PhilFAQS

I’ve been a little busy in the past few weeks.  Some of the things I have been busy with have nothing to do with blogging or making money online, but one thing that has taken up a lot of more of my time that I thought it would was doing a review of Bob Martin’s book, 49 Ways to Make a Living in the Philippines.

It isn’t because the book is long or hard to read … in fact one of my honest criticism is, the book is a bit thin in places … but a real rule of writing is any written product should be long enough to do the job it was designed to do, and no longer (I ought, perhaps, to apply that principle to some of my blog posts, perhaps).

Bob is and American who moved to the Philippines about eight years ago and has been making a living here, entirely from his own efforts and business acumen ever since.

This sets him apart from me and many of my expat acquaintances who have an income already from pensions or investments.  The proof is i9n the pudding.  If you can live here for 8 years, live in a nice house, raise a family and live a life that has a balance between work and pleasure, then you may certainly say you have expertise in that niche.  In addition to knowing Bob online for some time, I have visited him at his home, met his family and some of his employees and it is my considered opinion that Bob is doing those things I mentioned, and more. 

So when Bob announced his plan to release this book I waited anxiously.  It does not disappoint.

There are a number of ideas in the book that I already knew about as well as quite a few that I had never heard of.  In all cases the ideas, in my opinion, are all viable and should provide a long-term income for anyone who chooses to actually set out and make a success of any one of them.  In fact I really wonder that Bob didn’t aim it at a broader audience, because a majority of the methods here will work for folks still living in the US, for example.

Most do not even require an investment of any consequence.  A few do, but even those are investments earmarked for buy real property or to invest in a proven business system with guidance and managerial assistance provided.

I was able to detect no scams or questionable ventures here.  For those that do not know,the Philippines is rife with many ‘make money’ scams … many of them revolving around an endless assortment of the "Amway-style" Multilevel-marketing models where you basically begin your business by pissing off all your friends and family members trying to get them switch to your brand of shampoo an soap and eventually end up with a flat bank account and a garage full of patent fertilizer products.

These are real-world products and designed as ideas which an honest man could use to start another business that appealed to other honest men.

As I mentioned at the beginning, the only real criticism I could offer is that some of the ideas are short … but, in fairness, think about this:

In the 8 years or so I have been intimately involved with helping people who want to move to the Philippines as well as making my own, successful plan to do so, a number one issue from people of all ages and al walks of life have been how to make a living … or how to find a viable business idea to help family members make a living.  In most cases, they (we) have no clue.

That’s what this book provides.  Well thought out and intelligently selected ideas for making yourself independent of that monster that people think provides security, a regular J*O*B.  It is not a textbook .. in order to fully develop some of these ideas one would need a sizeable book for each one I think.

It is exactly as required by truth in labeling, 49 ways and I can assure you, it will only take one of these 49 ways to ‘click’ for you to make the book more than worthwhile. 

The book is available in paper or eBook (instant download) format and it comes with a no-hassle, no risk guarantee … I recommend it.

Disclosure:  I am a sales affiliate for this product.  That means I am compensated if you buy it.  I would not advertise it here if I did not honestly feel you would not be receiving true value, but if that fact bothers you, fear not, I understand.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Books are something we have talked about here on PhilFAQS in the past … I actually have half a dozen or so in my reading list that my readers have graciously recommended and commented upon.  I’ve decided I’ll add a book review category/page to the site to document some of my reading, which may be of help to those looking for information about the Philippines.

Side Note:  Every post or entry here has a category.  There is an easy, one-button drop down list of categories in the sidebar (Right under the Search entry box) that will break out all of the articles in that topic so you can view just that subject and find what you need.  I also have a top menu titled "Content".  This is drop down list of major subjects.  If you click on one you will see a list of ever post that fits that topic.  You of course can also click the common "Archives" selection which shows you the posts by month as they were written … and last but not least the upper menu "SiteMap" selection will break out every word ever written here.  If you still have a problem finding anything, click on the Contact page and send me a secure, no-spam email.

So much for administriva.  Today I want to talk to you about a book I was asked to review, entitled Retire Like a King written by my friend Bob Martin.  In the interest of full disclosure, I am an Affiliate of Bob’s … in other words a salesman for this book … I will never recommend or point you toward anything in which I have an interest unless I disclose this fact first.

But I reviewed this book exactly as if I had no interest in it … if it was bad or a poor value, I wouldn’t be listing it here.  There are a number or "things Filipino" I have been asked to promote and I don’t … simply because I can’t say anything good about them … and you know what our mammas all told us about not saying nice things

Live Like a King is written first hand by Bob based on his real-life experiences of moving to the Philippines and setting up his life here.  This book is valuable to retirees as well as those who haven’t yet moved into the life of leisure that some of us enjoy yet.  Bob is a younger, go-getter businessman, earning a very decent living here while he raises his family but this book is strictly for the aspects of how to get ready for the move, how to actually "do the deed" and how to handle the mechanics and the relationships of living here after you make the move.

One of the most valuable aspects of the book is something which at first glance put me off a bit.  Bob has included an extensive section on Filipino family relationships and at first it might seem too much to people who aren’t part of a Filipino family … even by marriage … or who have not lived here.

But after reading everything through I realize just how valuable this information is and how long it took me to learn some of it on my own … often, the hard way.

Bob mentions that the book was actually written some years ago and that he recently updated it.  He did a good job.  I find that his cost data and other items that people worry about being dated is thoroughly up to date with the figures I find from my own life (nearly two years now, and still very happy).

One can assume that id you are reading this site and have read on into my post this far you are more than a little interested in living in the Philippines.  My recommendation:  Buy this book. It’s written by an expert, it represents true value, and Bob offers a satisfaction guarantee, so your risk is zero.

To learn more, or to order Retire Like a King by Bob Martin, just click.

Popularity: 2% [?]