Are you a BUSINESSMAN who desires to make your venture prosper? Are you an EMPLOYEE who wants to provide for your needs and have extra to invest? Are you a RETIREE who hopes that your funds will comfortably provide for you for the rest of your life?

If you are any of these, allow us to help you achieve these goals. Join us on August 19, 2017 at SMX in SM Aura, Taguig. Let Dodong Cacanando show you how you can create wealth by doing business and growing in your career, so that Randell can teach you how to manage and continue to grow the wealth you created.

Who is Dodong Cacanando?

Jose Feron “Dodong” Cacanando is a former executive of Hewlett Packard, Philippines. In 1998, he resigned from his job and moved his family from Manila to Bukidnon. In spite having no farming background and meager resources to start with, he was able to establish Moriah Farms, where he now grows different livestocks and vegetables. He grows hogs for Monterey and at one point became the biggest lettuce supplier for McDonald’s in the Philippines. He shares the story of his amazing journey in his first book Breaking Through: A Man’s Journey to Fruitfulness (2014). He has a unique way of managing his business; he uses the Bible as a business manual, the plant as a model on how to become profitable, his corporate experience to put structure in his organizations and the things he learned as an entrepreneur to make prudent decisions. Today, he also heads a foundation named “Semilya sa Kinabuhi, Inc.” where they teach his unique approach to life and business. Last year, he released his second book, entitled Keeper of His Garden: Breakthrough Principles for Life and Business. His goal is to share these principles to as many people as possible so that they too can experience breakthroughs in life and become fruitful in their businesses.

As Dodong Cacanando shows you the right way to build your wealth, allow me to show you how you can manage your finances and build your wealth through the proper way of handling money and investing.

The learning investment for this life-altering experience is only P1,200.00, an amount that is guaranteed to give you exponential returns. Slots are limited and we will close registration once we hit 150 persons, we wanted to make this a more intimate experience so we are limiting the audience.

Here’s how you can participate:

1. Deposit or transfer P1,200.00 per ticket to BPI 0249-1113-09 or BDO 006440069496 (John Randell Tiongson).
2. Take a photo or screenshot of your deposit slip or transfer advice and email to michael@randelltiongson.com and wait for his advise as to how you can receive your ticket.

Here’s more! As a participant to the event, you may avail two of my books at with a 40% discount: No Nonsense Personal Finance and Build Your Future Today, available at the venue. Both books are a perfect pair as you seek financial peace.

Join us and help us create your wealth and manage it using principles that work and change your life.

Question: I have been reading your articles and other posts about finance. While I find most of them very informative, I find them difficult to apply. How do I find the discipline to follow the rules that you, finance advocates, always talk about?-Joshua via Facebook

Answer: Let me start by saying this, “money is behavioral and not mechanical.” It is too challenging for us to follow the money “rules” because we think we can just flip a switch and be on our way like a computer program. The famous author Dave Ramsey said, “Money is 80 percent behavior and only 20 percent skill.” The struggle will always be about our behavior and how consistent we are with such behavior. The money “rules” may be very simple such as “do not spend more than what you earn,” “live below your means,” “invest early” and so on. However, simple is not the same as easy and therein lays our struggles.

Finance advocates can give ideas that seem very sound but can sometimes be impractical. For instance, you will hear us say, “do not drink expensive coffee, do not upgrade your smart phones etc.” They are logical ideas, but hey, where’s the fun in that? I am a father of four kids and I know how important rules are, without them our household will be in constant chaos but my wife and I also learned how to set rules, relax the rules and be flexible—in other words, we are trying to strike a balance. With regard to money matters, it is the same—balance is key.

Having a budget is very important, you will need to track and allocate what you should be spending on. One of the many reasons why people are in a financial mess is that they are unaware they are over-spending. By the time they realize they are, it may be too late. A budget tells you where money should go, not just where it went. Allocating your money is critical to you being able to achieve your financial goals.

However, your budget should not be too stringent that it does not allow ‘fun’ items. Some finance advocates will give you very strict recommended budgets that even many of them can’t follow themselves.

For instance, you might have heard or read experts telling you that you should not spend your 13th month pay on buying gifts and festivities and just save and invest all of them. While it is a good suggestion, it’s actually easier said than done. We are people and we need to have fun, removing it will make us feel money is a hard taskmaster and we will find ourselves rebelling.

How do you strike a balance then? Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules on this. You will have to experience trial and errors until you find a balance that works for you. If your budget is too stringent that you feel like you are missing out on many things, adjust your budget. When you look at your bank account and you get stressed because your funds are so small, adjust your budget.

Know your priorities, we should all be responsible about our future. You should not sacrifice long-term gains by enjoying short-term benefits. After several trials and errors, I am sure you will find a balance that will allow you to enjoy the fruits of your labor, without sacrificing a comfortable future. After finding that balance, you will still need to recalibrate it from time to time—that’s what life is all about.

Be part of the country’s most empowering investing conference – #iCon2017 this May 27, 2017 at the SMX Aura. Join me and the country’s leading experts and let us help you build your future! For details, visit www.bit.ly/ICON_2017

A few years ago, I met Arnel Pepito in a small group in our church. He was shy and timid then and now but he has an amazing journey towards financial empowerment. Today, Arnel is a colleague in the financial advocacy environment and I am truly proud of this young man. I am sharing you his story in his own words…

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“I was so broke that countless times I skipped meals and didn’t pay Jeepney fares.”

My story is not a bragging right to share but perhaps it will inspire those who experienced and still experiencing lack in life.

A few years ago, I can still remember those times that I was enduring a tough life. I was caught off-guard! I had a job, I don’t drink, I don’t go to party but I was financially broke. I was so broke that I had to skip meals and never paid jeepney fares, countless times… 1,2,3, GO! (Commuters know that well)

I could not imagine the feeling of going to my destinations empty-handed. All I could do was just making “poker-face”. I was always praying that jeepney drivers would be too complacent so I can always sneak-out…If I was caught that time, my life would be in jeopardy. Many times I had to walk long distance to reach places and had to live with 10 people in one small room…

I dread those days! Looking back, I promise myself not to go back to that life, AGAIN!That was like a bad dream…

Finally, I found a way out and I was able to escape! I learned that being broke does not just happen overnight! It is a process and for us to escape it, is to really change our lifestyle and fill in the loopholes. It’s even so ironic that people who are broke today, don’t have any idea how they got there.

Money Mistake #1: I did not save earlier.

Saving is now my daily habit but few years ago that was just an alien to me. I hate budgeting before and saving was just an elusive dream. Only moms do that, I am single who would not care to think of it. That was my mindset back then but when unexpected expenses and emergency happened, it came to my senses. I suddenly realized the importance of Emergency Fund. I finally believed what Zig Ziglar said,” Money is not everything but it is relatively close to Oxygen”. We appreciate something when we needed it the most.

Action Taken:

I went back to basics and practiced saving starting from baby-steps. I only have one thing in mind, ” Do not save what is left after spending but spend what is left after saving”. I made it my mantra and made saving as my top priority. I always set aside an amount when I earned something, usually 30%-40%. Being “Kuripot” is not a bad thing as long as you will not deprive yourself with things that are very important.

Income – Savings = Expenses… and this is the right formula

Money Mistake #2: Unnecessary Spending.

I did not take seriously that little but misguided spending could affect my finances. I wasn’t even bothered to think if what I was going to spend is a “need” or only my “want”…

A little ticket in the cinema, a little amount for an expensive coffee, and few beers can sum-up to a big amount. I was a movie person and part of treating myself was to always go to the cinema every weekend. I love the sounds, the screen, the place! When I was in the mall, the door of the cinema was always calling me, “Hey Arnel, get inside”! Little did I know that it was already part of my destructive spending. Earning money takes 15 days but to spend it will only take few minutes.

Action Taken:

I identified “NEEDS’ VS. “WANTS” then I categorized them. ”Needs” most of the times are all followed urgently and “Wants” are all validated and given a timeline. When I got into investing, my saving habit orchestrated with it. I have something to look forward to. So the more I saved, the more I have the opportunity to invest. That excites me! I suggest you start investing the time that you start saving because the two goes hand in hand!

Money Mistake #3: I was a One Day-Millionaire.

I had an attitude of a one day millionaire, my mentality before was to treat myself first and treat others (splurge). For me treating myself means gadgets and more gadgets! I sold our property years ago and I bought it some gaming gadgets and computers.

After a year, I forcibly-sold it with very low price because I had to pay other debts. It piled-up and did not happen just once. It became a bad habit and resulted to chain-reactions.

Action Taken:

I just realized that “treating yourself first” and “Paying yourself first” are two different things. Treating yourself means, buying valuable things to make you happy and look good, or going to a vacation to feel good. Paying yourself first, on the other hand, is setting aside a small amount, to save for the future.

Money Mistake #4: I couldn’t refuse Borrowers.

That was my struggle back then! I did not know how to refuse especially if that is my relative or a friend (even though many times I knew for a fact that the money is intended for a week-budget). I just realized now that it was already a form of pride! Pride because I wanted others to know that I have more than enough.

Action Taken:

I decided to refuse borrowers especially if I am on a tight budget and at the same time I also made a commitment not to borrow if not necessary. Now, I am setting aside some extra amount for things like this for somebody who will borrow (for situations like emergencies). It is nice to help someone without thinking of when he/she will return it because those are only extra money.

Money Mistake#5: Poverty-Mindset.

I grew up in a working-class family and in a poor neighborhood. I was having hard time managing money. I did not think much of saving and investing. So when I earned something, I spend it to the last centavos. I wasn’t brought up in a financially-oriented family so I had already a negative impression on money. All I know was money is earned today and I will spend it tomorrow.

Action Taken:

I sought mentors and engaged myself with fellow investors. I found out through personal finance seminars that poverty starts from the mindset, so me being broke was just a limitation I put to myself. So things have changed since then. My entire character was transformed. I always believe that being in a very supportive small group helps me changed my perceptions from the inside-out.

I engaged myself in both Financial and Spiritual community. My Victory Christian Fellowship (VCF) family and my church-mates are always there to guide me and opened doors for me to have a harmonious growth in all aspects as I’m working on my real purpose which is to always bring back God’s glory.

The biggest investment conference is back! #iCon2017 — details HERE