Money Managememt Lessons With Private Iris

Here are the issues, Case 1 to Case 11, of Private Iris that I received from ManilaMommy's previous giveaway. The 12th issue will be sent again by Blue Cow. My excited kids had instantly grabbed one as soon as they saw all these. It's the first time that they get to read a Private Iris comics. These are really a great addition to their reading materials, as its a comic book filled with lessons about money management. I know my kids would enjoy the mystery cases in each issue and learn about savings at the same time.

Each issue of Private Iris has a special code with a Php 100 savings bonus. Sparx is a smarter version of a piggy bank which teaches and helps kids to save. I guess I have to activate this Sparx account for my kids.

Thanks again to ManilaMommy, Blue Cow and the Picture Company (for the Php 2,500 gift certificate)!

Garnier Products

I got curious that I want to try Garnier's Pure Self-heating Sauna Mask. It's a self heating mask that contains clay and purifying elements to help clear and unclog your pores.

It's good that Project LL (Project Live Life) is giving away two Garnier products to one lucky winner. Garnier Pure Self-heating Sauna Mask and Garnier Overnight Whitening Peeling Cream are up for grabs!

Nokia C5 from Manila Shopaholic

In celebration of the The Manila Blogs family's 5th year anniversary, they are giving away 5 Nokia cellphones.

I'm trying my luck on a Nokia C5 phone that ManilaShopaholic is giving away.

Nokia C5 is a smartphone that features a simple candybar design and good range of features. It has a 5-way Navi key and 2 soft keys. The Nokia C5 is a great loooking stylish phone if you are on a tight budget. It's a sleek phone that gives you many ways to be connect with your family and friends through social networking sites, email services and you can access your account from Ovi mail. Its compact and lightweight design is perfect for the trendy shopaholics lifestyle!

Check complete specs and other phone models at Nokia.com.ph.

Miss Mexico Wins Miss Universe 2010, Venus Raj Places 4th Runner Up

(photo source: AP)

Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete was crowned as Miss Universe 2010 by outgoing titlehoder Stefania Fernandez. 83 candidates from around the world competed for this year's Miss Universe crown at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

The 22-year-old Mexican beauty shares family values and tells the audience that the Internet is an important tool but parents need to watch over their kids.

I'm proud that Miss Philippines, our country's pride, Venus Raj was named 4th runner-up.

Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps was first runner-up, Miss Australia, Jesinta Campbell was second runner-up, and Miss Ukraine, Anna Poslavska, was third runner-up. 

(photo source: AP)

Actor William Baldwin asked Raj the question, "What is one thing mistake you made wrong and what did you do to make it right?"
To which Venus Raj, replied, "...In my 22 years of existence, there is nothing major, mjor problem that I have done in my life because I'm very confident with my family with the love that they are giving to me. So thank you so much that I'm here... "

Her answer might not have created a huge impact, but her landing 4th place brighten the Filipinos day. This morning, she uplifted the spirit and won the hearts of most Filipinos! Somehow, she soothes the nation's bruised pride, in the best way that she could.

We're proud of you Miss Philippines! You impressed the world with your beauty, poise and grace.

Mabuhay and Pilipinas!

Web Host Providers and Services

Nowadays, more and more individuals are building their presence online. Having your own website proves to be an important aspect of doing business on the net. Managing a website can be easier once you've chosen the right web hosting right from the start. But, one of the most crucial part is choosing the best web host.

Many websites offers web hosting services and it is hard to choose which one to avail especially for newbies. Almost all web host services claims to give the best and reliable services at a reasonable price. But, we should all be careful in choosing a web hosting company. It is necessary to make a research before a making a decision.

This is precisely the reason why the Web Hosting Guide service offered by Web Hosting Fan proves to be very useful. It provides genuine and in-depth reviews of website hosting service providers. You can easily compare all hosting services in order to get the best web hosting service for your website. It's the best site to check for the latest web hosting industry news and trends. You can also check out the web host reviews of the top 10 web hosting sites.

You might also want to consider Web Hosting Hub, a hosting account that includes everything that you need for your business website. You can take advantage of its special Introductory Price of $4.95/ month. 

Nokia C3 From Manila Blogs

Yesterday, my hubby and I were looking at different cellphone models from cellphone stores. After taking our snacks, my mom instantly decided to purchase a brand new cellphone for herself and my youngest sister.

For a change, I guess it would be wonderful to own a full QWERTY cellphone. I would love to grab this Nokia C3 cellphone that Manila Blogs is giving away.

Aside from the QWERTY keypad that makes messaging convenient, this sleek phone features a WiFi, Blueooth, 2 MP camera, media player, a 3.5-inch plug and USB interfaces. The most important thing is, this phone can be used for messaging, e-mail and social networking. This phone is geared towards usres who wants to staty connected with their family and friends via social networking sites like Facebook or chatting with friends via IM.

Colors: Slate Grey, Golden White, Hot Pink

Check out this phone and other Nokia phone models at Nokia.com.ph.

Five Nokia cellphones will be generously given away by the Manila Blogs family as they successfully celebrate their 5th year anniversary. Hopefully, I'll be lucky to win a phone this time!

Love These Stylish and Unique Bags

Last month, I've received two lovely bags from Hedgren Philippines and Therapy Bags. I got what I need and what I want!

Laptop Bag from Therapy

Therapy Bags makes it easy for me to be chic! I've joined their Facebook contest simply by completing the statement "I love Therapy Bags because..." Luckily, my answer was chosen to receive an exclusive laptop bag set with sleeves and pouch:

The laptop bag is fully padded with a faux leather combination. There's a back pocket that I can use for documents, a removable padded sleeves and accessory pouch. I truly love its unique design that is proudly Philippine made!


Posh Shoulder Bag from Hedgren Philippines

My Hedgren Posh bag from the Hedgren's Chique Collection is truly stylish and exceptional. It's a shoulder bag that combines functionality with urban style. I've won these bag from their "Know Your Hedgren, Know Your Style? Promo" where the first fan who answered their question correctly wins their bag of the month. Happy that I've given the correct answer! Aside from that, I've got a Hedgren journal from answering their teaser question (my sisters and my hubby won these too!)

Hedgren truly satisfies my craving for style! It's not just any casual bag. It's a bag that features clean lines, elegant accents and is inspired by the perfect symmetry of a cube.

I won't just stare at Hegren bags as I've got the chance to owned and experienced it!

Hedgren bags are available at all Bratpack and The Travel Club stores nationwide.

And what more?
I guess winning these bags prepares me for that travel plan and another laptop purchase...
When? Hopefully soon! 

For Plants and Garden Lovers

Isn't it lovely to see a home and smell the fresh scent of flowers and plants? Or see large commercial planters brightening an outdoor space?

It's always wonderful to see how plants can beautify a home and enhance the look of a place.
Commercial planters always creates aesthetic appeal in a residential home or commercial establishments. In any establishment with outdoor areas, a commercial planter is sure to give a lovely accent. These displays of plants, flowers and foliage even attract customers. Seeing a planter is beneficial as it makes one feel relaxed and comfortable.

Create a welcoming atmosphere with an inviting entranceway.  Decorate it with outdoor commercial planters that is sure to bring life to your space. Eplanters.com has the finest planters for your indoor and outdoor needs. With its huge selection of planters with different sizes, type. material, and shapes, you would surely find the perfect planter that suits your needs. 

First Payment From LinkWorth

LinkWorth paid me for the first time!

I signed up for LinkWorth program last year. I didn't give it much thought as I got confused using the different services. I just signed up for the LinkPost (writing paid blog post) and LinkAds services (hosting text-based advertisements). I was surprised when I received payment at my PayPal account.

LinkWorth is a marketing portal for both advertisers and publishers. It offers lot of opportunities available for bloggers and webmasters to monetize their site, including text link ads, in-text links, banner ads, hosted content pages, pay-per-click ads, paid blog reviews, and more. Each of these services is designed to meet the needs of the individual that wants make money online.

Payments are made monthly on the 10th of each month. You can choose to use receive payment through PayPal, business checks, direct deposits (US banks only) or bank to bank wire transfers (non US banks). The minimum payout amount for PayPal is $25.

There are many ways to make money from your blogs or website and if you want to monetize your site, LinkWorth is also another good source of additional income.

Sign up and receive opportunities from LinkWorth. 

ManilaMommy's Nokia My Life Contest

Nokia Philippines ties up with The Manila Blogs family as they celebrate their 5th year anniversary!

Five Nokia phones that perfectly suits their blog followers personality are up for grabs. Each Manila Blog's family - ManilaFitness.com, ManilaBlogs.com, Manilamommy.com, ManilaReviews.com and  ManilaShopaholic.com - will be giving away a brand new Nokia phone. 


Manilamommy is giving a Nokia 7230, a phone where you can share in style.

Nokia 7230 has colourful looks and offers effortless picture sharing, messaging and social networking.

Features:
It has a compact form, excellent build quality and feels good in your hand. It has Ovi share, Flickr and Vox applications. You can capture photos instantly, browse photos easily and stay in touch with family and friends on the attractively framed, large and vivid 2.4" colour screen.  

Colours: Hot Pink and Graphite

I've previously won at Manilamommy's Private Iris giveaway, this time I hope I would be lucky to win a Nokia 7230 phone!

Making Better Decisions and Smart Choices

Making smart choices is always important when purchasing a product or availing a service. Nowadays, most consumers take time to research and read online product reviews before making a purchase.

With the overwhelming number of products and services available in the market - from gadgets, automotive, restaurants, movies, clothes and even services ranging from health care to top dating websites - consumer feedback plays a very important role. Just like a well-known and reliable shopping website like amazon.com, where you can get to read product reviews and product ratings from consumers.

It is good to check the reliability of the website, the product reviews and determine which ones are reliable and which are not. For those looking for the best online dating sites, a match dating site review with an in-depth analysis, ratings, comparisons are necessary. At consumer rankings.com, you can check the dating site's membership rates, prices, special features, privacy options and more.

Research, read and evaluate product rankings and reviews so you can be assured of getting the best deal for your money.

Fun Flashing Toothbrush To Keep Kids Teeth Healthy

It's wonderful to capture the happiness of seeing the twinkle in my kids' eyes as they smile and flash those teeth. It always reminds how blessed I am, the same way it reminds me how important their oral health is.

Teaching my kids to properly brush their teeth is not an easy task. It is challenging and it even tests my patience. It's not as simple as teaching them their ABC's. Everyday, my husband and I still take turns in reminding and assisting them as they brush their teeth.

Allowing my kids to choose their own toothbrush and toothpaste had worked for me. Every three months, they look forward to choosing their own toothbrush - from the colorful to the character decorated ones. They also loved the variety of toothpaste flavors that they can choose from. Brushing had already become part of their daily routine. Still, there are moments that they are reluctant to brush their teeth. The hardest part comes when they are in a rush to finish brushing as soon as possible.

Brushing properly prevents tooth decay, plaque and gum diseases. Dentist recommends two-minutes of brushing time, and this is not really easy for the kids. Shortcut brushing can really lead to tooth decay and bad habits, and this is something that I always wanted to avoid.

It's great to know that there's a FIRE FLY TOOTHBRUSH that would inspire my kids to brush longer. It's a fun, flashing toothbrush that lights up and starts to flash, just like a firefly. My kids would surely be attracted by its bright and sparkly lights.

Fun. Flash. FireFly.

Those three "F"s is synonymous to the the ABC's of good oral hygiene for kids.

Using this toothbrush is an enjoyable way of teaching the kids on proper brushing habits. It has a one-minute time that flashes for 60 seconds then turns off automatically. There's 1-minute brushing time for the top teeth and another 1-minute for the bottom teeth.The light would stop working after 3 months, so it would be a helpful reminder for me to buy them a new one.

Kids in the U.S. had fun using Firefly toothbrushes, now the kids here in the Philippines can do the same! FIRE FLY TOOTHBRUSH by DR. FRESH is now available Exclusively at Watsons and Beauty by SM Department Stores.

Firefly Products:
Firefly original (3-12yrs old) Php 129
Float n' Firefly (3-12yrs old) Php 139
Baby firefly (4months - 36 months) Php 139
Flossers (4-12yrs old) Php 125
 
I'm pretty sure that my kids would love to use a Firefly toothbrush!
Thankful that I was able to learn about Firefly Toothbrush from Mommy Dharlz's blog post. You can also be Fan of  Firefly Toothbrush on Facebook to know more about this fun and friendly  toothbrush for the kids.

Yes, toothbrushing will never have to be boring. It would always be Fun! There'll be no shortcuts and no rush to finish. With Firefly, they would also learn to be responsible. My kids will now brush their teeth diligently everyday.

Now, I am confident that I will always see my kids' bright, white and healthy smiles! And these is more than enough to keep me smiling too!

Algebra Made Easy With Online Tutoring Solution

Math is one subject I'd never had a problem with. In fact, I always enjoy answering every mathematical problems and I even received an outstanding grade of 1.25 in my Algebra subjects. I guess this is also the reason why my kids love their Math subjects too.

But then, Math can be horrible and stressful for most students. Some are already having a hard time understanding their 4th grade math and 5th grade math lessons. This is the reason why some students need tutoring help from their teachers while some others are enrolled in tutorial centers that can assist them in this challenging subject. Luckily, there's an online tutorial site that can assist them with their Math tests and homework problems.

Learning Math becomes easier with TutorVista. It offers free online math tutoring session for any levels from K-12 up to college. Learning the Formula for volume and Adding fractions can be made easy with a guidance from the online tutor. You can even enjoy Graphing linear equations.

College students can benefit from solving intensive Algebra 2 problems - from Quadratic Equations to Quadratic Functions from Linear Equations to Polynomial functions; relations, functions and a lot more.

There's an interactive whiteboard which is like studying face to face with a tutor. A live chat with the qualified tutors can also assists students in Chemistry, Physics, Biology and other subjects as well. Students can make use of this service 24/6, as much as they much and whenever they need it.

With TutorVista, you would surely enjoy your Algebra lessons. Moreover, it will motivate you love learning and get that desired edge in any subject.

Two Moons on August 27, 2010

(Source: Email)

Two moons on 27th August 2010

August 27, the Whole World is waiting for....

Planet Mars will be the brightest in the night sky starting August. It will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. This will cultivate on Aug. 27 when Mars comes within 34.65M miles off earth. Be sure to watch the sky on Aug. 27 @ 11:00 PM. It will look like the earth has 2 moons.

The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287.

Exciting? Yes, this email sounds really spectacular as Mars will appear as large as a full moon in the Earth’s sky. Unfortunately, this is just a HOAX. An email that seems to circulate every year always announcing an imminent close Mars-Earth approach.

It started with an actual event, on August 27, 2003 where Mars had been marginally closer to the Earth than it had been for thousands of years, making 2003's close encounter a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Here are some links that explains this hoax:

Mars Hoax
Beware The Mars Hoax
Mars Spectacular

Mystery Shampoo: Revealed

For weeks, an unbranded shampoo with a big question mark populated the Internet and TV ads.

Teasers calls it as the Mystery Shampoo, tagged as "the world's number one hair care brand."

I got my sample not from the website where I registered to receive a sample, but from the "I Commit to Change" movement on Facebook. It's a campaign created to share and encourage others to make a change in their lives.

The secret is finally uncovered. It was last August 1 when the mystery shampoo is revealed on a local-network as the new Pantene Pro-V range. It now comes in three variants suited for a woman's hair type and would help solve their toughest hair problems:

Pantene Total Care - Less Split Ends

Pantene Hair Fall Control - Reduces Hair Fall

Pantene Glossy Shine- Tames Unruly Tangles
(photo source: Pantene website)

I've seen the connection that the "campaign" and Pantene created. Everyday we can do a commitment to make a change. As you make a commitment in various aspects of your life, Pantene assures you of an experience of hair transformation in 14 days.

Tried by 150 million across 14 countries, it’s the No.1 shampoo brand, worldwide. You try, you decide.

The mystery is out. The Mystery Shampoo is the All New Pantene range.

Now, are you ready to make a commitment?

Springtime Circle Earrings

"Spring is a heart full of hope and a shoe full of rain." ~ Unknown

I love this Springtime Circle Earrings that I've won from My Lazy Giveaway. It's a crocheted earrings in beautiful pastel colors of yarn. Wearing this would remind me of a refreshing feeling... of upliftment and hopefulness that the Spring season brings.

Thank you Jamie for hosting this giveaway and Frankie for this lovely creation!

See more of Frankie's Artwork on her Etsy shop.