I got my first credit card early April. It was a Citibank Cashback, with 25K credit limit. I was hesitant to use it at first, but then, need forced me too.

I lost my eyeglasses some six months ago and since then my eyes seem to cause my intermittent dizziness and headaches. Eyeglasses. A multi-coated one, was my very first purchase via credit. A P2,23o worth, with a Jollibee Burger meal freebie. That was the start. Then, I bought an ASUS DVDRW Drive with LightScribe at P2,400. Then, a Reebok running tennis shoes at P2,360. Followed by a 5 Grand cash advance. And much of groceries, supplies, and things I can’t remember. I accumulated some 14K credit on my first month. Nice thing, my another credit card application was approved – Mabuhay Miles HBC. They set my limit to some 54K including the cash advance limit. I availed of the 0.88% balance transfer promo and made my 14K Citibank balance payable in 18 months. A monthly installment of P900.98 was set. Balance transfer. A very good offer that will surely get hold of a credit card holder. My first plan was just to try the card and enjoy it’s waived first year fee, then cancel it before finishing my first year. Hah, :evil grin: they are smarter.

The cash back feature of my Citibank, earned me P88 in my first month. So, to earn more cash back, I planned to charge everything on my citi and let my hsbc pay. A very good plan, as I deemed it. It was, really. I was earning double credits – cashback and Mabuhay miles, only that I need to pay some interest. At least, everything was set on light installments…

But things aren’t really stable. I thought I wont be needing my hsbc, yet an urgent need to instant cash forced me to take P8,000 in advance from my hsbc card. My mother requested me to pay my Cocolife insurance annual premium – some P7,700+. She told me paying even half of it would be fine. But then, as a good son who wanted to impress his mom, I withdrawn a whole 8K bunch planning to pay it all. When my brother Bebong, came to Iloilo to check with me, he already paid everything in full – including my sister’s premium. He then relayed the message that mom wanted me pay his boarding house for the whole coming semester as payback. Ahaha, darn. Too late, I already have the cash with me. I don’t know where to spend it, so I let my Bebong send it home. Ahaha, no, I didn’t give the whole sum, I withold 3 Grands to pay my maturing bills, and as financial reserve.

Due to the fact that relying on my salary alone I won’t be able to pay my balances, I transfered that 8K cash advance to my citi. ‘Just not lucky enough to catch any promotion, the monthly interest was 1% at 12 months installments. P745 add up to my monthly bills.

At the moment of this writing, I have accumulated some 25,000+ of credit card debts. Ahaha, it was funny. Credit cards that gives you debts. Aren’t they opposite?

I am not really out of luck. I got some resources outside my job. I am a staff of our University yearbook, and I already received P4,700 in rebates, bonuses, and personal budget. Also, I have a pending commercial website project worth P3,000, a much more bigger task after the P500 student project on geocities. These all were a shared endeavor with Pipo the craftsman. The multi-talented master craftsman. The Ray-dogy-dawg of Jim Morris and Scot Standake, both big men of the internet…

Being the eldest, and with all my siblings still studying, I feel this need to help mom in all her financial undertakings since father passed away more than 3 years ago. Although, mom doesn’t demanded my financial support, I am helping in every way I can… Darn, what kind of son I am if I’ll just live my way after their sacrifices to bring me this far?

Now, goes a more serious talk. There was again an emerging need to raise funds. Not 5 grands or 8 or 20… but 50! Wow, 50! 50 Grands! Where in the world am i going to get that? So, I started to do my inventory. I can loan a maximum of 10K from my Cocolife insurance @ 10% pa interest. I am to get a 9.5K honorarium from that yearbook we are working – but only once everything was finalized and the pages are already running in the printing press. Maybe, another 6K or more commission from the subscribers… I have a 12K+ cash advance limit with my hsbc, 5K with my citi, and 5K with my Equitable card which came a little too late. Even combined, all of them won’t be enough.

I sold my DVD writer to Joeven, my team mate at AOV, for only P1,800. I only used it some 6 weeks watching 4 dozen-in-one DVD movies, burned 6 discs, and lightscribed 2 labels. Huh, anyways I could buy a new one after some time.

Also, I put my 7360 L’amoure Nokia Collector’s item phone for sale. Only P3,500, after 2 months of use. The current price when I had it was P7,500. Now, reconditioned models in the market costs some P3,700 to P4,000. I got a broker selling it for P4,000 and perhaps, I will deduct his commission from the DVDRW he got from me. ) Did I give you an idea?

I am planning to avail of the Citibank instant loan promo @ 1% monthly interest. Loans for up to 1M are available, for up to 48 months installment. Of course, I won’t get that 1M loan, I doubt they’ll let me. ) I am only after that 50K loan set for 24 months at P2,583.33 monthly. Ahaha. Aren’t I so brave? If that’s the case, how much will be my accumulated monthly bills then? Not to include I still need to eat, to ride jeepneys, and to rent a space to sleep.

Now, I once again confirmed, that God is with me. In every time I may need something, He sends help. When I was so unprepared for the licensure examination, I have read many things that appeared in the board exam – 5 minutes before it started! Yeah true! And during the sporadic times I was really out of finances, the unexpected surge of supplies came – the yearbook commissions, bonuses, and personal budget, the small-time web development jobs… and here’s more – the “secret 007” freelance project I was offered over the internet – which could actually pay all my debts in 6 months if I just work seriously during my free hours… and the special little bonuses our client promised to give once we get the tasks done on deadlines…

Up to now, I am still in the state of amazement. This can’t be just luck nor a destiny. Somebody of more capable power had extend a helping hand. He had used instruments so I can receive it. Tomorrow or next week, I will meet that agent who will help me with my citi loan. Or maybe, if the granted amount is not enough, I could run at Cocolife. Haha, life play on me! I got Company.