Thursday, March 22, 2012

Important Things to Consider When Spending a Vacation

Nowadays, when a person is thinking to have an intimate and peaceful vacation, the first thing that will come to his mind is spending it in a holiday villa. The elegance and beauty of holiday villas today are appealing. So it isn't impossible for you to dismiss this idea if you are also longing to spend a relaxing vacation. 

You can find a lot of fantastic villas in places like Portugal, Spain and Cyprus. Villas in Brittany are also fantastic, and this place is more ideal if you don't want to travel that far. Before you choose where to get a holiday villa for your vacation though, you need to make important considerations first to avoid spoiling your holiday break. 

First of all, you need to decide the time of the year when you want to travel. If you plan to do it in the summer, then getting a holiday villa in the southern locations is not ideal because of the warmer climate. In case you plan to do it in cooler months of the year, spending it in a holiday villa in Brittany might spoil your vacation because of the weather.

As you will see, choosing the location of the holiday villa where you will spend your vacation is very important. The truth is that you also need to consider the culture of the place and the foods it offers as you will be getting close with the local dwellers by staying in this holiday accommodation.  




Point #1 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that this is an optional spending category.

You must spend money on shelter. You must spend money on food. You must spend money on health care. You don’t need to spend money on vacations. You could cut this spending category to zero and continue to live a perfectly pleasant middle-class life.

It’s something to think about if you are in a hurry to achieve a higher level of financial freedom. There are many middle-class workers who save less than $3,000 per year but who spend more than $3,000 per year on vacations. Workers in those circumstances who elected this year to save the entire amount that last year they directed to spending on vacations would gain an entire year’s worth of saving in their quest for financial freedom.

There are not too many budget categories that offer that sort of potential payoff.

Point #2 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that a lot of people don’t have all that much fun on their vacations.

Vacations upset your routine. People get sunburned on vacations. People get lost on vacations. People often find themselves bored on vacations. Spouses often experience frictions in trying to decide what to do and where to go on vacations. Children often get fussy on vacations. They cry. They whine.

Vacations are not always fun.

Sometimes they are.

But sometimes they aren’t.

Point #3 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that vacations almost always cost more than you expected they would cost.

If you don’t keep a budget, you are almost certainly spending more on your vacations than you think you are. I do keep a budget, and I like to take vacations. Most years, when my wife and I reconcile our budget numbers, we discover that some aspect of our vacation experience ended up causing the total amount of our spending on vacations to go higher than we anticipated it would go.


The reasons are numerous. One factor is that you cannot check out all the things you will be spending money on if the vacation spot is one you have not been to before. Another is that your guard is down when you are on vacation, so your mind goes into overdrive justifying additional spending on vacations. Yet another is that, if you are at a vacation destination that you do not expect to visit again soon, you feel strong pressure to experience everything there is to experience at that site regardless of price. You’ll never get another chance, right?

Point #4 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that planning vacations can be a lot of fun.

I don’t think it is fair to assess whether a vacation is worth the money by looking only at the fun you have for the seven days or so that you are actually on the vacation. I very much enjoy the process of planning a vacation, especially if it is to a place where I have never been before. The fun that I have planning what I will do and see on my next vacation is part of the value proposition obtained in return for the money I direct to spending on vacations.

Point #5 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that vacations generate memories.

I don’t like it when I spend on things that provide little life enhancement. I don’t mind spending on things that enhance my life in significant ways. There are few things that I spend money on that leave as long-lasting an impression as a good number of the vacations I have taken. I remember things I did on vacations that I took ten years ago. That’s a sign to me that I received my money’s worth from my spending on vacations in those cases.

You spend a lot on food when on vacation. And you spend a lot on hotels. And you spend a lot on tourist-type activities. But it may be that that stuff is not what you are really buying when spending on vacations. Maybe what you are really buying when spending on vacations is memories.

Point #6 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that going to new places and taking a break from your regular routine can open your mind to life-transformational ideas.

Have you ever had a friend who came back from a vacation with a firm resolve to look for a new job? I have. Vacations can change your life.

In theory, you could achieve the same effect by taking a week off to take walks in the park and think things through. But would you?


If it takes a vacation to cause you to engage in the going-down-deep thinking you need to engage in to turn your life around, you might be getting a bargain from your vacation spending no matter how much you find yourself spending on vacations.

Point #7 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that vacations can save marriages.

You know you love your wife (or your husband). You just cannot for the life of you remember why. For heaven’s sake, get about the business of planning a vacation!

Vacations are cheaper than marital counseling.

Vacations are cheaper than divorces.

A lot cheaper.

Point #8 to consider when deciding on how much to include in your personal budget for spending on vacations is that a fine vacation need not cost a lot of money.

One year my wife and I took a week off to visit tourist attractions in the town in which we lived (it was the Washington, D.C. area) that we never found time to visit during weeks when we were working.

No hotel expenses.

No restaurant expenses.

No travel expenses.

A good time in which we had a few laughs and a good number of long conversations we might not have had even if we had gone on a regular vacation at which we were fussing and fretting about which destination we had to get to next, and at what time, and by what route.

Spending on vacations is worth it if you really do have a lot of fun. It’s entirely possible to have a lot of fun without spending a lot on your vacation.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Top 10 Graduation Gifts

Graduation is such an important step in a young person's life. Here are 10 graduation gifts that graduates will truly appreciate.

1. Money!!!

Of course, the top gift that all graduates love is money. As long as you don't care how it gets spent, this is an excellent choice as an all around graduation gift.
Help your graduate "soar to high heights" with the always relevant rhymes of Dr. Seuss. This book, while written for children, is relevant for adults too.

3. iPod

The iPod is the ultimate graduation gift. It is so convenient and provides hours and hours of entertainment.

4. iPad

A portable device such as an iPad  a wonderful gift for graduates. It is a great way to store images, movies, music, and data for the student going off to college. The iPad has many of these features and more.

5. Laptop Computer

If you are willing to spend a lot on the graduate, a laptop computer is an excellent choice. The Dell Inspiron 700M Notebook only ways a little more than 4 pounds, has a 12.1" screen, 512 MB of RAM, and 40 GB of memory. A graduate would truly appreciate this as a graduation gift.

6. Commemorative Coins

Commemorative coins including proof sets from the graduation year and Silver Eagles are good choices for students. They can always remember the year they graduated with an item that could appreciate in value.

7. Hope Chest

Okay - so it's only for girls. However, even though it's somewhat old fashioned, girls still enjoy getting hope chests. What better time to give them one than as a graduation gift? This choice is a beautiful cherry/cedar choice.

8. Digital Camera

A gift that many graduates would love would be the digital camera. Give it to them before the big day, and they will have something to not only show off but also capture the moment. The Canon PowerShot is an excellent and luckily relatively inexpensive digital camera.

If your student is going to go off to college, they will definitely enjoy a 'college spirit' graduation gift related to their college of choice. Here are some wall clocks for many different colleges across the nation.

10. High Quality Ink Pen

A traditional gift to set the tone for the future graduate. There is something about writing that evokes the image of success.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Top 10 Best Destinations for Holy Week

Christmas had just ended. Parties and hanging with your family and loved ones was over. It is time now to go back to work and start earning for Christmas and New Year again this year. After Christmas and New Year, what's next? HOLY WEEK... Some of us we use this season as a getaway days because of a long holiday. No work. No worries but this is the time we repent and meditate. Last year's holy week I list down my personal moments which I think maybe you experience and do this too.
  1. Going to the Stations of the Cross and having it done to me. (Made me cry).
  2. Coming home from the Maundy Thursday vigil after midnight and remembering that I’d had the good sense to change the sheets before going out.
  3. The goodwill and good turnout of the Spring Clean and Polish.
  4. Realising that it really was standing room only on Sunday morning.
  5. The way the choir sang the word “meek” during the Magnificat. They sing lots of other words beautifully too, but there was only one K on the end of meek and I know how much work and concentration that represents.
That's all the best memories for me. But most of you instead of going to church and doing this activities are spending your time at the beach. If your find boring to stay in town and praying on your church. Try doing Visita Iglesia. This year I list down my favorite destinations for HOLY WEEK if ever I have a budget to go to travel. Here are they:

1.Vigan Cathedral in Vigan Ilocos Sur -

Also known as St. Paul's Metropolitan Cathedral, this is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines build by Juan de Salcedo on 1574. Situated in Plaza Salcedo, close to the right of Cathedral is the Episcopal Palace where the Bishop resides. You may find the exterior of the Cathedral not so attractive but when you look at the interiors you'll see that the church is really beautiful. Just a segue, it's really nice to celebrate a wedding here it has a super long isle which I really like and the altar is so beautiful!


2. Paoay Church in Paoay Ilocos Norte 

Further north you will find another Heritage Church in the Municipality of Paoay. The name of the Church is St. Augustine but it's popularly known by the place where it is located. This religious building is one of the four Baroque churches designated in UNESCO heritage site. Paoay Church is a fine example of Baroque Architecture with Oriental influences, it has also been called an earthquake Baroque church.


3. Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan 

This church is Spanish - Romaneque inspired with a littele German and Italian Renaissance Architectural composition located in Panganisan. This is one of the popular Pilgrimage Center in the Philippines where the Our Lady of Manaoag is known to be miraculous.


4. Sierra Madre Country Club 

Located in Tanay Rizal built with the sceneries of the Mountains is a good location for a retreat this Holy Week. They have a Way of the Cross that you can do on the top of the mountain and Ecumenical Worship Chapel where they celebrate the Mass.

5. Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto 


Located in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan, features a mock hill Calvary with life size statues that depict the passion and death of Christ. One of the popular pilgrimage area where thousands of devotees come during the Holy Week to do the 14 stations of the cross on the zigzagging hillside.

6. Caleruega 


Located in Nasugbu Batangas is Caleruega Chapel. This is a Dominican built pilgrimage area literally on top of the hill. There are retreat amenities here like conference room, reflectory hall and dormitories. It's a nice place to commune with nature to reflect about your life and pray.

7. Mount Banahaw 


also known as the Holy Mountain in the Philippines, it is located 100 kilometers southeast of Manila. It is the highest peak among a series of mountains and is surrounded by the towns of San Pablo, Majayjay, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Lucena, Tayabas and Lucban. This is a pilgrimage mountain where you can see a combination of catholic practices and superstitions from the local where faith healers and other religious cults go to meditate at the caves and commute with the spirits of nature.

8. Sagada 



located in the Mountain Province, this enchanted place is best for people who wants to find themselves with silence and nature. The roads going here makes you feel selfless and thankful for the blessings you've been receiving in your life but as soon as you reach the place, you will find yourself being engrossed with the sceneries you will see and will forget about the stress and problems you have in the City. There are a lot of places to do your reflections, either by going to the enchanted falls of Bomod-Ok or the Caves of Sumaguing and Rice Terraces Views. This is really a haven for those who wants to rest and reflect.

9. Pampanga 


Here you will see a lot of Kapampangans who do a sacred and personal acts of penitents. There are activities that show the passion and death of Christ.

10. Our Lady of Peñafrancia Church in Naga City 


 This church was built in 1711, been here 11 years ago and I still can't forget the beauty of this Church. The paintings in the ceiling was really impressive I really want to show it to you guys but during those times I only have a film camera and I can't find the pictures now. huhuhu...


Happy Trip! :)