*To get a bigger look at the infographic just click on it.
6 Easy Steps to Adjust Your Office Chair
Being a work at home mom in front of a computer for more than 12 hours a day I knew I needed to check out this infographic! Thanks to Comfy Office Chair for sharing this!
*To get a bigger look at the infographic just click on it.
*To get a bigger look at the infographic just click on it.
Unionbank EON Card Replacement
I had gotten my EON card 3 years ago and found out that my card was expiring through PayPal this month. I didn't wait until the last minute because I couldn't afford a period where I had to wait to withdraw money. I went to the nearest Unionbank (Novaliches) for my card replacement. I was confident I would get it in one week because when I had first gotten my card I received it within the promised time.
I go back after a week expecting to get my card and it turns out it hadn't been delivered. Now my patience has lengthened tremendously over time so I didn't get angry instead I listened to the reasoning behind the delay.
I was told that from March 14 onwards all card replacements would be experiencing a delay because of a system upgrade. Well, obviously that was out of their hands. As I needed the money in my account I opted to withdraw over the counter (with a withdrawal fee of Php100.00).
I was told to try again in 2 days. Seeing as I had withdrawn the money I needed and wouldn't need to get the card yet I waited 5 days. This time I made a call before going there and to my dismay my card still hadn't arrived. I still proceeded to the bank to withdraw over the counter and for an update on the delivery of my card.
Upon arriving at the bank I inquired as to how long the delay was to be expected. I was told that it would be indefinite! I was caught off guard because this is NOT an answer you give to a customer. Was I expected to just wait forever, what about my PayPal verification, the withdrawal fees and the trip I have to make each time? I was truly frustrated and people who know me well, they know I won't take that sitting down. I demanded for a resolution and action to be taken.
It was totally unacceptable that they could not provide a proper timeline. If they were not able to provide me with my card they needed to find a way to resolve my problem which mainly was a card that I could use to verify my PayPal account.
In respect to the manager of the Unionbank Novaliches branch, she was very accommodating and did not give me any attitude. Instead she and one of the bank officers tried to find a solution to my problem. I applaud their efforts and their effectiveness in handling customers and getting me what I needed.
In the end, they offered to set up a new account for me and provide me with my EON card right there and then. They also waived the new account fee of Php350.00 and the withdrawal fee of Php100.00 (I had to return later that day to withdraw over the counter as the system was down when I was there!). After signing up online on their computer, filling out some forms and paying the deposit fee of Php200.00 (this is required by PayPal but is also returned to you) I got my EON card. I have to wait 3 days for the account and card to link to my details and then I'll be able to verify my PayPal account.
If you are experiencing a similar difficulty this is probably the best way to go rather than waiting indefinitely for a replacement card that may never come.
It's easy to get angry at the staff and manager when things go wrong but who is really wrong here? Unionbank is a credible banking institution and you would think that they could provide a better answer than "We're not sure". They should be able to provide a timeline to customers and not leave them hanging. It seems their is a required bank system upgrade made by Bankgko Sentral so maybe even Unionbank isn't at fault. No matter who the perpetrator, it's hard working citizens like us that get stuck with the problem.
WAHM Interview: Chatting with May
When I first started contemplating if I could be a WAHM I always hesitated because I wasn't sure if I could make it work and I didn't know anyone who actually worked at home and made a comfortable living.
I hope the interviews here will inspire you to take that step and fulfill your dream of being a work at home mom.
************
May is new to the WAHM community but she is thoroughly enjoying the benefits of being a work at home mom. Find out how she started and what tips you can take from her story for your own journey of becoming a WAHMom.
Age: 35
Have you had an office job? Yes
What has been the best experience of being a work at home mom?
I don’t think I can call myself a WAHM yet because I am
primarily managing a waffle business located in a mall. I’ve only been accepting part time
transcription jobs whenever I have extra time but haven’t really earned that
much from it yet. But I think the best part of being a WAHM is that you get to
spend time at home and still earn.
How long have you been a WAHM?
Just a few months ago, I quit my office job last March and
launched my business but only tried working from home 3 months after. On an
average I accept jobs once or twice a week, so I can’t say that I am that
experienced.
What is your current WAHM job?
Part
time transcriptionist.
Where did you first hear about being a WAHM?
At work. I have several colleagues who quit their office
jobs to work from home.
What made you decide to become a WAHM?
Since I have extra time at home after my mall visits, I
thought of doing some part time job at home.
What would you say are the challenges of being a WAHM?
You need to have a strong sense of discipline and not let
yourself procrastinate and beating deadlines.
What are the three things you need to be a successful WAHM?
Discipline,
focus and time management
What
online job sites would you recommend to WAHM beginners?
I’ve
tried only Odesk so far.
What is a normal day for you?
How has being a WAHM changed your life?
I have more time for myself and my family.
Words of encouragement for wannabe WAHMs?
Am
I qualified? LOL! I don’t consider myself a successful WAHM yet to be able to
give words of encouragement.
How to Make Money from Blogging
Have you been blogging for some time but haven't earned what you thought you would? Do you need tips on how to improve your blog or better yet get visitors to actually come to your blog?
These were some of the concerns I had when I was blogging but I had the opportunity to attend Blogelina's 4-week course on How to Make Money from Blogging. Aside from the insightful course I also got a year's free of webhosting!
Until Aug 31st!
The course is being offered up once again at only $5.00! Take advantage and learn the aspects of how to improve your blog, get ideas for your posts and the best platform to work with for blogging.
I have 2 blogs and I took advantage of this offer with my other blog Art of Being a Mom. I've experienced drastic changes with my blog. Increased visitors and I'm more inspired to blog. After getting the free year of webhosting, I decided to buy a domain and transfer from Blogger to Wordpress. This is also the same plan that I have for this blog in the near future.
If you want to know more about the course you can comment below.
WAHM Interview: Chatting with Eve
When I first started contemplating if I could be a WAHM I always hesitated because I wasn't sure if I could make it work and I didn't know anyone who actually worked at home and made a comfortable living.
I hope the interviews here will inspire you to take that step and fulfill your dream of being a work at home mom.
************
Eve has been a WAHM for over a year and has successfully proven that one can be a dedicated mom while working at home. Read on to learn more about Eve's views and insights to becoming a WAHMom.
Age: 25
Number of Children: 1
What has been the best experience of being a work at home mom?
I'd like to cite two of the best experiences of being a work-at-home mom! First, being able to witness all the milestones in Carlos' existence. Second, being the first person to hug him, console him, nurse him, kiss him and more whenever and wherever he needs it.
How long have you been a WAHM?
1 year and 6 months
What is your current WAHM job?
Online ESL (English as a second language) teacher, transcriptionist and other home based projects that are within my capacity and talent. :)
Where did you first hear about being a WAHM?
On Facebook.
What made you decide to become a WAHM?
Honestly, I did not go through a painful and daunting process just to become a WAHM. Up until this very moment that I'm writing this down, I still feel that it was all God's plan. I lost my job when I was pregnant so I had no choice but to find a way to earn what I need to earn. Besides, I don't like the idea of procrastinating for a long period of time (Really?!). When I gave birth, I knew I had a choice to look for a job and I feel like people around me were expecting me to do so (which is still happening right now) but that didn't happen and I wouldn't be telling you all of this if I chose to work outside the home.
What would you say are the challenges of being a WAHM?
Working with the baby, kids, adults, dogs, cats, and other distractions around is one major challenge I am encountering day to day. Remember that you're no longer working in an office that's very conducive for work related stuff. This time your office could be your bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and all the kinds of rooms there are in your house. With that being said, anyone can easily bug you and ask you to do a favor whilst working, thus, taking your focus away from your work.
What are the three things you need to be a successful WAHM?
Since everybody's going crazy about "Please Be Careful With My Heart", especially about SER Chief (admit it or not, you're one of them), let me use the letters SER to stand for the three things which I think are essential for you to get through the life of being a WAHM:
S-Support
Ask for support from your husband and the entire family (including your neighbors if you want).
Whenever friends ask me about how to be a WAHM, I tell them the process but I also and always tell them to think about it over and over and to ask support from their husband and family. The transition from being a career woman to a work at home mom is really not easy. It gets frustrating at times especially when you feel like your budget is running low or you're not properly managing your time or worse, you can't find the right client or employer. That's why support coming from these people is very important.
E-Explore
Once you've decided to be a WAHM, you have to explore and research. Your computer is now your new best friend! (Baka magkapalit pa nga kayo ng mukha eh! Translation: You might switch faces with your computer monitor!) So you better take extra care of it! You can always find available jobs that are home based on the internet. Don't limit yourself to the skills you currently possess. Yo can also explore your hidden talents and add more skills to your already long list by joining workshops, trainings or even taking TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) courses. Take note that there are also online trainings and workshops.
R- be Realistic
Being a WAHM is also like applying in the corporate world as a fresh graduate. Your resume is empty aside from the scholastic records, seminars attended and best student award that you have. So when starting, you have to set your expectations right and be realistic. No one will offer you a high salary right away if you haven't gathered enough experience yet. Instead of complaining or jumping from one employer to another, take what is being offered (as long as the tasks and salary are reasonable) and make it your stepping stone for a better employment and even better salary in your next months of being a WAHM.
What online job sites would you recommend to WAHM beginners?
I recommend you join the Facebook group Manila Work-at-Home-Moms, oDesk (only for patient people as the start could be daunting) and of course, my page Online ESL Teachers Training where I constantly post job openings for those who are and want to be online ESL teachers.
What is a normal day for you?
It depends on the projects I work on. However, no matter how light or how toxic my day is, I always wash my little boy's clothes. Haha!
How has being a WAHM changed your life?
I never worked out of home since I gave birth to Carlos so I really don't have anything to compare it with. All I know is that I am really happy that God has brought me to being a WAHM. My mind is sound (most of the time) because I know Carlos is just an arms reach away or next-door-reach away from me.
Words of encouragement for wannabe WAHMs?
If you won't take a step forward to being a WAHM then you wouldn't know the answer to your questions. If things didn't work for you the first time, you can still keep going back to where you think you should really be. You can keep trying until it works for you and the family. I know I am not in the position to tell you all of these things but I can assure you that it's really rewarding and it's worth a try!
I forgot to mention, you'd be able to follow every single episode of "Please Be Careful With My Heart" or any of your favorite TV series! You want that don't you? :)
May God give you the courage, strength, employer and everything that you need to be a successful WAHM! :)
