A Freelancer vs. An Employee

Below is a comparison table between working conditions of a regular office employee and an online freelancer. I have included the pros and cons for each. Some of these ideas are based on personal experience and some are from others who work in similar nature. I asked other freelancers for their opinion for each category and mostly, here are their answers. 

 

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Other freelancers can easily get visa because they do have their own business to declare. For others who have just decided to be a full time freelancer, they have the necessary documents needed because of their prior regular office work. 

Another con for being a freelancer, since you do not have the necessary documents needed, you cannot apply for loans. This is a major setback because there are a lot of benefits in having credit cards such as zero (0%) installments and buy now, pay later promos. 

But if you think about it positively, there are still good things about it. You will not desire for things which are beyond your limits. You will always take into consideration your money on hand. 

An employee has a lot of advantage in terms of working benefits. Aside from the fact that they are protected by our labor laws, they also enjoy the benefits provided by the latter. A freelancer who gets sick does not enjoy sick leave, or one who just gave birth does not enjoy maternity leave. A freelancer gets nothing if he or she did not work for the day, unless he or she got a nice client who cares and understands the situation.

Lastly, in terms of salary increase, a freelancer will most likely have more room for rate increase than a regular employee. From an interview with a friend employee from a big softdrink company, she said she only got Php800 increase on her salary after two years of working. Worst is that their ovetime work goes up to 16hrs per day plus saturday and sunday. Compared to a freelancer who owns his or her time and can explore other fields beyond his/hers as long as he or she can do the work efficiently and with high quality.  

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My Review: Staying as Royalty in Royal Plaza Hotel HK

ROYAL PLAZA HOTEL in Mongkok East. This is the hotel name that got my interests on. I intentionally search for hotels that have double queen-sized beds which can perfectly suit the three of us. I want our place to be as soothing and relaxing as possible.

Royal Plaza Hotel is a 5-star luxury hotel situated in the heart of Kowloon. It is near Mongkok East MTR, hence, going around Hongkong is very easy. It is walking distance to the Ladies Market, Flower Market, and Yuen Po Street Bird Garden.

I originally reserved for a Plaza Deluxe Family room but luckily, we had a free upgrade to the royal club floors on the 18th floor. The 18th and 19th floors are also known as executive floors because they are availed of mostly by royal club members and executives, those with coat and tie and blazers. Right after you step your foot on those floors, a very distinct and fragrant smell will welcome you.

BTW, their security system is of high standards. From the La Scala restaurant to the elevators, neither can you open the door nor click any floors in the elevator unless you have your room card with you. 

The room they gave to us is the Royal Club Grand which is quite big. The beds are extremely comfortable, especially the pillows. The pillows look big and hard but in reality, they are so soft and destressing. It is as if you are laying your head down on cottons.


If you turn on their 46" LED TV for the first time, it will flash a personalized welcome message for the one who reserved which is quite fun. During our stay, they allow Filipino movies to be shown like Sundo,which is a thumbs up because they really take into consideration their guests' nationality.

The room includes complimentary internet with personalized username and password, complimentary coffee and tea (with readily available nepresso coffee machine), and mini-ref with other varieties of beverages and snacks. You will easily know which one is free or not because a pricelist of the drinks and snacks for a fee is made available on the cabinet.

They also have a minibar with various wines and strong drinks if you want but I think they cost more than buying them in a nearby grocery.

We didn't touch any of those drinks because, unfortunately,  we don't drink. Papa does. But we plan on waking up early the next day so we don't want to take the risk. Btw, we practice healthy and clean living, though not obvious :). 

The room provides a typical money vault, disposable slippers, and an iron. Two bathrobes are likewise provided for by the hotel. Too bad, they forgot we are three pax in the room.

The toilet and bathroom are clean and spacious. Branded toiletries are also made available. We took them all home. :)

They have a modern design bathroom that when you click a button, the bathroom curtain will go up and you will see a transparent glass. The entire room can be seen straight from the bathroom.

You can only access the Health Club which includes the swimming pool and the gym if you have your room card with you. They have a variety of gym equipment from core and strength training to the usual cardio exercise. 

On the other hand, you can only enter the swimming pool if you are in proper swimming suit. One life guard is always present in case something happens.

Food is not a problem here because the hotel is adjacent to the Grand Century Place, the largest shopping mall in Mongkok. It has a nice food court named Food Opera which offers variety of Asian dishes (Taiwan, HK, Macau, Singapore, Thai food, Korean, etc.) with a price ranging from HK$30-60 per meal. We didn't manage to fully avail most of these food stalls because included in our room is a breakfast buffet for the three of us in their famous La Scala restaurant. The review for the latter will be on a separate post. 

Overall, we enjoy our stay in Royal Plaza HK. The ambience, the location, the scenery outside, and almost everything are of excellent rating except the fact that you need to deposit HK$2,000 upon check-in, even though you already paid in full. This is just in case you get something or avail of some of their for-a-fee snacks and drinks in the minibar and ref. Thus, if you are planing to stay here, you have to allot said amount from your budget, which is quite pricey. They will refund it after you check-out.

Anyway, regardless, we still want to return here. The very first thing I missed after we got back home is the pillow! Those soft, cotton-like pillows!! I want to have one. Only if I know their supplier..tsk.

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Visa-Free Countries for Filipinos

Asian Countries, ASEAN member

• Brunei Darussalam - 14 days 
• Cambodia - 21 days
• Indonesia - 30 days
• Laos - 30 days
• Malaysia - 30 days
• Singapore - 30 days
• Thailand - 30 days
• Vietnam - 21 days 

Asian Countries, Non-ASEAN member

• Azerbaijan - 30 days, visa issued on arrival
• China, Shenzhen - 7 days if arriving from Hong Kong, and is valid in Shenzhen area only.
• Hong Kong - 14 days validity
• India - 30 days visa issued on arrival
• Iran - 15 days, must obtain an e-visa pre-approval code from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Israel - 90 days
• Laos - 21 days, visa on arrival
• Macau - 30 days
• Maldives - 30 days visa issued upon arrival
• Myanmar - 21 days
• Mongolia - 21 days
• Nepal - 21 days visa issued on arrival
• Republic of Georgia – 90 days visa issued upon arrival, 360 days visa free to those who have temporary residence of Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait
• South Korea - 30 days, if arriving at Jeju Island or after visiting Korea 4 times with visa
• Sri Lanka - 30 days, but must get an Electronic Visa Authorization prior to departure.
• Taiwan - 30 days, if holding a permanent residence certificate or an unexpired visa from: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Schengen countries, United Kingdom or United States. And must register online at https://nas.immigration.gov.tw/nase/ prior to arrival.
• Timor-Leste (a.k.a. East Timor)- 30 day visa issued at the Dili airport and seaport

African Continent

• Burundi – 21 days
• Cape Verde Islands – 21 days
• Comoros – 21 days
• Djibouti – 30 day visa issued on arrival
• Gambia – visa issued upon arrival
• Kenya - 90 days visa issued on arrival
• Madagascar - 90 days visa issued on arrival
• Morocco - 90 days
• Mozambique - 30 days visa issued on arrival
• Saint Helena - visa issued upon arrival
• Seychelles – 30 days, must show sufficient funds & proof of accommodation
• Tanzania - visa issued on arrival
• Togo (Togolese Republic) - 7 days, visa issued on arrival. Requires yellow fever vaccination
• Uganda - 90 day visa issued on arrival at Entebbe Airport
• Zambia - 90 days visa issued on arrival

Central America

• Costa Rica - 30 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival
• Guatemala
• Nicaragua - 90 days visa issued on arrival

Caribbean

• Anguilla - 21 days
• Dominica - 21 days
• Haiti - 21 days
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - 30 days visa issued on arrival
• Turks and Caicos Islands - 21 days

Europe:

• Kosovo - 90 days

Oceania/Pacific Island Nations

• Cook Islands - 31 days
• Fiji - 120 days, Visitor's Permit issued on arrival
• Marshall Islands - 30 days visa issued on arrival
• Micronesia - 30 days, entry permit required for stays over 30 days
• Nauru - 30 days
• Niue - 30 days
• Northern Marianas - visa issued on arrival
• Palau - 30 days visa issued on arrival
• Papua New Guinea - 60 days, visa given on arrival
• Pitcairn Islands - 14 days, entry permit given on arrival
• Samoa - 60 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival
• Tuvalu - 30 day visitor permit for tourist is issued upon arrival
• Vanuatu - 30 days

South America

• Bolivia - 90 days
• Brazil - 90 days
• Colombia - 90 days
• Ecuador - 90 days
• Peru - 183 days
• Suriname - 90 days

Note: While the countries above does not require Philippine passport holders to apply for a visa in the Philippines, some will require a visa (and issue one upon arrival) after filling an application form and paying the fees. You may be required to produce your return or onward ticket and demonstrate sufficient funds to cover your stay. Most states require that passports have at least 6 months validity to gain entry.

Source: http://www.philsite.net/visa-free-countries.htm

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Top 10 Budget-Friendly Travel Tips

1) PLAN AHEAD. 

Planning is always the key. Know the best time to travel. Make sure you take advantage of off-season. Airline tickets, hotel bookings, and tourist destination' entrance fees are most likely cheaper during off-season. Travelling and staying during weekdays are likewise cheaper compared to weekend prices. Know first hand who you will be with, your destination, number of days you will stay, daily food budget, tourist spot entrance fees, and optional, the number of people who you will give presents from abroad or 'pasalubong'. Check your finances, create a timeline, and have a budget goal for your tour. 

2) CREATE A "DO-IT-YOUR-OWN" ITINERARY.

Avoid travel agency or any other tourist office room-finding services. This is one of the misconceptions from people travelling abroad. People usually feel that availing tour packages from travel agencies will be cheaper. But they got it all wrong. 

Travel agencies charge fees and generally won't offer the best available rates for rooms and tickets. They usually give high priced room rates with no discounts. Besides, if you go for an agency, you will most probably be with a group of strangers who availed the same tour. You wouldn't have any control of your time. You won't be able to relax and really enjoy your vacation if everything you do has time constraints.  

3) SELECT COST-EFFECTIVE DESTINATIONS.

There may be cheap airline tickets to Australia or Dubai, but pricey lodging, food and other expenses can weigh your budget down. But of course, if you can look for destinations with budget-friendly lodging and food expenses, aside from cheap airline tickets, then go for it! 

4) AVAIL PROMO FARE TICKETS.

Grab piso fare and other promo tickets once they are on sale. Airlines such as Cebu Pacific, AirAsia, Tiger Airways, and Philippine Airlines, from time to time, offer cheap airline tickets.

5) TRAVEL LIGHT.

Be a backpacker. Or hand-carry your luggage. It will save time and money. You don't have to check in, neither fall in line nor wait for your luggage after arrival. You can go straight to immigration for clearance and leave the airport thereafter. Only 7kgs are allowed for carry-on luggage. Usually, airlines won't weigh in hand carry bags so no need to worry about it. 

6) CHOOSE YOUR BANK'S FOREX AS YOUR MONEY CHANGER.
I noticed the best money changer is BPI Forex. I tried BDO but they require you to be an account holder. They also ask for certain requirements such as airline tickets, hotel bookings, and passport. They also require you to notify them at least 2-3 weeks before your departure, especially if you are converting to third currencies (aside from USD). 

For BPI, even though you are not an account holder and you are converting to third currencies, they will allow you. They only require one valid ID upon claiming. No other requirements. But they may ask for what purpose is this. If you want to get it right away, you have to call them and make deposit before 11am. You will get the converted amount in the afternoon on the same day. Don't believe what their website says about their buying and selling rates. It is never updated. Go call them first and confirm the rates. Their rates are the best I guarantee. Below is their office:

BPI Forex

G/F BPI Main Branch, Paseo de Roxas Wing, BPI Head Office Ayala Avenue corner Paseo de Roxas Makati City, Philippines Tel. No. 816-9369, 8455432, 8455949

7) CHECK THE WEATHER.

Always consider the weather conditions of your place of destination. The last time I went abroad, we were stranded and almost missed our flight due to bad weather. Good thing a few hours before our flight, their operations resume. Our flight was delayed though. Imagine the nightmare if we have to stay for 1 more night. It will totally ruin your budget. We might end up being one of those TNTs or luckily be back here totally broke..lol

8) USE SOCIAL MEDIA SITES FOR INSIDER DEALS.

Social media sites such as twitter and facebook often share sales, discounts and promotional codes with their followers. Also, search for hashtags like #traveldeals. You would be surprised at the savings you may get from these.

9) CONTACT HOTELS DIRECTLY OR TRY ALTERNATIVE LODGING.

For best accommodation rates, look directly for sites like booking.com, agoda.com, tripadvisor, and the like. These sites usually provide discounted rates for their rooms, although mostly, maximum of 2 per room are allowed. If that is the case, contact the hotel directly through email or phone and ask for promotions and best deals available.

Or rather, don’t just search for hotels. Try looking for vacation rentals such as dorms, hostels, or apartments. They offer cheaper rates compared to hotels. 

10) GO FIRST WITH VISA-FREE COUNTRIES, BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE. 

Acquiring visa usually costs a lot and laborious. It would be better if you will settle first with visa-free countries before going to the others. I have listed down in a separate post the countries where Filipinos can visit without a visa for reference. 

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Sakae Sushi - Robinson Manila

I think a lot of Filipinos love sushi and because I crave for them I decided to invite my sister and my nephew to a dinner buffet of sushi in Sakae Sushi, located at the ground floor of Robinson Ermita, Manila.

Since we love sushi and all, we decided to go back there for the second time together with the whole family. But this time, I availed of the cashcashpinoy voucher: "Sushi ALL-YOU-CAN buffet with Miso soups, Bottomless Hot or Cold Green Tea good for six (6) people" for only Php1,549.00.  I purchased 2 vouchers just for this family event.

Normally, the regular price of the buffet for adult is Php399 while Php199 for children. You may choose to just order them by piecemeal or individually depending on your sushi cravings. The price per plate depends on their color: red and purple plates=Php99, green plates=Php79, yellow plates=Php59, and blue plates=Php39.

I ranked their sushi according to how much delectable they are. Here are my top 5 sushis:

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

Below are some other pics of their sushis. I apologize for the quality of these. I am using my old camera during those times. 

For my ratings (1=least, 10=outstanding): 

Price = 9

Food Quality = 8 (because some sushis don't have much taste, in short, matabang! hehe)

Cleanliness = 10

Ambiance = 9

Service = 10

Btw, to note, one of my economic principles in life is to enjoy life in a smart way. I don't go to buffet restaurants or other classy places without me availing their discounted rates and deals. If you could enjoy life without sacrificing your pocket, then do it. Be smart, explore things, and have fun! :)

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