Style and Soul

It's not about the money, money, money... We just wanna make the world dance. Forget about the price tag. 

Is there anyone here who doesn't know this song? Jessie J has a valid point. Not everything in this world is about the cha-ching, cha-ching. In a lot of my posts, I've been saying this over and over because I have experienced it myself. Having money does not guarantee happiness. However, we also have to admit that money is undeniably essential for us to survive. In fact, being broke can be sort of depressing.

Being an entrepreneur myself with my own small-scale business (which will have a comeback this 2013), I can truly say that having a business can be a pain in the ass, haha. To give you an idea, I do research on the latest fashion trends and runway reports, scout for suppliers and items to sell, buy stocks, style and shoot my products, edit the photos, update the store with promos and ads, coordinate with the clients (answer inquiries, go through order forms) and ship the purchases -- all by myself without 100% assurance of profit.

These tasks can be overwhelming and time-consuming for someone like me (plus imagine how much seed money I put out), someone who is crazy busy with indie film shoots, hosting gigs, wardrobe styling stints, personal projects like blog collaborations, and social media and PR work. How I manage to do them all? I honestly don't know, haha. There were a few moments when I've been such a disorganized mess trying to juggle everything. 

With bills to pay and a lot of dreams yet to be fulfilled, it is important that I am at least financially stable. Because of that, I have no choice but to work my butt off and try to find additional sources of income.

If you are in the same situation as I am and are also searching for other means of earning extra cash this new year, putting up your own business is a good option. The question now is, what type of business should you engage in?

What I like about the weather in Singapore is that it's pretty much like here the Philippines. I don't have winter clothes; just a bunch of blazers and light jackets. So if it were cold in SG, then I would be needing to shop for apparels that would be appropriate for such climate. Comparing theirs with ours, the only difference I noticed is that Singapore is warmer in December (especially at noon).

It was scorching hot when I got there so it was a good thing that I brought light and easy-to-wear pieces that helped me endure the heat. Since I was a tourist in a foreign country where no one practically knows me (I have no known relatives in SG), I found an excuse to try and be a little more daring yet laid back with the outfits that I wore. I wasn't quite in the mood to dress up so I threw on an over-sized sando which is practically open on both sides and paired it with checkered leggings which I thought was sort of a quirky (yet still a little edgy) combination.

For such a humid day, it was the perfect time to visit somewhere chilly. If we have Baguio or Tagaytay here in the country, in Singapore, all you have to do is drop by Gardens by the Bay - a cool conservatory complex and large horticultural attraction which offers an awe-inspiring fusion of nature and technology.   

I knew blogging has opened doors for a lot of other people to travel around either locally or internationally. It just never occurred to me that one day, I'd be one of them.

This December, I went on a Singapore trip with five other bloggers made possible by AirAsia Philippines, AirAsiaGo and the Singapore Tourism Board. Allow me to endlessly talk about my trip as if my tweets, instagram uploads and facebook posts weren't enough. People say you never forget your first and true enough, my first-ever travel project will forever be memorable.

As one of the founders of Bloggers United, I really wished I was there to witness how successful our event was (which took place while I was away) and be able to get-together with some of the blogger friends that I haven't seen in such a long time. I was a little sad to have missed it but I have no regrets whatsoever. The Singapore trip was a rare opportunity that I couldn't ignore. It was just what I personally needed -- a different group of people, new sights to gawk at and fresh experiences to relish.

I've always wanted to travel around the world but it's something that I've always put off because of my incredibly busy work schedule, not to mention my sheer reluctance to spend my hard-earned savings. Sounds just like you? Haha. But really, with this trip, I found a new sense of boldness to go ahead and fly to certain parts of the world -- a confidence I gained from knowing that doing so isn't as expensive as thought it would be. With a carefully planned itinerary and proper research (check travel blogs for tips), travelling on a tight budget is now truly possible.

Christmas may be over but the act of gift-giving definitely runs all throughout the year. Now that you're all done worrying about what to give to other people, it's time to think about what to give to yourself without the feeling of guilt!

Yes, despite your recent expenses this Yuletide season, shopping this 2013 will never put a weight on your conscience as long as you put your money in affordable and worthy purchases. 

As a self-proclaimed budget fashionista, I will continue to remain true to my advocacy of practicality and frugality. I buy a lot of my personal things with careful thought and consideration with how much money I actually make in real life. Even if you're saving for rainy days, make sure you don't deprive yourself of life's little pleasures. There's definitely a way to go around shopping without indulging.