Now that fall has officially arrived, it won’t be long until the holiday celebrations begin. In fact, there is a pretty good chance your local stores have already begun setting out the festive decorations, toys, and holiday gift items. And before you blink, it will be December. This time of year is filled with jolly good times and a whole lot of spending. While it is fun to buy gifts, decorate your home, and make holiday plans, the money can add up quickly. In fact, according to a Gallup poll, holiday spending averages over $750 per person!

If you have this kind of money to spend, that is awesome. Unfortunately, not everyone does, yet with the help of the good old credit cards, they still spend it. One Consumer Reports survey showed that over a third of all people who make a holiday budget end up going over it. FreedomPlus recommends that you start preparing for the holidays early (like now) so that you are not hit with a financial burden right before the holidays. This 6-week plan could help you better prepare for the holidays.

Week #1: Make a Plan

Write down a list of all your anticipated holiday expenses. This includes gifts to friends and family, teacher gifts if you have children, extra tips for those whose services you use regularly (such as your hairdresser), holiday clothing, entertainment, and anything else that normally spend money on during the holidays. Add up the amount and make sure that you can afford everything in the next 10 weeks. If not, either find a way to scale it back or cut out some of your other spendings during this time and allocate it to your holiday fund.

Week #2: Shop Early

Granted, your friends and family might think you are a little “gung-ho” if you start your holiday shopping before it is even Halloween, but it is worth it. (And they may wish they had don’t the same as they are fighting those holiday crowds at the shopping mall in December.) Starting early allows you time to watch for the best deals, use coupons. According to FreedomPlus, this is also a great time to cash in some of your credit card rewards.

Week #3: Cash in Rewards

These days you can find all sorts of rewards to use. Whether through your credit cards of with apps like Ibotta and Swagbucks, there are plenty of ways to earn rewards. And now is the time to cash them in. Plan to invest them in your holiday spending if you haven’t already. If you aren’t using these reward sites already, it is never too late to start. You can always let them accumulate for next year.

Week #4: Look for Online Deals

Another great way to shop (and save) is online. Using your budget, write down a list of items you want to shop for that stay within your limits and start looking for deals online. Not only can you find good deals online, you won’t be as tempted to buy things impulsively as you would be when you are in a store shopping. Just remember to shop safely and use only secure, trusted sites. FreedomPlus recommends that you change your passwords regularly for added safety.

Week #5: Create Hand-made Gifts

Hand-made gifts make wonderful gifts (especially if you are shopping for someone who seems to have everything already). They are personalized, meaningful, and easy on your budget. This can be anything from a great craft that you found on Pinterest to a “coupon” book offering services such as free babysitting. Get as creative as you want with this. The person receiving your gift (and your pocketbook) will thank you. It is a win-win situation.

Week # 6: Avoid Using the Credit Cards

As tempting as those Black Friday sales may be, avoid the temptation of charging that brand new television (that you didn’t budget for) because it is a good deal. Stick to the budget you created and examine it regularly. See where you managed to save money, and always check your budget again before you make another purchase. FreedomPlus suggests that you are diligent about using cash or your debit card when buying gifts. So many things come up during the holiday season, so don’t kid yourself with the idea that you are going to pay off the balance in December when your credit card bill comes in.

Week #7: Reassess your Strategy

As the holidays draw near, take another good look at your budget. Did you go over it? If so, look at the purchases you made and see if there are some things that you could return. You can always find a smaller, less expensive gift that fits within your budget. Review your gift list once again, and make sure it is reasonable for your situation.

Week #8: Eat at Home

Let’s face it, the holidays are times of indulgence. Food, drinks, sweets galore….there is plenty to go around at the office, at school and holiday gatherings. So who needs to eat out right now? Save money by eating at home. Think you are too busy or not a fan of cooking? There are plenty of tasty frozen meals out there that require little more than popping in the microwave, and they are much cheaper than eating out.

At FreedomPlus, we wish you all a happy and safe holiday season that filled with joy and not debt.

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Join in on the fun of the fidget spinner craze with special edition Justice League spinners exclusively from 7-Eleven! Join, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman by collecting these specially designed spinners from 7-Eleven.



To get a limited edition spinner, simply collect 25 stickers. Or, to speed things up, register for the CLiQQ Rewards app and collect only 20 e-stamps. One sticker or e-stamp is earned when you buy P50 worth of products at 7-Eleven. Get automatic stickers/e-stamps when you buy booster products. Check out which products are booster items on the 7-Eleven website. Promo runs until November 21, 2017.


To make things even more exciting, the Justice League spinners come in blind packs so that each item is a surprise!

Filipinos have a deep fascination with superheroes, making this promo timely, especially with the theatrical release of the much-anticipated DC film, Justice League, just a few weeks away.

“7-Eleven is happy to always provide exciting products and promos for our customers so that they can always look forward to fresh new offerings in our stores. Right now, we are happy to bring these Justice League heroes to the hands of our customers. With these spinners, we’re bringing your favorite comic book heroes closer to you,” Jose Victor Paterno, President and CEO of Philippine Seven Corporation, the local licensee of 7-Eleven said.

So, whether you’re a fan of Aquaman, Cyborg, The Flash, Wonder Woman, or Batman, you’ll surely find a 7-Eleven Justice League spinner perfect for you. Be a CLiQQ Rewards member today and join the League!

The fun doesn’t stop there though, 7-Eleven is also launching a spinner contest online, featuring Spinner Heroes like Liui Aquino, Eunice Jorge, Paolo Valenciano, and Saab Magalona. Tune in on the 7-Eleven Facebook page to witness and join these Spinner Heroes as they take their spin in spinning the Justice League Spinner!

Be sure to join in on the conversation as well, share your spinner stories and use the #SpinnersUnite #JusticeLeague and #711ph.

To know more about this promo, check out the 7-Eleven website (http://www.7-eleven.com.ph), or the 7-Eleven CLiQQ Rewards app.


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Buying presents is never easy, especially for adults who generally have everything that they need, but perhaps not everything that they want. Try as you may, extracting a wish list from an adult is not as easy as getting this information from a child. Just why did we stop circling catalogues to show others what we would like to be gifted?


As we get older, the gifts that we get most pleasure from are the ones sent from the heart. Here are five gifts to give that will be appreciated for their sentimentality and uniqueness.

Give the Gift of Time

The greatest gift that money can’t buy is your precious time. Have a think about what would benefit your loved one in terms of a service that you could provide. Perhaps they need help with the garden, or decorating their house; choose something that they would ordinarily feel is too big a task for you to help them with. Not only will it help them out, but it will give you an opportunity to spend quality time with them too.

Make a CD

We live in a digital and downloadable musical world, but our parents may still be using CDs for their music. Take time to make a CD that has all of their favorite songs on. Everybody loves a compilation of tunes from their past, and this gift will be a winner. Let the children design the sleeve of the CD for an extra personal touch.

Make a Collage

Choose your favorite photographs of the children and family members and create a very special collage. You can use a free online tool such as the collage maker from Adobe Spark to collate the pictures as a visual reminder of such happy times. The good news is that you can choose to use the predesigned formats to help your creativity retain a professional looking edge.

Make a Hamper

You may not know a big gift to buy for your loved one, but you will be very aware of the day-to-day preferences they have that can be put into a hamper. You can decorate a cardboard box and fill it with things that you know that they will like. What type of coffee is their favorite blend? Or perhaps they have a brand of chocolate that they do enjoy on special occasions. Add in a book that you think they may enjoy, or even tickets to the cinema if you know they want to see a film that is showing. You can be as practical as you like, just add glitter!

Take Them Back

There is nothing quite as sentimental as a trip down memory lane. Plan a day to revisit their old haunts from childhood, it may be a beach where they used to go on family holidays to or even a hill that they used to climb. Having the opportunity to share feelings of nostalgia with tales from years gone by with the younger generations of the family is a great way to reconnect, and share their history and love.


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The beautiful continent of Europe is located entirely in the Northern and mostly the Eastern Hemisphere. Thinking of going for a cycling holiday in Europe? Here are the 10 places you should check out:

1. Amsterdam South, Holland

Thanks to its flat landscape, incredible infrastructure, mild climate, and short distances, Holland is the ideal destination for cycling. It is secure, easy and enjoyable as there are more than 32,000 kilometers of riding paths that can be used throughout the country. With well-put road signs, it is impossible to get lost since the Dutch have embraced cycling as a hobby and pay attention to the signs when in traffic. While using the junction networks, you will come across thousands of bespoken and beautiful views that are not accessible when using a vehicle. In brief, anyone who wants to explore Holland fully should use a bicycle.

2. Bruges, Belgium

World War 1 routes are becoming accessible for people with older children and during 29 km day trip around Bruges; one will be awed by the spectacular sceneries. The Bruges trail starts right from the central station and heads out to the quiet West Flanders town of Damme, traversing via the canal along an easy to navigate path. While at Dammes you can visit Dammes café for lunch where you indulge yourselves in succulent steaks before heading back to Bruges for cold Belgian beer.

3. Somerset, England

With the significant departure of the Tour de France, Yorkshire will be grabbing the cycling headline during the summer period. With so many shorter routes for family cycling in England, one of the most terrific and free of traffic is the Strawberry Line along the oldest railway path. It starts right from Clevedon to Cranmore where you will pass some spurs around the Cheddar village. The road is eight miles and can be traversed easily by using a shortcut where you will see many beautiful places that can be visited like Wells Cathedral, the Cheddar caves, and Glastonbury Tor.

4. River Danube, Austria

Secondary ongoing students can traverse the ambitious 225 km Austria Danube cycle which delightfully cuts through quaint farmhouses and beautiful valleys. The route starts in the beautiful old town of Passau close to the German border and passes along the Blue Danube via Austria to Vienna the city of romance, having covered a distance of around 230 miles. While cycling along the valleys, there is a variety of picturesque, and fascinating ancient towns, where you will spend the night.
The routes are the perfect place for holiday cycling since there is a little number of cars with signposts placed at strategic places. With baroque monasteries, nicely terraced vineyards, fertile plains, and peaceful valleys, they all provide a fantastic scenic drop for a tour of Austria while on a bike.

5. Bornholm, Denmark

With the beautiful Scandinavians escaping during summer to the Baltic island of Bornholm, Copenhagen is one of Europe’s most cycle-friendly cities. The island is the ultimate place for chilled-out bicycle riding with its white sand beaches, mystic rock formations, and craggy coastline to explore. The island receives sunshine for much longer periods, and world-renowned artists frequent the area. The Bornholm Island has a well-preserved rich history of round churches, ancient carvings in rocks and their delicious culinary.

6. Tenerife, Spain

Because of its challenging and long routes, Tour de France cycling hero Bradley Wiggins trained on the. island of Tenerife. There are many other friendly routes for families that have come for a cycling vacation like the Puerto de La Cruz loop which is ideal for all ages. It starts from the beaches of Martinez to the fascinating botanical gardens with several stops on the way for refreshments. Another spectacular route is the trail via the hills around Esperanza and the Corona Forestal Natural Park.
Cycling in Tenerife is entirely your choice as you can choose to cycle at altitudes of over 2,000 meters or sea level. Throughout the island, you will be able to access plenty of roads which are well suited for bike rides.

7. Brittany, France

For children who have just begun learning French, then Brittany is the place to be. A leisure summer cycling vacation in the beautiful countryside of Breton is an experience worth reliving.

8. Venetia, Italy

The best introduction to la dolce Vita is by a cycling self-guided tour around the Venetian countryside. The bespoken routes will quench your thirst for cycling as you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity combination of natural lifestyle while staying in a farm hotel owned by families from this region. There is also an enjoyable excursion of crisscrossing the valleys. Other days you can choose to visit the areas historic places like Venice Padua and Vicenza. There are also very short rides for smaller children around the village of Costozza and Lake Fimon.

9. Mecklenburg Lakeland, Germany

With over 70,000km of cycling paths and 200 routes for long distance bicycle riding, Germany offers cycling adventure for all ages. The commonly used routes are those along the rivers starting from Winterberg to Duisburg with a stretch of 230 km, and Mecklenburg Lakes cycle routes from Luneburg which is 640km.

10. Graubunden, Switzerland

Each summer, the Alpine ski resort of Flims gets a new life as a serene cycling haven. It is an abode to mountain-biking center with over 330km of nicely marked trails to guide cyclists. There is also a rope swinging area in the forest making it the perfect trail for primary school aged children.

Cycling as a hobby and adventure is taking the world by storm as many people are embracing it, to the extent of going for cycling vacations. Apart from adventure, it is also safe for a workout as it helps tone up muscles, leaving you as fit as possible.


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You should treat your car like a friend. After all, your car is dependable and always there for you when you need it. You also know it inside and out, and it complements your lifestyle. What happens when the relationship turns sour, though? Here are 4 reasons why your car is like a relationship.



1. You need to commit

Choosing a car can be stressful with so many decisions to make. Petrol, diesel or electric? SUV or station wagon? Red, white or black? When you’ve done much soul searching, and you see a car that you know will only bring benefit to your life, you know that you must have it. It will help you get to work on time, it will support you with your hobbies, and it will be a good fit for your family. However, money doesn’t grow on trees, and you have to commit to the financial burden of running a car, and not just the initial funding to buy it.

2. You need to cherish it

When you get your car home, it’s the start of the new relationship. You make sure that you keep the vehicle clean and spic and span, and treat it like it the investment it is. However, as time moves on, you fail to notice that it needs an oil change, and its paint has a few little rust patches, and this beautiful car that you valued so much, is suddenly less appealing. You have devalued it, and you survive together in the hope it meets your daily needs. When you don’t cherish what you have with regular maintenance, it can soon fall apart.

3. You need to spend time together

If you have been diligent with maintaining your car’s health with regular inspections, it should run for miles and miles between mechanic visits; however, as your vehicle gets older, it may start to need more visits to the garage. You need to think about the money that you are spending on it to keep it on the road and consider replacing it for one that will be more dependable. Visit a dealership like Honda Scotland to source an approved car that won’t let you down, and, this time, ensure you keep it looking brand new.

4. You need to pay attention

As with relationships, to keep the value in your car, you need to pay it attention. Your car communicates with you; therefore, it is up to you whether you are listening or not. Is your car making unusual noises? Whether its screeching brakes or an unidentified whirring noise from the engine, you need to pay attention to the signs your car is giving you. A whirring noise could be a signpost that a minor adjustment needs to be made, or it could be a sign of a big-ticket repair. Does your car exhale a sweet scent from the ventilation? Your heat core could have eroded, and needs to be checked out before winter arrives.

To ensure it doesn’t fail you, make sure you do not fail it also. A car is a large investment; therefore, you want to keep it running and in pristine condition. Reduce its breakdown rate by looking after it; after all, it’ll end up looking after you in return.


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