Shop Safe Online with a MasterCard Virtual Card

I was initiated into the world of online shopping when I first bought a bottle of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence at SaSa in 2005 and since then, I have gone on to explore and embrace this then uncharted shopping territory like a fish takes to water. 

Today, I am obsessed with online shopping. Big, huge, humongous fan? That’s an understatement.

Between Dada & I, we have bought a flat-screen TV, gadgets, furniture, bags, shoes, clothing, an electric guitar, groceries, specialty food items, beauty products, makeup, diapers, toys, actually, make that everything! 

Just some of the stuff I've bought online: Berry's Pampers from diapers.com, groceries from FreshDirect, my trusty La Mer UV Fluid from cremedelamer.com, Alexander Wang Rocco from satineboutique.com, Gianvito Rossi pumps from netaporter.com, CdG Play striped shirt from lagarconne.com,, Valentino rockstud flats from valentino.com, Samsung flat screen TV from amazon.com, Mulberry Alexa from lagarconne.com, SK-II from sasa.com and sk-ii.com

It’s not just about variety, it’s ease of use and convenience. Apart from the fact that I can do my shopping right at home, or wherever I am on my mobile phone (hello there Net-a-Porter and eBay apps!), it just shaves off so much time for me. Rather than take a shower, get dressed, step out and go out to look for what I need, I just search, compare prices (here’s looking at you, ShopStyle) and add to cart online. In minutes. Easy Peasy. 

While I still find shopping in stores a lot of fun, there are deals online, such as coupon codes and free shipping, where the price just can’t be beat elsewhere. I especially get a kick out of receiving packages, because it feels like Christmas all the time! 

 If you have yet to explore the possibilities and experience the thrills of shopping online - maybe because you still feel nervous about the whole thing, or you’re simply afraid of credit card fraud, then I’m about to share with you something life changing. 

*cue music* Presenting, the MasterCard Virtual Card!

The MasterCard Virtual Card is a regular plastic card or a reference card that shows a card number and the card verification code for use only on the Internet.

Unlike a physical plastic credit, debit or prepaid card, a MasterCard Virtual Card is not accepted for face-to-face purchases or at in-store card payment terminals.

It’s definitely safer and a lot more secure to use for online purchases. Here’s why:

1. Your MasterCard Virtual Card number gives you the security of not disclosing your regular card number online to protect your primary credit or bank account details from identity theft. Your MasterCard Virtual Card account number is issued exclusively for use on the Internet.

2.  Your MasterCard Virtual Card allows you to limit your credit line for online shopping, so you don’t have to worry about dubious Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels splurging on your card. With a MasterCard Virtual Card, you can carry out online transactions without having to worry about maxing out your credit limit.

3. Family members aka your supplementary cardholders are also given unique accounts for online purchases. These separate credit card and virtual card accounts allow you track online and retail purchases separately.

If you are a MasterCard credit, debit or prepaid cardholder from the following issuing banks - BDO, BPI, EastWest Bank, Metrobank, RCBC Bankard and Security Bank, then you can get a MasterCard Virtual Card account number to use exclusively on the Internet.

Simply apply online by visiting the official website of your MasterCard-issuing bank and completing the application form online.

With that, you’ve got a whole new world to discover! Happy Online Shopping!

Ready to shop online with your MasterCard Virtual Card? I shared some tips for savvy online shopping, HERE!

Coach Pia #BetterMe Session at Sequioa Hotel + Ombu Filipino Restaurant

I rarely go to Quezon City these days, but if it's a Coach Pia session for the SoMoms we're talking about, then I am going even if its beyond my usual haunts, heehee.

Our most recent Coach Pia session happened at Sequoia Hotel along Mother Ignacia Ave. cor Timog Ave. Yeah, hotels are popping up in QC na pala! The only hotel I knew of in the area before was Sulo Hotel, and now, there's quite a number where you can hold events, parties, seminars and business conferences. Sequoia Hotel in particular has five function rooms that can fit a small team or hold a conference for 400 delegates, and they have over 130 rooms with free Wi-Fi access.

Not only that, Quezon City is such a happening place for food. There's always something new to try out, we really ought to go there more often. Case in point, Ombu Filipino Restaurant at Sequioa Hotel.

photo via Breakfast with Tiffany

After our session with Coach Pia, we had lunch here, where we were served Filipino comfort food with a twist.

Tinapa Croquetas

Penne Pasta in Olive Oil and Spanish Sardines

Honey Glazed Chicken

Fried rice with dilis - so good!

Gising Gising

Tokwa't Baboy

Salted Egg Tempura

Beignet with Tsokolate

 

If you are craving for Pinoy food that is familiar and yet a step away from the ordinary, you know where to go in QC!

OMBU
Ground floor, Sequoia Hotel
91-93 Mother Ignacia St. corner Timog Avenue
South Triangle, Quezon City
Hours: from 6:30 am
Tel: (632) 441 0518

Now on, to Coach Pia and the topic of the day, "Building Healthier Relationships: Partner & Children".

When it comes to relationships, first things first, we need to assess if our relationship with our partner and our kids is healthy. Here's how to gauge:

Relationship with Partner:
- I can be myself while nurturing my partner, aka authenticity
- I can trust myself, I can trust my partner
- I feel respected, I respect my partner
- I feel understood, I can understand my partner
- I can nurture our children, our children feel nurtured

Relationship with Kids:
- your child can be himself/herself, they can express their thoughts, feelings, actions
- your feel respected, your child feels respected
- your child feels understood
- there is a balance of providing structure/setting limits and affirmation/building self-esteem

Ano, Pass or Fail? Hahaha! Well, don't fret, it is not too late to work on that relationship or further enhance a good thing going. Here are the aspects you need to consider in building healthier relationships:

Partner: Willingness &Ability to
1.  maintain & develop trust
2. learn continuously
3. communicate openly
4. cooperate & create a plan
5. adapt & be flexible
6. let go & forgive
7. sacrifice

Kids: Ability to (because willingness is not an option, we just do it for our kids!)
1. maintain & develop trust
2. learn continuously
3. communicate openly
4. encourage cooperation & co-develop a plan
5. adapt & be flexible
6. accept & affirm
7. parent without EGO

Now, that we know all these, it is time to put this knowledge to work. Here are the 3 strategies we can use to build healthier relationships:

1. Choose an aspect you would like to work on and give yourself a 21-90 day timeline to attain beter results. Then move on to the next one, and so on.

2. Understand and transcend your personal ego. With your kids, nurture yourself to be rid of your personal ego.

3. Fill the relationship with unconditional love & acceptance.

Now  the challenge lies in remembering to do all these when your husband is right there in front of you, testing your patience and not being lovable at the moment, or your kids are wailing non-stop, trying to get their way. 

The thought pa lang, stressful na! Anywho, breathe deeply and remember..."Transcend".

Ommmmm.... 

Special thanks to BPI for supporting The One Core session for the SoMoms! Thank you for this Financial Wellness Journal too. Such a handy dandy tool that us moms can use to validate where we are in our journey to financial wellness, and reminds us to strive towards our goals while practicing good money management habits.

BPI believes that the family is a key pillar to financial wellness. The influence of mothers on their children and their spouses is arguably the most potent in steering the family towards good money habits. BPI is making it easy for moms to raise their financial questions to no less than "banker moms". Moms reading this, feel free to contact Mita Gozar and Chinky Lukban, VPs of BPI, at mita@bpi.com.ph and chinky@bpi.com.ph to discuss your money management concerns!

P.S.

Curious about what Coach Pia and The One Core can do for you? You may want to sign-up for one of her workshops or classes. Next up in her Stress Management Workshop is, tun dun dun dun - Dealing With Stressful People. Details below:

Stress Management Workshop on "Dealing with Stressful People"
September 24, 2013, 7:00-9:00 PM
The OneCORE Success Center, Loyola Heights, Q.C.

Limited slots available. Contact us at:
436-4143 | 0922-894-4143 | contact@theonecore.com

Other topics in this series:
November 26: Handling Career Stress
January 21: Living a Stress-Free Life
March 25: What are My Stress Triggers?

Also, thanks to Tammy Lim of SpunkDesigns.com for the cute kitschy items you gave us!

The Trouble with Tuition: How Parents Can Cope via BPI

Parents, with school year 2013-2014 right around the corner, we'd like to share with you another banking breakthrough from BPI!

Who’s afraid of tuition fees, more so, those dreaded tuition fee hikes? 

Not the parent who has saved enough to pay for their child’s education well into graduate school. But the reality is that, many parents get nervous when the time to pay for tuition and school fees rolls around. Even families, who live relatively comfortable lives, would still feel the crunch, especially when they’re sending multiple kids to school at the same time. 

Years ago, a mom of 4 kids was telling me of her plan to send her youngest and only daughter to a school which was not as fancy, hence, less expensive than her three older boys’ private school. Sounds unfair, but what’s a mom with a budget to do? 

Let’s face it. Filipinos in general, are not financially savvy. A Money Summit infographic based on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Consumer Finance Survey of 2012 presents these truly shocking facts: But we don’t have to be part of this statistic. 

The good news is that, parents can do financial planning early on and get advice, before we have to make life-changing decisions for our kids. From talking to financially savvy relatives and friends, to talking to a financial planner or personal banker, there’s a host of options really. 

But if you are not comfortable talking finances face to face with family & friends, especially strangers, here’s one novel way of getting money advice – via the BPI Bankers Online App on Facebook! 

BPI makes it easy for every Filipino with a Facebook account to get financial advice by allowing us to have personalized conversations with real bankers from BPI. 

Each BPI Banker Online has his/her own specialty whom we can ask about our individual financial needs – from money management, building a nest egg, growing wealth, to borrowing for business. For the already money savvy BPI client, the BPI Online Banker app also features a connection to BPI’s help desk for account-related inquiries and other customer service concerns.

It sort of is like having a personal banker on speed dial, but even better. What’s more convenient than getting financial advice in between chatting with friends and liking their photos? Haha!

But really, the BPI Online Bankers App makes it easy for all of us to get to our financial goals faster, through expert financial advise and solutions. Which in the case of the parent wringing her hands because tuition fee season is right around the corner, could be as easy as seeking advise via the BPI Online Bankers app found on the BPI Facebook Page www.facebook.com/bpi. 

BPI seeks to help improve financial literacy in the country by reaching out to the more than 27 million Filipinos on Facebook. Through the app, BPI encourages these users to become more aware of their financial health and to seek the expert advice offered by the bank’s pool of friendly and knowledgeable bankers.