Frugal Living – Frugal Teacher Mommy

Earn from these Online Jobs in the Philippines

March 15, 2020 was the start of the lockdown here in the Philippines due to COVID-19. There were a lot of people who lost their jobs and businesses. Several unexpected things happened, and currently we’re all looking at a very uncertain future.

According to CNN Philippines, there are 7.3 million Filipinos who are unemployed in April. This accounts for 17.7 percent unemployment rate in our country. This is a sudden jump from 5.3 percent in January of this year. If we will compare the current rate to that of last year, which was 5.1 percent, it means that there’s an additional 5 million Filipinos who became jobless due to COVID-19.

Several industries were affected by this pandemic. According to MSN’s Moneysmart, industries, such as travel, events, Grab and taxi drivers, food and beverage, and retail, were the ones greatly affected by this phenomenon. Though this article setting was based in Singapore, it was the same as the situation in the Philippines—-perhaps anywhere in the world where lockdown was implemented.

Good thing, Filipinos are resilient and resourceful. We found a way to earn money by looking at this situation as an opportunity to sell a variety of things online. Thus, there was a boom in e-commerce due to this online selling.

But not everyone would like to join this online selling craze—-especially with the virus still out there and the vaccine is still not available. With the pandemic still hovering over us, many people would prefer to work from the comfort of their own home, and I am one of them.

So what can we do? Do you have a stable internet connection? Do you have a pc or laptop? Good news! You can apply for an online job!

I found this article from MSN or Microsoft News. I am convinced that the content of the said article will greatly help us in finding an online job, whether full time or just a side hustle.

These are the websites listed in that article, and you can apply for positions such as data entry jobs, transcriptionists, SEO or search engine optimization specialist, virtual assistant, and web designer or developer:

Capitaltyping.com has jobs ranging from business administration, data entry services, language translation, online customer support, and transcription services. Check out their website for more information: https://www.capitaltyping.com/
Onlinejobs.ph offers the same online varieties as Capitaltyping.com but it has more online jobs in its list—its name fits its online presence. Most of the Filipino freelancers get their online gig here. If you’re a web designer, PHP developer, or mobile app developer, you may also find a job appropriate for your line of work on this website. Check out their website for more information: https://www.onlinejobs.ph/
Outsourcely is another freelancing platform for virtual assistants, web designed, graphic designer, social media manager, and other online jobs. If you’re looking for a long-term remote work and you’d like to get the exact amount stated in a project, this company is the right one for you. Check out their website for more information: https://www.outsourcely.com/
RemoteStaff has the catchphrase “Empowering Remote Working Relationships” when you visit their website. It is composed of an all-Filipino staff to guide and help you find an online job. I think that’s a plus 🙂 This company offers the same kind of positions as offered by the previous three companies above. Check out their website for more information: https://www.remotestaff.ph/
Upwork is the last on the list from the MSN article. I’ve seen this company in several articles recently—-mostly those with Filipina Homebased Moms (FHMoms) as contributors. If you’re familiar with Elance-oDesk, that’s the old company name of Upwork. So one could say that they’ve been in this online job platform business for quite a long time now. You’ll also see that on their website, they’re trusted by more than 5 million businesses who are looking for specialized talents. Check out their website for more information: https://www.upwork.com/

Good luck job hunting! I pray that you will find the most appropriate job for your skill and circumstance.

Banana Peel Tea for Better Sleep

Chamomile is known to be the tea for a good-night sleep. But would you believe that banana peel can also be brewed for the same purpose? You could brew your banana peel instead of putting it in a trash bin, and you now have an alternative to chamomile tea! (Remember to wash the peels properly before brewing. Use of organic bananas is also recommended by Eliza Savage, RD.)

Bananas are full of nutrients which are responsible for one’s good-night sleep, and it is also rich in potassium and magnesium—which are natural muscle relaxants. It also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to melatonin (a sleep hormone) and to serotonin (a neurotransmitter which contributes to feelings of happiness and well-being).

Just put the banana peels in a sauce pan. Add enough water and make sure that the peels are submerged in it. You may add banana flesh to add more flavor to your brew. Let the water boil then reduce the heat and let the it brew for ten (10) minutes. Remove the banana peels and transfer the tea to your mug. You’re now ready to enjoy your good-night-sleep tea!

So, next time you need to sleep better, try brewing a banana peel tea. Or you may just eat a banana as a dessert or a midnight snack. This is a cheaper alternative to a box of chamomile tea.

National Heroes’ Day Mall-wide Sale at Paseo Sta. Rosa, Laguna

Here it is! This is the moment my family’s been waiting for….the National Heroes’ Day Mall-wide Sale at Paseo Sta. Rosa! It started this weekend (August 24, 2019), and it will be running until next weekend (September 1, 2019). The discount is up to 80% off! Isn’t that amazing?!

The boys need new shoes for their growing feet, and we promised we’ll buy them a new one when this mall-wide sale comes. That’s why they’re all so excited! Even me, I’m excited!

The two bubuts were able to buy their shoes in Fuzion. This is a shoe shop in Paseo, which carries brands such as Merrell, Skechers, Pony, Saucony, etc. Actually, I also bought a pair of white rubber shoes here 🙂

The next day when we went to Ayala Malls Solenad to buy things for the eldest bubut, we realized that they also have a mall-wide sale, just like in Paseo. My husband took this opportunity to himself a pair of new shoes, which he can use everyday when he goes to work. Kuya Bubut also bought his futsal shoes here at Olympic Village. He was not able to find the right size yesterday in Paseo. Hubby found a pair that he likes, but he hesitated due to the price; so he went back to Paseo to check the New Balance store there, which closed early yesterday. He was able to buy a very cool pair of blue New Balance shoes there.

Ate Bubut didn’t buy shoes this weekend because she has a lot of shoes which can still be used. She’s asking me if she can buy the Instax camera, but I told her think it through first since she’ll be using all of her savings for that. After giving it some thought, she decided not to buy it today. I know she’s still thinking of buying it though, but she said no for today. Hopefully, she won’t change her mind tomorrow. I find it quite expensive.

We’re all so happy with our new shoes. It’s a great feeling to be able to buy something at half its price or more!

This is another strategy of a frugal mom—-buy shoes when they’re on sale! You’ll have a lot of savings, especially when you have a big family.

Thank you, Lord, for this mall-wide sale! 🙂

The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra

Have you ever wondered what you can do with your empty tin cans, old strings, and wood?

Well, these kids from Cateura, Paraguay were successful in recycling those materials and coming up with cool and useful instruments for their orchestra. Of course, they’re guided by grown-ups who devoted their time and skills to make this a reality.

You may watch a very inspiring video of “The Landfill Harmonic Orchestra” in YouTube.

Hope you will get motivated to create something like their instruments 🙂

(Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay)