Reward yourself with SMART

Now, this is one promo that I can vouch for. SMART Rewards has been going on for the last several months but recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of its TV commercial. I think SMART is hyping up its campaign again.

It’s very simple, really. For SMART Gold and SMART Buddy subscribers, you get reward points every time you use your line, whether texting, surfing or sending MMS. For every P1 transaction, you get five reward points. So what can you get from the points?

* P50 bill rebate for every 12,500 reward points
* P300 Buddy Prepaid Phone Kit discount for every 30,000 rewards points (when you buy at the Wireless Centers)

I regularly use the P50 bill rebate, which is reflected in my monthly bill. I think SMART also offers discounts but I’m not sure about that. If you’re interested to know more, text REWARDS to 9800 for FREE. Check how many Rewards Points you have by texting INQUIRY to 9800. Text DISCOUNTS to 9800 and enjoy more rewards from your favorite establishments.

How to save money when travelling

I love travelling. And every year, one of my goals is to save enough money to travel to another country. But yes, travelling can create a big dent in your savings, especially if you let your excitement run away with you.

How many times have you planned a trip only to exceed your budget? What about those times when you travelled on an impulse, a weekend trip that your friends suddenly thought of because it’s the long weekend? Here are just some tips so that you don’t go overboard.

1. Wait for the sale.

Airlines periodically hold promos or sale for their plane fares. The key is to identify when these sales would be. Cebu Pacific is one carrier that regularly holds sales. Just last July 2009, it held a 50-percent sale on most of its domestic and international flights. I was lucky enough to book a two-way ticket to Hong Kong this November for only P3,500.

What you can do is regularly check their websites. If it’s available, sign up for email alerts so you’ll be informed if they have upcoming and ongoing promos.

But to really be able to save money, try mock booking. By mock booking, you can know how much is the regular fares for your favorite destination. Once you know this, you can see if it’s worth to book during a sale. Keep in mind that during fare promos, not all seats are included.

2. Plan ahead.

Planning ahead is the key. When you plan ahead, you can set a budget and save for it. It’s also a great goal for your family. You and your husband have something to look forward to if it’s an “alone time” vacation. If you’re travelling with your kids, they have something to look forward to for the summer. You can even use this as a reward for getting good grades in school.

Planning ahead also allows you to fix your schedule. You can inform your office in advance so that your boss won’t schedule important events while you’re gone.

3. Research, research, research.

This goes hand in hand with planning ahead. When you plan ahead, you need to complement it with a lot of research. Go online and visit different hotel and destination websites. Some hotel websites offer lower room rates than the travel sites while some travel sites offer better rates than the hotels.

Researching also allows you to plan your itinerary. Most travel destinations have their own websites. Check these sites and see how much an entrance fee would cost. Even transportation systems like Singapore’s MTR have its own website. You then get an idea how much to budget for it.

4. Travel light.

Travel like a businessman. Cebu Pacific deducts a couple of hundred of you avail of its Go-Lite, a program for travelers who do not check in their baggage. Ever since, my husband and I have availed of this service. Because most of our vacations abroad last for about three days only, we only need to pack the most basic. There were even times that our stuff just fit one small baggage.

5. Use your miles.

Some credit cards like HSBC and BPI give you miles every time you charge your purchases. You can use these miles to pay for your plane fares or get discounts  for partner hotels. But make sure that when you charge something to your credit card, you pay it off in full every month. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying more.

6. Compare prices.

Some vacations cost less when you do it yourself. But there are also trips when getting a travel package are more cost-efficient. Make sure you compare DIYs and travel packages to ensure that you are getting the best with your money.

What is this product?

Surfing YouTube, I chanced upon this video. I wonder what this product is.

SMART Bro hasn’t changed

A few months ago, I was ranting about SMART Bro’s poor service (see story). For several months, I’ve been directly emailing SMART’s Customer Service to get hold of my monthly statement because its Web Connect service takes a long time to upload the latest statement.

In my email dated January 31, I inquired how soon will my statement be uploaded in Web Connect. CSR Celeste Bernardo replied that it usually takes seven days after cut-off for the statement to appear in my Web Connect account. This delay lasted until March 2009 and I thought everything would be okay.

Now, I’ve been trying to access my May 2009 billing statement and 20 days after the cut-off, it’s not available in Web Connect. This is pretty annoying as the problem doesn’t seem to be solved. The delay is absurd as I will have another cut-off in the next 10 days. Am I supposed to wait for another cut-off before I could access the previous statement?

Calling SMART Bro people. I wouldn’t go into my other issue of how lousy your signal is in my area but will you please do something about Web Connect?!

Side Topic: Earth Hour 2009

Join the world as we celebrate Earth Hour 2009 on March 28, 2009, Saturday. Spearheaded by World Wildlife Fund, everyone is invited to switch off for one hour (from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM) to conserve energy. More than 60 countries will join the movement.

This year’s event also expects more than one billion people participating. I personally hope that more Filipinos will join this year.

Pinay and Money has a new home!

Pinay and Money has a new home–www.pinayandmoney.com. Just click the URL and you’ll be directed to the new home of Pinay and Money.

Seminar on Investment Opportunities at Ateneo

If you want to know more about investment opportunities, you can attend the seminar by The Mutual Fund Management Company of the Philippines, Inc (MFMCP) entitled “Philippine Investment Opportunities: Shining through the Global Gloom.” This will be held on Feb. 25, Wednesday, from 5:30 to 8 PM at the Ateneo de Manila Professional Schools Auditorium in Rockwell Center.

Speakers for the seminar are Jojo Gonzales, Managing Director and Research Head of Philippine Equity Partners, Inc.; Gerald Baldivia, MFMCP Executive Director for Marketing and Sales; and MFMCP President & CEO Phillip Hagedorn.

To reserve a seat, visit www.mutualfund.com.ph and register.