18. BPI is authorized to give necessary information to its third party contractor or agent to perform or complete the redemption process.

That's it! Although P300 is  not that much, but who will give you such amount of money nowadays?

Remember, " Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow." Proverbs 13:11

Merry Christmas!

My Biko with Latik Toppings Recipe

Today, I am going to share to you guys my recipe of one of my family's favorite merienda,  Biko with Latik Toppings. 

Recently, my hubby requested me to cook this and my whole household loved the outcome and so I decided to share the recipe to you so you and your family can enjoy this yummy biko as well. This is one of the recipes that I considered a " Labor of Love" since I sweat a bucket while I was cooking this. But because I love my asawa, I was willing to labor. Thus, called a Labor of Love. 

Ok, let's start!


Ingredients: 

• 3 cans (400 ml/can) coconut cream

• 1 sachet ( 50 g) coconut cream powder

• 1/2 kilogram  brown sugar

• 1 kilogram glutinous rice ( malagkit)

• water

Procedures:

1. Wash and cook 1 kilogram of glutinous rice ( malagkit) in a rice cooker or pot in the same way you cook your regular steamed rice. 

2. While waiting for the glutinous rice to be cooked, in a pan with medium heat, pour 1 can ( 400 ml) of coconut cream. Let it boil and don't stir. Once the coconut cream is already boiling, you lower the heat to low fire  and simmer it. If you already notice the curdling of the cream, stir it constantly to avoid burning of the cream. Stir it until such time that all of the water content of the cream has evaporated and the desired color (brown) is achieved. Turn off the heat. Drain the oil. Store the latik and oil in separate containers for later use. 

3. In a pan with medium heat, pour the remaining 2 cans of coconut cream, 1/2 kilogram of sugar and 1 sachet ( 50 g) coconut cream powder. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Reduce the heat to low and add the cooked glutinous rice to the mixture and stir constantly until such time that it is already very hard to stir and the mixture is incorporated evenly to the glutinous rice.

4. Grease the baking pan with the oil you collected from making the latik. Transfer the cooked biko into the greased baking pan and sprinkle it with latik toppings. 

5.Let it cool , slice it and serve it . You can serve it right away but I like the taste of biko best when it is eaten on the next day. Hehehe

That's it guys. Happy Cooking!!!

5 Reasons Why It is Hard to Communicate with Your Spouse

During our Monthly " Time with Asawa"

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." - Proverbs 16:24-

It can really be ironical that when you and your spouse started dating, both can stay for hours talking about nonsense sweet nothings but right after getting married for several years, you do not have  the same appetite in talking with your spouse anymore. 

Communication is a vital element in the life of married couples. Important in the sense that, it will either make or break your marriage. For couples who fail to communicate effectively, chances are , they eventually get divorced prior to figuring out what really the problem was between spouses.  Actually, there was a study conducted by PAUL R. AMATO and DENISE PREVITI  of  The Pennsylvania State University about the causes for divorce and one of those as stated in the figure below is : lack of communication. 

Retrieved from : http://www2.psychology.uiowa.edu/faculty/harvey/People's%20Reasons%20for%20Divorcing.pdf

Why is it hard to communicate with your spouse?

1. Fear of rejection - Rejection can surely crush our hearts to bits and pieces. It can ruin our inmost being. That is why most of us are afraid to communicate things because of the fear of being rejected. This should not be the case. We love our spouses enough to tell them things that will make them better. 

1 John 4:18 

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 

2. Pride - If we want changes in our own marriages, we need to eat our pride. We need to get rid of it as early as possible. In marriage, pride will destroy you. Remember, pride is the mother of all sin. 

Proverbs 11:2

"When pride comes, then disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." 

3. Nature differences- Husband and wife are wired differently by God. They can have different ways of thinking, understanding and approach on something. But both are created to compensate each other's weaknesses. 

Colossians 3:17

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

4. Busy life - This is one of the most common reason why couples do not communicate. Both are busy with so many things like work, children, chores to be done, goals to accomplish, etc.. And most of the time, when spouses are together, they are kept preoccupied by their mobile phones. But the Bible says, " for every thing, there is time." So do not look for the time when you can spend a quality time talking with your spouse, you MAKE THE TIME!

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

A Time for Everything

1  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

5. Not comfortable with the topic- Although spouses really want to communicate,  but most of the time, they are  hesitant to communicate with each other  topics or issues that they are not comfortable with. This is for the reason that they are not sure of how will the other spouse react on that certain topic or issue. Are they going to receive a positive or a negative reaction? Again, the fear of rejection is present. 

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Below are the topics or issues that most couples do not find very comfortable to talk about. But honestly, if these things are not communicated well, these can result problems in a marriage. 

1. Love for spouse-  Make it a habit that your love for your spouse should always be communicated. Through your words and actions, let your spouse see and know how much you love him or her. This will make your spouse very happy and secured in your marriage. Of course, we are happy when our spouses are happy, right?

Solomon 4:1-3

"You are beautiful, my darling,  beautiful beyond words. Your eyes are like doves behind your veil.Your hair falls in waves, like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead.Your teeth are as white as sheep, recently shorn and freshly washed.Your smile is flawless,each tooth matched with its twin.Your lips are like scarlet ribbon;your mouth is inviting.Your cheeks are like rosy pomegranates behind your veil." 

2. Finances - Money is usually a source of conflict in marriage. So it is very important that it is being talked about and well understood by both husband and wife. In marriage there is no more husband's or wife's money. All of the the things they receive like money, investments, possessions, etc. are called "conjugal property " for husband and wife are considered as one flesh. Make sure that you always sit down with your spouse and talk about your financial goals, budgets, savings, etc. When it comes to finances, both spouses should be involved. 

Genesis 2:24

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall join to his wife: and they shall be one flesh." 

3. Sexual intimacy - For some reasons, others find this difficult to communicate with their spouse. But this can also result to a conflict in marriage and worst , commiting adultery outside marriage because someone is not satisfied. Sex is God's gift to married couples and there is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to sex. It is wonderful inside marriage but of course a sin when outside. It is very important that you tell each other what you want in bed so that both of you will be satisfied and happy so that Satan may not tempt you. 

1 Corinthian 7:3-5

The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

4. Spouse's Weaknesses - Both husband and wife have strengths and weaknesses. That is why they are created differently by God to compensate and build each other up. It is very important for both to be patient with each other, give encouragement to each other and learn from each other. Remember that husband and wife are partners for life. Make sure that your husband or wife is or will become your best friend or else life will be too long for you to be irritated with someone who is always beside you. 

Ephesians 4:2

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

5.  Goals and Dreams -  Husband and wife should dream together, plan together and achieve goals together. Both should  openly share his or her dreams and goals  with each other.  As the head of the family, usually, God speaks to the husband regarding His plans for the family and wife should submit. Can I hear an Amen, from the wives out there? Hahaha

Genesis 12:1-3

"The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.  I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

I encourage you,  husbands and wives to communicate with each other... Spend time with each other... And enjoy life and love with each other. If you are still struggling on how to communicate with your spouse, pray about it. Tell God your weaknesses and how much you want to make your marriage a happy one. God is the author of your marriage and He also wants to see both of you happy in your marriage for life. 

For Breastfeeding Mamas:How To Increase Milk Supply

" For you will nurse and be satisfied at her comforting breasts; you will drink deeply and delight in her overflowing abundance."  Isaiah 66:11

Yes, it is God's promise that we will satisfy our bundle of joys with heavenly goodness from our own breasts. But if you are a mom or a soon-to-be mom who is worried that you can't supply you little munchkin with enough breast milk, here are some ways that you can increase your milk production. 

1. Feed your baby on demand and regularly. If your baby is having a weight gain problem, you can feed her/him every 2 hours during day time and every 3 hours during night time. This way, your body can sense the need of producing more milk. 

2. Hand-express or pump milk in between feedings or nursing. Make sure that during hand expression or pumping of milk, your breasts are totally empty to equip your body to continue producing more milk for your little one.

3. Massage your breasts. Massaging your breasts can open the blocked ducts and can stimulate the rich , high in calorie hind milk let-downs.

4. Avoid or stop using pacifiers. Pacifiers can make your baby feel that he/she is full. This will lessen his/her appetite to suck on your breasts more often. The lesser the contact between your baby and your breasts , the lesser the stimulation , thus lesser production of milk. 

5. Control your stress , try to relax and take a rest. Because of hormonal issues, stress and sleep deprivation can lower your milk supply. So it is very important that you control your stress. Here are the things I do when I am stressed: 

• I pray to God to take away the tremendous amount of stress that I am having. "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." -Psalm 94:19- 
• I watch a happy movie, or video where I can learn something from.
• I do things I love , like setting goals and laying our budget. Hahaha
• I do adult coloring activities. 
• I try to get some sleep. 

6. Drink a lot of water since you will lost lots of it during the feeding. To protect your body from constipation, haemorrhoids, and lost of energy and focus, you need to drink enough water. I usually drink 6 liters of water a day. 

7. Watch your diet. Make sure that you are eating a healthy and balanced diet to produce a sufficient milk supply. Green leafy veggetables, good fats (avocado, eggs, salmon ) and protein rich foods are very nutritious for you. 

8. Avoid alcohol and smoking. 


9. Avoid large amount intake of caffeine from coffee , tea and chocolates. They can also alter your hormones leading to low milk supply. As for me, I am a coffee addict and at the same time a breastfeeding advocate so I drink only Mother Nurture's coffee. This coffee is really perfect for me and my breastfeeding journey. It has all of the following goodness:

•  Safe for nursing moms
• With Natural Ingredients ( MALUNGGAY, ASHITABA, STEVIA AND GOTU KOLA) that boost milk supply
• Low caffeine content
• Sweetener is  Stevia (a natural sweetener) which is good for those who suffer high sugar level 
• Choco made from Native Cacao
• Heavenly taste
• Made for social mompreneurs
• Locally made product

10. Stop using hormonal birth control for this can affect your hormones.


11. Use galactagogues. A galactagogue is  a food or drug that increases the flow of a nursing mother's milk. It came from  Greek Words " galak" ( milk ) and agogos ( leading). 

Retrieved from: www.facebook.com/WEMAKEMILK

12. Consult a breastfeeding consultant or advocate (just like me) if you think you need some help. We are happy to help you for FREE. 

Product Review on Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash

When my free samples of Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash arrived in the month of September this year, I was so excited to try this product right away since I have been hearing and reading  a lot of compliments and good feedback regarding this product. And truly, I am satisfied by what the product has to offer and its cost effectiveness that  I am using it until now. Thus, I decided to make a short review for you guys who haven't tried this product yet. 

Product Description  

Full size: 15ml / 50ml / 100ml

Price: PHP 25 / PHP 79 / PHP 129

Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash is a soap-free product specially formulated with 100% herbal actives and is free from skin harming chemicals like Paraben, SLS/ SLES to give you a clear and  problem-free skin.  This cleanses your skin by removing excess oil and impurities.

Key Ingredients:

1. Neem

     Benefits: 

• Boosts immune system
• Treats acne
• Gives relief from bad breath
• Prevents diabetes
• Treats malaria symptoms
• Eliminates dandruff and strengthens hair
• Prevents the development of blemishes and pimples
• Protects teeth and gums from oral periodontal
• Lowers risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases
• Provides relief from constipation, bloating and cramping
• Prevents certain sexually transmitted diseases

2. Turmeric

     Benefits: 

•  Prevents inflammation of skin
•  Defeats the signs of ageing
•  Treats acne
•  Prevents wrinkles
•  Treats stretch marks 
•  Soothes Burns
•  Reduces skin pigmentation and tanning
•  Removes facial hair
•  Treats cracked heels
•  Acts as natural antiseptic and treats skin conditions
•  Removes dead cells
•  Treats dandruff and hair falls
•  Reduces menstrual cramps
•  Controls diabetes
•  Acts as antibacterial

Directions for use:

Moisten face and massage all over, avoiding the delicate eye area. Wash and pat dry. For best results, also use Purifying Neem Scrub and Purifying Neem Mask. 

My  Product Review: 

Good Points: 

• This product has a very gentle scent and is very suitable for those people who are easily turned off by products with  very strong scents. 
• I like how the product deeply  cleanses my face. I always feel that my face is very clean and refreshed after every wash. 
• After using this product, I noticed that there is no sign of break outs on my face. 
• The product is so gentle and is very good for those people with sensitive skin like me. 
• It also makes my skin so soft and supple. 

Bad Points: 

• The product leaves my skin  dry so I still need to apply an ample amount of Human Heart Nature Moisturizer on my face to make it moisturized. I hope Himalaya Herbals will come up with a formula that does not over-dry the skin after washing in order to make this product even better. 

Considering all of the things I have said, I am giving this product an 8 out of 10 score. 

Budget Your Money Using Zero-Based Budgeting

" Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds..." - Proverbs 27: 23

Budgeting is indeed part of our being accountable when it comes to our finances. We need to lay out our budget prior to every month and tell our money where exactly they have to go and not the other way around. 

In our household, we use the Zero-Based Budgeting. If you are new to this method,well,this is actually explained by this formula: Income-(Tithes+Savings+ Expenses) = 0 . For example if  your salary is P 30, 000 , your tithes is P 3,000, desired savings is P 6,000 and all expenses is P 21, 000. As you can see , the result is zero.  That way, you know where every peso is going. 

How to Do the Budget  

Your budget should be prepared ahead of time. Remember, your budget is your plan on how to manage your money for a particular month. Thus, it should be done prior to every month and since every month you will have different expenses to be incurred , each month should have a different budget plan. 

So here's how you do it. 

1. List All Your Income - These are your income, your spouse's income ( if you are married ), income from sidelines, from your business, royalties, gig, etc. 

2. List All Your Expenses  - Your expenses can be categorized into two categories namely, fixed and variable expenses. Fixed expenses are those expenses that are not fluctuating or changing each month such as your mortgage, car loan, condo dues, etc. while variable expenses are those expenses that can vary each month such as your grocery, food, electricity, gasoline, etc. 

3. Subtract Your Tithes, Savings and Total Expenses From Your Total Income - When you do this, the result should be zero. Your tithes is 10% of your gross income and you will give this to your local church. The tithe is not yours it is God's. Malachi 3: 10 says, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it".For your savings, I encourage you to take  20% of your income and put it into your savings account. Of course, we like savings, right? We want to have something for the future. So in this, you  will have to live on 70% of your total income which is totally achievable. 

4. Monitor Your Budget Throughout the Month - You need to track all of your expenses and do your best to stay always  on your budget. 

Well, that's it guys. Short and simple. I hope that this will be of use to you. God bless you!