Driving Log 2017 Jan

First driving log this year. What prompt me?

Well, a trip to the KTX station through a different route ending up at the second floor of the station, and finally trying out the exit of the highway nearest to our place.

I planned on driving out there a few days before the year ended to pick up some cheese, cheese cake, nuts, coffee and perhaps the year's supply of noodles. I ended up buying a dozen of bagels since there was no cheese cake to be found. I think I saw the last one being herded out as I went in. Just my luck!

I checked my route as usual and went around midday. There wasn't much traffic and anyway, most cars were moving so fast. Lane changing was a bit of a challenge since I happened to be in company of two big trucks or sorts. I had to match their speed and move in right away. Or else, I might miss my exit lane. This I managed luckily. Whew! The, I had to turn left to the unknown. It was just one stretch and another left turn to finally be in the station vicinity. Made it!

The next chance for me to drive there came up just after a week later. I had to drive SIL over to the station and with her on the passenger seat, I learned another approach to the station. Yay! Another route map filed in my brain.

After dropping her off, she told me to exit the ramp, and make a U-turn somewhere. I didn't see any of that U-turn but I saw a familiar-numbered bus heading right and I followed it. Once I saw what's ahead and which side of the station it was, I knew where I was and where I was going! And that is exactly the right place for me to go!

Heading home was a breeze since I just took my usual route home. I'm not sure if it's the farthest one but it sure is almost empty specially at night.

The next day, I took my son to a nearby area and decided to use the highway to get home. I've driven that route a few months ago a couple of times but it was just up to one exit point from our place. My hubs always misses this exit whenever he drives and we end up coming out on the next one farther from our place. It was so frustrating coz he always drives so fast when about to exit a highway that we end up missing it every now and then. To top it all, our car navigation always brings us there as well. So finally, after checking the route with the lousy car navigation, and disregarding it, I managed to get off at the right one. The smaller road has been recently expanded a bit (at the expense of a few pear trees.) We got home alright with our mission accomplished!

My next target is to head out to the next bigger city at least or maybe another tourist spot by spring time. I've been pretty comfortable driving in our small town nowadays so stretching my routes a bit more every now and then is a good exercise.

Trusts and Estate Planning

Looking into investments and stuff after my installment deposit matured last month brought me to consider VUL, and other investment vehicles. This led me to trusts and estate planning.

Based from what I've heard and read, investments in the banks, or any usual financial company is a bit of a problem when planning for an estate. Not to mention the taxes that can be slapped on any property or whatnots. I thought about looking for other ways to invest, be able to maximize whatever I have saved, be protected from big tax and make it easy to manage the things financially. It may sound a bit off-the-culture from where I come from but I really have to do something for the future even though I think I will live like an old-lady for a while. ^^ (Definition of an old lady: reads books, watches TV, does some gardening, yoga, swimming, and some volunteer work but still have a regular passive income without needing to be in a government's welfare.)

Why am I thinking about these? I'm trying to look fast forward to the old age and what lifestyle I'd want to live. Not like some people I know who seemed to have not thought about it. I may have opted not be regularly employed but that doesn't mean that I will not be preparing for my own retirement in a decent way.

So going back to what I've learned from my online research.

1. Try to or change my financial trading account to an ITF so it will be less complicated to change some later on if it was meant for my son anyway. If ever the age expires on it, I can change it to a joint account later on.

2.  Invest in MP2 or something like it in Pag-ibig or flexi-something in SS. Between the two, I think I'll opt for the Pag-ibig one. I have better trust with them than SSS.

On that note, no. 3.
Adjust my SSS amount but not maximum. I considered this one a bit for a while but after reading more, I've learned that it will be better if I do that later on. Although, I'll have to look into it more. It's just hard to deal with the government websites now but hopefully, things will be better in the near future.

I still haven't wrapped up my remittance route until now. Even if I have some dough, I don't know how to move it and to let it grow.

I have to figure it out soon before the exchange rates get worse.

For future notes:
Laws on Inheritance in PH
Comparison on Health Insurance