What I Like about BDO Credit Cards (2021 Review)

Banco De Oro (BDO) is my main bank -- I have a savings account and two credit cards with them. BDO is also the first bank to send me a credit card -- one which I did not apply for. This the reason why I decided to write a review about their credit cards.

How I Got My BDO Credit Cards

I think if you have a savings account with BDO, the chances of them sending you a BDO credit card are higher. This was what happened with my Standard Master Card. The credit card just happened to come in the mail without me applying for it.

As for my Bench Mastercard, I applied for this inside a Bench store. It was offered to me by the cashier and I just filled out an application form, showed them my valid IDs, and then I waited for their approval. I don't remember receiving a text/email from them, but the credit card was just sent to my home address. I guess a huge factor in the approval of my application is the fact that I already have a savings account and an existing credit card with BDO.

For the application requirements, you may visit the BDO website to check: 

BDO Standard Mastercard

BDO Bench Mastercard

What I like about BDO Credit Cards

• BDO Mastercards are widely accepted/known in the Philippines. Also, most credit card terminals in malls are from BDO (especially in SM malls).
• BDO credit cards always have promos and installment plans which you can pay in 3, 6, 12, 24, or even 36 months with 0% interest. They are also always partnered with various merchants, like appliance stores, clothing boutiques, electronic shops, etc.
• One thing that I really like about BDO credit cards it their "buy now pay later" offer. Once you purchase something, you will be billed at a later time, which is usually on the third billing statement. This feature gives you a chance to settle your previous balances first and then prepare enough cash to pay for the new installment plan.
• I also like that it's easier to pay my credit cards through online banking since my savings account is with BDO as well.
• You can also use your BDO credit cards to auto charge your utilities, like for example, your electricity, water, and postpaid phone bills.

Things I Won't Buy to Save Money

I learned about financial freedom from my former boss when I was 20 years old. That was over a decade ago, but only just recently have I truly learned the best practices to achieve financial freedom. It's better late than never, I guess! But the sooner you realize that saving money will save you, the better.

One way to achieve financial freedom, of course, is to be wise about your spending in order to save money. This year, I've decided that I will give up some things that I consider "luxuries" in order to save some cash.

1. Expensive skin care products

Most influencers push different skin care products -- there's the 10-step Korean skin care, the 7-step glass skin routine, etc. But how many expensive products do you really have to apply on your skin at night? How about in the morning? After realizing the cost of these influencer skin care products, my mind is blown. They're so expensive! And you have to buy at least 5 products (10 if you're following the 10-step routine) to have healthy, glass-like, poreless skin.

Since I want to save money, I decided to only keep my facial wash. If I'm feeling bougie, I'd put on some toner, moisturizer, and sun block. But most of the time, I skip these as well because I sweat a lot and these products make me feel sticky and uncomfortable once they're mixed with my sweat.

Veega Meat-free Burger Patty (Review)

I am a living proof that quarantine weight gain is real. For the past six months of quarantine, I gained a total of 15 lbs. My average weight used to be 125 lbs and currently, I'm at 140 lbs.

I admit, I lost control over my diet and it doesn't help that the gym I'm going to closed down because of the pandemic. The weight gain has affected my health and has brought about insecurities. Given my depressing state, I decided to rectify the problem and start correcting my unhealthy eating habits.

To jumpstart my weight loss journey, I decided to stock up on healthy food. At the grocery store nearby, I saw my plant-based friend's recommendation — VEEGA products. Veega is the plant-based (vegetarian) food line of San Miguel Foods. First on my list of Veega products to try is their meat-free burger patty.

Ever Bilena Power Paint Multi-use Color Cream (Chiffon)

Buy it here!

I just recently made a review of the new EB Advance Power Paint Multi-use Color Cream in the shade Chiffon (YT video here) and here are my thoughts about it.

At first, one may have an impression that the new EB Advance Power Paint Multi-use Color Cream is a dupe of the Glossier Cloud Paint because the component and appearance of both products are very similar. However, after trying the newest EB product, i realized they are very different in terms of consistency and pigmentation.

Careline Multi Pot (Abracadabra) Review

Before the pandemic happened, I have been wanting to buy a cream blush for myself. I particularly wanted something practical, like a multi-use makeup product, so I searched for the cheapest all-in-one cream makeup product in Watsons and found the Careline Multi Pot.

 

 Buy this product here!

The Careline Multi Pot retails for Php 165 and has three shades: Abracadabra, Head Over Heels, and Magic Spell. I got Abracadabra which is a berry shade and is perfect for that drunk-blush effect. 

I made a YouTube video about this product, but in this blog, I'm breaking down my thoughts about it for you.

Product Info:

• Distrubuted by Ever Bilena Cosmetics

• Has 2.2 grams of product

• Expires 24 months after opening

• It is cruelty free and paraben free

Wagyu cubes are overhyped.

There, I said it. 

I had high expectations from wagyu cubes because I always see my friends post about their wagyu dishes on my Facebook news feed. It's also expensive, so I really thought it is something promising.

For my boyfriend's birthday, I order one kilogram of premium wagyu cubes from my high school friend and I paid PhP 1,500 for it. For that steep price, I expected it to be mind blowing and delicious. I was so excited to cook this dish for our mini celebration and thought it would be best to pair it with marble potatoes and buttered vegetables.

So I defrosted the frozen wagyu cubes first and cooked it the way I would cook steak — with butter and garlic basting.

By the time we tasted the dish, we were really disappointed to find out that wagyu cubes are not premium beef cubes at all. Rather, they are processed beef cubes. The "meat" did not even absorb the butter-garlic basting. It was just like diced unsalted luncheon meat. We did not enjoy the dish. I felt kind of sad that my boyfriend even requested to open a can of Spanish sardines because he wasn't a fan of the wagyu cubes.

Is it just me? Or is there somebody else who shares the same sentiments? Let me know! 

   

TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST

TOUGH PEOPLE DO

★ HAPPIDEZZ

Bohol Countryside Tour

For our birthday celebration in October 2018, I decided to bring my family to Bohol. I've visited this place in 2009, but had not really explored the beaches, so I made sure to visit Panglao beaches during this visit. For this post, let me share with you what went down during our first day which happens to be the Bohol Countryside Tour.

We woke up early in the morning, had breakfast, and waited for our contact, Kuya Jundy. We rented his car for the day and he also served as our tour guide. Here are all the places we visited, in chronological order.

HINAGDANAN CAVE
Entrance fee: P50 per pax
This tourist attraction is the closest to the place we were staying in, so this is the first stop of our Bohol countryside tour. This cave has a natural lake which is said to have miraculous water. According to our guide, meron daw 80-year-old na lumangoy sa tubig ng lawa at pag-ahon nya, MIRACLE, 40 years old na lang sya! Haha! Our guide was so funny! He made the visit more interesting and fun.