Online Shopping for School Supplies in Bacolod

It's back to school! 

Despite the health crisis, our life goes on, and little did we notice that another school year is about to start. Actually, some private schools have already started a few weeks ago. :)

Anyway, we are happy to share that you can now order school supplies from your local National Bookstore branches online. In the past, we order through National Bookstore's website and its Lazada and Shopee Flagship Stores however, one main concern is the shipping or freight costs since the items will be coming from Manila. 

Now, you can order from your nearest National Bookstore branch and don't have to worry about shipping fees. 

Currently, we have three (3) NBS branches here in Bacolod. I have actually tried ordering from all of the three branches and so far, I am very happy with their service. 

So just pick one that is nearest to you. One thing that I noticed is that stocks vary per branch so if you need something specific and it's not available. You may ask assistance to have it checked if it's available in other branches.

How does this work? 

1. Contact your preferred NBS branches via SMS/Call or Viber. Personally, I prefer Viber since they have an option to send photos which makes shopping easier. 

NBS Gaisano Singcang -  09151102467 /09154212202

NBS Robinsons Place - 09154212204 or 09282225078

NBS SM City - 0927-515-6720

2. Once you have a personal shopper assisting you, just tell him/her what you need. You can even ask for recommendations or even what's on sale. :) 

3. Pay for order - NBS has lots of payment options available. You can pay via Cash, Debit/ Credit Card, GCASH, Globe Rewards, Shopee Pay, and even Bank Transfer. 

4. Pick-up - Once you have finalized and paid for your order, you pick it up yourself or just simply schedule a pick-up with a 3rd party courier. 

We usually use Grab Express for pick-ups. I highly suggest that you use their 2-hour delivery service since it's super cheap - they offer a flat rate of Php 59 delivery fee anywhere within Bacolod City. Please do note that this service is only available until 3PM. 

That's it for now! If you have any questions or have tried ordering from NBS, feel free to comment down below. :) 

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Getting Out of Debt During a Crisis

The current health crisis has definitely changed our lifestyle and financial stability. 

According to the recent Consumer Pulse study conducted by TransUnion in April 2021, 93% of Philippine consumers reported that their household income is negatively impacted and that almost half or 47% are expecting that they won't be able to pay at least one of their current loans or bills in full. 

Despite being more prudent with personal finances such as expenditure cuts, many are still experiencing financial difficulties. This is brought about by the continuing slow business activities and the loss of jobs or reduced working hours. 

Unavoidable expenses such as needing to buy gadgets in order to cope with digitalization (e.g. kids need a computer to attend online classes or individuals to start working from home) also contribute to these challenges. In the worse cases, some households face a huge financial burden due to hospitalization (e.g. family member got infected and has no insurance coverage) 

If not managed properly, these situations will not only add up to more debt but will be creating a domino effect causing missed mortgage and missed payment of car loans, credit cards, and bills. 

What can you do when you are having a hard time managing your debts? 

Debt consolidation is one solution if you are having a hard time managing your debts. In a nutshell, it is the act of taking out a single loan to pay off multiple debts. It is a strategy to combine all debts into one helping you keep track of payments and balances. 

What are the benefits of debt consolidation? 

1. Streamlined Payments and Due Date

Since you no longer have to make separate payments for each debt, you only have to think of a single payment due date. This decreases the chance to overlook payment deadlines which may incur penalties. 

It will also give you a better insight into your repayment timeline. 

2. Lower Interest Rates

In most cases, the lender will also offer a more competitive interest rate to entice borrowers to opt for debt consolidation. This is very common for credit card companies that offer balance transfers (which is one form of a debt consolidation) 

Is debt consolidation recommended for everyone? 

Generally speaking, debt consolidation is beneficial to the borrowers. However, here are some important points that you should consider before making that decision. 

1. Compare if the interest rate offered is lower than the current interest rate that you are paying. 

Aside from the interest rate, make sure to consider other related costs such as loan origination fees, balance transfer fees, closing fees, annual fees, or pre-termination fees. There are instances that the interest rate is lower but after adding the balance transfer fees, it may not be worth taking a new loan. 

2. Check that you have adequate cash flow 

When taking out a new loan, make sure that you have adequate cash flow in that way you can ensure that you meet the monthly payments. If your cash flow is not enough, you might want to stick to having smaller loans/ payments which are easier to meet than coming up with a large sum of money altogether.

3. Understand this will not erase your debts

Debt Consolidation will not solve your financial problems. Instead, this allows borrowers to have little breathing room when drowning in debts. 

It is important to understand that the end goal is to get out of debt and not be trapped in the vicious cycle of getting a loan to pay off another loan. 

So, if you feel that debt consolidation is the best option for you, click here to learn more.