BDO is one of the financial institutions in the Philippines offering affordable financing to small entrepreneurs and investors.

What is BDO SME loan?

The SME loan offered by BDO is an affordable financing that can help newbie entrepreneurs to respond immediately to the needs of the business. Existing business venture can also avail SME loan as it can also be used to buy additional inventory or expand a current business.

Aside from the SME loan, BDO also offers loan facilities that can help business owners to manage the cash flow efficiently. The loan facilities can also be used to acquire equipment or property for higher productivity.

The SME loan is a secured fixed-term loan and it features SME Ready Check, a secured credit line designed to support or augment the working capital requirements.

Affordable and flexible payment terms

An entrepreneur can borrow at BDO thru SME loan with the maximum amount of Php20 million. But, the approved amount of loan also depends on the collateral’s appraised value. The payment term is affordable and flexible. You can the loan from 1 year to 10 years, depending on the payment option suitable to your cash flow. You can also pay the loan using your BDO Savings or Current account through Auto Debit Arrangement.

How to avail SME Loan

If you want to avail the BDO SME loan, all you have to do is to use any of your real estate property either residential or commercial or mixed-use as collateral.

Read Also:

• How to Open A BDO Nomura Account Online
• How to Invest, Make Money Grow in Retail Treasury Bond

SME loan is a great help to entrepreneurs who want to start a small business, but don’t have enough fund. If you’re interested about SME loan, all you have to do is to inquire from the nearest BDO branch in your place.

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An Internet café business is one of the profitable venture that anyone can start. The target market is huge because both young and adults engage in Internet most of the time. This kind of business has been existing many years ago and establishing its own name in the industry.

Read: How to Earn Money in Twitter – Making Money Online

Why start a Piso Net business?

Among other types of business, there are several good reasons why you should choose to start a Piso Net business.

• There’s no need to hire additional manpower because an internet café business is easy to maintain even with just one person.
• It is easy to set up as you can utilize any available space in your own home or backyard.
• It provides good and fast return on investment within 4 months and it is not affected by economic recession.
• It does not require huge amount of starting capital because you can choose the package that suits your budget.
• It’s very easy to keep customers coming back to you as long as you’re giving quality service.

What is a Pisonet?

The nature of business of a Pisonet is similar to an internet café. The main difference is that in pisonet a 1-peso coin should be inserted in the machine to avail internet usage or play a game. Although, the typical customers are kids and the young ones, but adults also enjoy using a pisonet.

Read: How to Start an e-Commerce Business

Starting capital of Pisonet business

The complete set of a pisonet machine ranges from Php18,000 to Php25,000. The computer is programmed to perform basic computer functions, online research, and online games.

When you buy a set of pisonet machine, it includes the following:

• Desktop
• Monitor
• Mouse
• Mousepad
• Keyboard
• Speaker or headset

 Return on Investment

As mentioned above, this type of business provides good return on investment. Try to consider the computation below.

1 peso = 4 minutes

If you’re operating the business for 10 hours daily, the computation of sales would be;

10 hours = 600 minutes

600 minutes / ( 4 minutes / 1 peso ) = Php150 per unit

If you have around 10 units, you can earn:

Php 150 x 10 = Php 1,500 per day,

Php 750 x 30 days = Php 45,000 per month

If the expenses for the Internet and electric bill is Php5,000, the net income every month is Php40,000.

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The main objective of this online platform is to help Filipino investors to trade in the international stock markets. If you’re interested about BDO Nomura, here’s how you can open an account online.

Read : How to Start Investing in Stock Market Philippines

Requirements needed to open a BDO Nomura account

Anyone can open a BDO Nomura account, both local and foreign nationals as long as he or she is 18 years old and above. The applicant should secure the following requirements:

• Must have an active BDO Online Banking Account and updated mobile number
• Have available funds in the BDO account

Simple steps to open a BDO Nomura Account online

1. Visit the official website of BDO and open the BDO Nomura account page
2. You can log in using your existing logging details and password (BDO Online Banking)
3. You will receive an OTP or One-Time Password via SMS on your mobile phone
4. Click the “I Agree” box and nominate a beneficiary account that you’ll use for withdrawal process, then click “Next”
5. In the Terms and Conditions box, click “I Agree”
6. Complete the Investor Profile and click Next
7. Next, fill out the required information in the Suitability Form
8. You will be prompt to re-type the CAPTCHA code before hitting the Submit
9. Make sure to review all the details given before submitting and confirming your application
10. If the application is successful and approved, you will receive an email and Customer Code
11. Once the application is approved, you can deposit fund through Bills Payment Facility. You can choose either through ATM, mobile banking, online banking, or over-the-counter
12. Make sure to deposit the fund on or before 10:00 PM so that you can join the buying power for the next trading day
13. Using the Control Code given to you, you can nominate a Trading PIN to activate your account
14. You can access your BDO Trading Account once it is activated

Read : How to Invest, Make Money Grow in Retail Treasury Bond

Opening a BDO Nomura Online Trading account so easy and user-friendly. After activating your account you can take time familiarizing the trading platform.

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This business idea is easy to start and does not require huge amount of capital. But, the secret to run a grocery store successfully is to sell and stock the right products that people need and want to buy. Usually, this is family run business in which every member of the family has individual duty.

Starting a grocery store is a lucrative venture, but there are several things to consider as follows:

• Choosing the best location

It’s important to look for the location that isn’t only accessible to customers but also with enough parking area. The traffic density and the proximity to other business play significant role for the success of the business.

• Start-up capital

Determining the detailed cost for starting a grocery store is significant. It will guide you about the expenses that the business may incur throughout its operation. Typical expenses may include the following:

• Rent
• Initial inventory
• Fixtures/equipment/security
• Permits/licenses
• Leasehold improvements
• Grand opening/advertising
• Utilities
• Legal/accounting

The money that you will finance for starting the business can be huge. If your fund is not enough, you can use your other resources such as assets and other investments. You can either sell your assets or use them as collateral for loan. You can also look for government programs that offer support to small businesses.

• Equipment

If you will open a grocery store, most likely you’ll need equipment such as freezers for perishable products. You’ll also need display cases, carts or baskets, weighing scales, bags and additional shelves.

Aside from those details discussed above, implementing competitive marketing strategies is also essential to stay on the edge of the competition. It’s not enough to make the case stacks and aisles attractive, it’s necessary to ensure proper placement of products on the shelf.

Read also: How to Start and Operate a Sari-Sari Store Successfully

Another key for the success of your grocery store is to keep customer retention. With the tough competition in the retail industry it can be difficult to keep customers. But, giving them the best services they deserve will make them coming back to your business.

The post How to Start a Grocery Store – Retail Industry Business appeared first on Pinoy Business Ideas.

To help those people who want to be physically fit, starting a small gym or fitness center is a smart idea. Just like starting any other business, it requires thorough plan before diving in this business industry.

Here are some tips that will help in starting a fitness center business.

1. Research local competition

This is one of the important phase when planning to start such business. You should do homework about the local competition including Pilates and yoga studios, chain gyms, and other fitness facilities.

Study about the class schedules, services provided, operating hours, equipment, amenities, fitness programs, and rates.

2. Identify the amenities to offer

It is necessary to include in the plan about the amenities that you will offer in the fitness gym. These include weight training equipment, benches, free weights, lockers, showers, cardio equipment, fruit bar, cycling room, aerobics room, daycare area, stretching area, and offices.

3. Look for strategic business location

A part of the profitability of your fitness gym business depends on the location. This means that you should look for business location that is accessible and has heavy foot-traffic. As much as possible, the location must have ample space for potential expansion or a space that you can use for boot camp.

4. Create a business plan

Every business requires creating a business plan that include the starting capital, operating costs, equipment costs, enrollment costs, staffing and instructor requirements, and marketing approaches.

Keep in mind that 50% of your starting capital will be used for buying equipment. The other half of the capital will be used for the construction expenses, securing business permits and other administrative costs as well as the operating expenses.

5. Fitness equipment

Identify the basic gym equipment such as stationary bike, treadmill, weights and dumbbells, resistance machines, pull-up bars, functional exercise equipment, medicine balls, bench, and squat rack.

Prior of purchasing equipment, you should define first your target market so that you’ll know which one to buy first. Always consider the built and quality of the equipment over the price. Buying a cheaper, yet low quality equipment would cost you more in the long run.

A fitness center business may not be a popular venture, but when started and run properly it would be a profitable business.

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However, there are instances in which the personal savings isn’t enough to meet the financial obligations of buying a house. Applying for housing loan can be the best option that can help to invest in buying a home.

Who can qualify for MetroBank home loan?

If you’re looking for additional resources to fund for your investment of buying a home, you can apply for MetroBank housing loan. Here’s how you can qualify:

• You must be at least 21 years’ old
• Not more than 65 years’ old
• Employed/Self-employed with regular income
• With steady income of Php30,000 a month

Likewise, to increase the loanable amount, you must consider these pointers:

• Choose longer tenure of loan maximum of 25 years
• Making your spouse as a co-applicant (the income of your spouse will increases your eligibility)
• Add your parents

Documents Needed in Applying Metrobank Home Loan

Once you decide to apply for MetroBank housing loan, the next thing to do is to secure the required documents as follows:

• Completed housing loan application form
• Photocopy of valid government-issued ID
• Copy of bank statements for the previous six months or deposit passbooks
• Employed applicants must submit ITR issued by the BIR, Photocopy of pay slip for the whole month, and original copy of the Certificate of Employment.
• For self-employed applicants, the documents needed include a copy of ITR or bank stamp, and photocopy of Business certificate.

In addition, the MetroBank housing loan is also offered to Overseas Filipino Workers. This can be a great help to OFWs who are sacrificing working to foreign land to buy a home for their families. For Metrobank housing loan calculator you may click here.

Read also: What is Home Equity is all About

Eligibility criteria

• The OFW applicant must be working as an administrative/technical/officer role for land-based job
• The applicant must be an officer for sea-based job
• Must be on an active job contract
• Must be employed in the present job for 2 years and have been previously working locally for the last 5 years.
• The minimum monthly income of the OFW applicant should be $1,000

Metrobank Housing loan details

The interest rates of MetroBank home loan are affordable and highly competitive. Likewise, the interest charges are based on the fixed rate for a particular tenure. The interest rates ranges from 5.5% to 10.5%.

Read also: How to Open a Metrobank Savings Account 

Home loan fees cover the expenses for registration, notary, handling and appraisal. You may be also required to avail an insurance like Property Insurance and Mortgage Redemption. The amount and rates differ based on the assessment and review of the paperwork.

The post How to Apply and Qualify for MetroBank Home Loan for OFW appeared first on Pinoy Business Ideas.

As the real estate market flourishes and more individuals want to engage in this profitable business, the regulatory board started to set standards to professionalize the practitioners. The Real Estate Services Act or RESA, otherwise known as Republic Act 9646 was initialized to ensure that real estate brokers can implement their jobs ethically and it also makes them taxpaying citizens.

Read also: Tips before Buying Real Estate Properties in the Philippines

The RESA Law was implemented in 2009 that constitutes stricter rules for real estate brokers. This requires those who want to engage in selling real estate to register and pass the licensure exam.

New education mandate

Before an interested individual can take the real estate licensure exam, one must comply the following:

• Must be a Filipino citizen
• Must be a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Management or BS REM
• Should have good moral character and never been convicted for any crime

Originally, any bachelor’s degree related to the job was enough for an individual to take the licensure exam for real estate broker. But in 2011, the Commission on Higher Education issued the Memorandum Order No. 28. Cited in the memorandum is the outline of the BS REM degree program including the faculty requirements, course curriculum, and program description. It was also stated that starting 2016 only graduates of the BS REM will be allowed to take the licensure exam.

Read also: Why Buying Pre-Selling Homes is a Good Investment for OFWs

Passing the licensure exam is not the end because the applicant is required to submit documents to the PRC including the following:

• Photocopy of birth certificate
• BS REM diploma and transcript of records
• NBI clearance
• Community tax certificate
• 4 pcs. passport sized photos

Thus, the BS REM diploma eliminates the needs to provide training certificates and other experience requirements.

The provisions stated in RESA seem to be disallowing many interested individuals to start a career in the real estate industry. However, the PRBRES submitted a proposal to CHED about the BS REM new curriculum that allows second coursers to take the fast track of the BS REM degree program. Second coursers will be required to take maximum of 40 units of professional subjects.

The post Things to Consider to Become a Licensed Real Estate Broker appeared first on Pinoy Business Ideas.

Gold is a good investment to consider because you can use it during financial urgency. It’s because the monetary value of this precious metal doesn’t easily depreciate. You can sell or pawned it to use the money if you need to.

Unlike other investment, gold is not affected by the economic inflation or deflation. If you’re an OFW or anyone in the family is working overseas, try to check this post and learn how to invest in gold.

Read also: Smart Investments for OFW

Tips in Gold Investment

1. Purchase gold bullions

If you prefer long-term investment, the best option is to buy gold bullions. This gives you the advantage of owning the gold directly. You can buy from private sellers, from government mints, precious metals specialists, and coin dealers.

2. Gold mining stocks

Investing in gold mining stocks can make you money because they’re active businesses. However, before you engage in gold mining stocks you need to learn first the basic of stock investing. You can learn from online courses or free lectures.

3. Purchase shares from gold streaming companies

Gold streaming companies are the financiers of gold mining companies. The good thing about investing in gold streaming companies is that you can have better prices of gold and at the same time earn income from the gold production share. Some of the gold streaming companies to consider include Franco Nevada and Royal Gold. All you have to do is to identify which one will work best for you.

Read also: How to Buy, Sell and Trade Gold in the Philippines

Prior of investing in gold, you must assess your options beforehand. Identify your purpose why you want to invest in this precious metal. Whatever purpose you may have, you should think about the primary considerations such as the costs (recurring annual fees and upfront fees), counter party risks, and proximity of assets.

Gold related investments are solid choices because of its stability even during economic uncertainty and global geopolitical instability. But, investors must pay attention on their portfolios holistically. By investing in gold correctly you can diversify your investment portfolio.

The post Investment Tips – Why Gold Investment is Important for OFW’s appeared first on Pinoy Business Ideas.

After 8 years, the law was executed and offered to the public through BDO Unibank and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). They were the financial institutions that was authorized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in which interested individuals can pay their contributions.

What is PERA?

PERA is a voluntary investment and savings account similar to 401(k) and Roth IRA of the United States. This is designed as a financial tool that can be used for retirement. All Filipinos, whether employed or self-employed, residing in the country or working overseas can invest in PERA. The basic requirement is a verifiable income and Philippine Tax Identification Number.

The basic contribution for those who reside in the Philippines is Php100,000 annually. While, Php200,000 is the maximum contribution for overseas workers.

PERA serves as an additional source during retirement, aside from other pension benefits granted by GSIS or SSS.

Things to consider when investing in PERA

The first thing to do if you will invest in PERA is to select an administrator to oversee your account. You can choose either BPI or BDO.

Next, you need to pick the type of investment and a custodian. The custodian will be responsible to receive your contribution and put it to your chosen investment.  You can invest in maximum of 5 products, provided that the total amount is within the basic investment for a year.

PERA benefits and terms

The contributions you’ve made in your account is your investment. You can choose from various investment products such as stocks, pooled funds, annuity contracts, bonds, mutual funds, and many others.

Investing your money with PERA is more profitable as compared to keeping it in a bank savings account. You can also enjoy the privilege of income tax credit from the 5% of the total PERA contribution. In the same manner, OFWs who were investing in PERA can claim for tax credit such as real estate property tax in the Philippines.

Read also: Business Ideas with Small Capital or Low Investment

The good thing is that your income earned from your account tax exempted provided that you’ll withdraw it as you reach 55 years old or later. If the investor died before reaching 55, the money in the PERA account will be forwarded to the heir without any probate.

However, in case of account termination before reaching 55, the investor will be charged for penalty fee of 20% of the total income of the PERA account. If the money will be used for hospitalization, the investor can withdraw money without penalty.

The post PERA Law – How to Invest in PERA Personal Equity Retirement Account appeared first on Pinoy Business Ideas.

Every day, millions of people are logging in to a variety of social media networking sites, and this is especially true among Filipinos. While there is really nothing wrong with it, the sad part is that even the world of the internet is unsafe. In fact, this is another venue which scammers take advantage of.

Nobody wants to fall prey to these people whose intentions are to make money out of other people’s hard earned income, so it is important that we raise awareness about what these social media scams are, and how they can be avoided. Here are some of the most common scams.

1. Asking for help. What the scammers do in this type of scam is that they pretend to be struggling and desperately needing financial assistance and help. They use heartbreaking situations like a child of them who is badly sick, they have a dying family member or relative, or anything that will entice people and allow them to do their phishing and theft. While there are some stories that are really true, you have to be careful before liking and sharing these kinds of posts because it is hard to tell nowadays what’s real and what’s not.

2. Twitter freebies and prizes. This one is the type where scammers rave about an online contest where you can have a chance of winning a gadget or any costly prize. But what you get by clicking the link is scammed emails and a chance for scammers to post malicious links. What you can do is to check out the profile of the person posting the link before you even click on it.

3. Fake password request resets. We all have encountered a time when we were asked to reset our password and ended up being directed to a site that looks like a legitimate social media site. Once you enter your username and password, the scammers will now have your information and that is what you call phishing. Avoid becoming a victim by carefully checking the URL of the site asking for these information, and also check for some minor errors that could potentially become a red flag.

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Savings account basics

Unlike checking account, a savings account prevents the depositor to withdraw or make several transfer of money. The bank restricts the number of withdrawals that the depositor can make every month. But, it is required to maintain a minimum balance to avoid penalty.

Opening a savings account can help in many ways not only in the present but also for future use. For some people, maintaining a savings account is the key to build your wealth. The interest accumulated in your account will grow over time.

You can also use the money in your account as an emergency fund. This makes sense of setting aside a fraction of your income for emergencies.

There are two types of savings account that you can choose to open. You can open an ATM savings account or passbook savings account. The former allows the depositor to do deposit transaction either through machines or over the counter. But, you can withdraw through ATM.

The latter type of savings account requires using a passbook that you can present when making deposit and withdrawal transactions.

If you’re planning to open a savings account in the Philippines, there are several banks that you can choose from. These banks offer different options of savings account. Banks include BPI, BDO, Metrobank, Union Bank, Citibank, Security Bank and Sterling Bank.

On the other hand, there are other banks where OFWs can open a savings account. The options of savings account that an OFW can open include PNB OFW Peso Account, BDO Kabayan Savings, BPInoy Savings, UCPBs U-Remit ATM Savings and Metrobank OFW Peso Savings Account.

Read also: Reasons Why you Need to Have Mobile Payments

Opening a savings account is very easy as you can do it by going to bank of your choice. Make sure to bring all the required documents and complete the application form. You’ll be required to deposit the minimum balance and wait for a couple of days before the account is activated.

Some banks allow online transaction when opening a savings account. You can also download the application for from the bank’s website and fill it out before going to the bank.

Difference between savings account and checking account

As mentioned above, a savings account is also known as a deposit account. The account holder can keep the money in a bank and at the same time allows to earn interest.

But, checking account is commonly used by business communities and firms. It provides convenience in making daily transactions like making purchases or paying bills. However, the interest rate is smaller than the savings account.

Bottom line

Keeping your money in a bank through a savings account is a smart decision. But, before opening an account make sure to check the reputation of the bank. As much as possible, choose a bank that doesn’t charge higher fees.

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People in their 30’s begin to think or even have started working on savings. Some have even thought about their retirement. You’d realize that being in your 30’s is no longer about gaining new experiences and partying, but is more of thinking about the future.

When you prepare for the future, your finances are always involved. So here are the financial decisions you need to make to make sure you are living the life you deserve and want in your 30’s and beyond.

1. Create a budget. Gone are the days when you are not mindful of how much you are spending and if you are spending more than what you are earning. This is not supposed to be the case anymore. Things should be different now and this is the best time for you to start budgeting, in case you haven’t started it out yet.

2. Try to look for an additional source of income. With the constant increase in the prices of basic commodities, having a single source of income is not enough. If your time can still accommodate it, try to look for ways to earn extra money on the side. Use your skills in writing, baking, or photography perhaps. All we need is a plan B so that you always have a fallback plan when all else fail.

3. Have an emergency fund. Once you reach your 30s, an emergency fund is extremely necessary because you need to make sure you have something to spend during unexpected and tough times.

4. Invest in a property. There is no better time to invest in a property than now. When you are on your 30s, you might also be starting your own family soon, and it is not ideal to still stay with your parents.

5. Your emergency funds should be different from your savings. Your savings is something you set aside for your short term or long term plans. Your savings should be a part of your budget and it will be better if you keep in a separate savings account.

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