Michi Photostory

April 10, 2012

Holy Week 2012

Now I’m back from my hiatus, how’s your long weekend? We had a blissful week, finally, we were able to rest in my grandmother’s house, a sort of staycation. Here’s the summary of my holy week.

Holy Thursday

We stayed in the house to finish our household duties before going to my grandmother’s house. We cleaned the house, finished the laundry, and ironed all clothes. Quite tiring but we did not mind because we will be having our much-awaited staycation.

Good Friday

As expected, we went to Caleruega and we left early to avoid the traffic. Surprisingly, there were more people who visited Caleruega this year compared to our previous trips. It is really hard to take pictures because you have to wait for your turn. =)

Then we went to Victoria, Laguna where my grandmother lives.

Black Saturday

I was enjoying my staycation when all of a sudden my husband wanted to go to nearby falls. This is really an unplanned trip because we don’t have any swimwear. We left the house after lunch without a map; we just asked questions along the way.

Our joy ride brought us here,

Nagcarlan Church

Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

and finally Taytay Falls or Majayjay Falls

Easter Sunday

My grandmother was wondering why we had an extended stay because we used to “eat, sleep and run” the following day. Whenever we visited her, we will just eat merienda then dinner, sleep, eat breakfast, and go home so this was the first time that we really stayed long.

But we really enjoyed our stay; it was our sweet escape away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can have a good sleep without aircon and we even turned off the electric fan. Of course, it’s not all year round. There are days that it is really hot but during our stay, we’re blessed with good weather.

view at the back of my grandmother's house

view from our room

My husband loves to stay here because he can have a good rest and there are times that he will suggest to visit my grandmother.

Hubby: hon, punta tayo sa lola mo.

Me: bakit? Ano gagawin natin dun?

Hubby: matutulog

Me: matutulog? Pupunta tayo dun para lang matulog?

Hubby: para maiba naman. =)

And of course, he loves my grandmother’s dishes. We always look forward to ginataang fish and vegetables. To tell you the truth, we gained pounds again during our staycation.

As much as we want to extend our vacation we have to go home. We dropped by Isdaan to check the place but we left immediately when we saw the crowd.

Day of Valor

Back to reality, household duties again, and time to finish our errands.

April 04, 2012

Why is it Important to Check your Receipt?

Do you always check your receipt whenever you buy something? Do you really examine the amount printed on the receipt? Or you don’t care at all. If you’ll ask me, I always check my receipt but there is one instance that I did not check my receipt after I purchased some items. When I got home and checked my receipt, I found out that the “buy 1 take 1 item” that I purchased was not charged as B1T1 so I bought the items at regular price.

I was so disappointed because I only bought the “Little Einstein” CD because its buy 1 take 1 for P120 or P150. But I did not go back to Festival Mall because going there is more expensive (gas, tollgate and parking) compared to P120 or P150 that I overpaid. I can easily notice this if I only bought the cd. So lesson learned, don't forget to check your receipt.

Another instance is when I paid our credit card bills in SM payment center, I paid two credit card bills for the same credit card company

Ex.

Credit card 1: P5000

Credit card 2: P7000

pero napagpalit ng cashier yung amount.

Credit card 1: P7000

Credit card 2: P5000

Good thing that I checked my receipt before I left the counter, I informed the cashier about it and she made some adjustments.

Then yesterday, I went to SM to buy some personal stuff, I saw some Buy 1 Take 1 shirt for my son so I bought two sets of B1T1. I checked the monitor screen to ensure that I really get the discount then I noticed that the B1T1 item was charged as regular item. I called the attention of the cashier.

Me: Miss, hindi yata nagrereflect yung Buy 1 Take 1 ko

Cashier: Ma’m pag natotal na po natin saka po makikita yung discount.

So I paid the items and she showed me the receipt, “ma’m ito po o, may 50% off na”. I said ok and left the counter. While walking I’m still checking my receipt and I was right, I paid the B1T1 items for regular price of P199.75 each so I overpaid P199.75.

I went back to the counter and told the cashier about it but she insisted na nagreflect yung B1T1. I told her that I have two B1T1 items and I only see one discounted price. Good thing that the supervisor was there and she checked my receipt; they unwrapped my stuff and checked the items.

And the supervisor said sorry for the inconvenience, they called someone to inform about the error. One guy came and he said, he will just issue DRA (not sure sa term). I waited again, the guy came back and gave the cashier a slip but the cashier needs a code but no one can give her the right code.

I’ve been waiting for more than 40 minutes and you know that I hate waiting so I asked the cashier if I could just cancel the B1T1 item and replace the items worth P399.50. I used my credit card so there’s no way that she could give me the amount in cash. I know that she can call the credit card company to cancel the amount and re-enter my purchase but I don’t want to wait anymore. So I get 1 queen pillow and 2 pcs of M&M and pay the difference.

It is really important to check your receipt.Thank God that I just came from my staycation so I was able to wait for more than 40 minutes and still smile kahit naiinis na rin ako. Buti na lang may Free SM jelly bag ako.

April 03, 2012

Calea: Blueberry Cheesecake

Hubby came home last Friday from Cebu and Bacolod trip, last stop is Bacolod so I was really happy because I can taste again my favorite Calea blueberry cheesecake. I told you before that Calea is just in front of L’Fisher Hotel and hubby stayed in this hotel so he has no reason for not buying this cake.

One whole cake is good for 12 slices, P715 + P35 (pasalubong box). And as of this writing, I still have one slice left.

Read: 31 Hours in Bacolod

Pasalubong from Bacolod

Food Trip in Bacolod

March 31, 2012

Billiger Mietwagen for Tours in Germany

Browsing for websites online is the best way to look out for billiger mietwagen agencies in Germany. It would be a good idea to do the reservation days in advance of the trip in order to get the best deals. There are a large number of car rental agencies located in different cities in the country. This might confuse you but a more in-depth qualitative search will bring out the best billiger mietwagen agencies in the country. Apart from the diverse range of cars from sedans to economy cars, there are attractive offers provided along with cars at affordable costs.

Chauffeur services are also available with these car hire agencies. A service that is found in most of the car rental agencies is the system of accident waivers. In this way, if an accident happens without your knowledge during the period of hire, you will not be forced to pay the excess charge. This is a leniency that is not found in other countries. Breakdown assistance is another service that’s provided to the customers.

Apart from the tourists, another section of people who make regular visits to the country are the businessmen. They have the conferences and seminar sessions that happen every month and they avoid the ignominy of having to use public transportation. The business conglomerates thus book the best billiger mietwagen agencies in advance and they use them whenever they are in the country. So what are you waiting for? Go online and make reservations as fast as possible.

March 26, 2012

Lola Abon’s

Hubby came home from Davao and brought some durian candies from Lola Abon’s. He said, it’s delicious and you can’t taste the durian so we (me + son) tried but still didn’t like it. I can still smell and taste the durian. So hubby has no choice but to eat all durian candies, 4 packs left in the fridge. =)

Hubby: masarap kaya and sikat yan, dami nga pictures ng artista na nakapost sa store nila.

I google it and true enough, Lola Abon’s has the best durian candy in Davao.

Well, the only thing I like from Davao is suha and pastel. Yes, I know that pastel is Camiguin’s delicacy but since this is my favorite, it is a must for him to buy pastel wherever he goes, as long as it is available.

March 23, 2012

Coupon Codes 101

Do you know what coupon code is? If your answer is no, don’t feel sad because I also have no idea about this. Whenever I check my twitter page, Facebook news feed, and even Google reader, I always see this coupon code and I feel so outdated so I made my research. Here is some information that I’ve got.

What is a coupon code?

Coupon code serves as a ticket that allows consumers to avail discount or rebate. Consumers can avail of free shipping, free giveaways, buy one take one promo or discount on their purchases. The coupon code is a combination of letters and numbers that shoppers use to avail discount online.

Where can I get this coupon?

You can get this coupon from newspapers, magazines, mail, coupon envelopes and of course internet. The Internet is the easiest way to get coupon codes, you can grab this from the merchant’s website, email newsletter or affiliate programs.

How to use coupon codes?

If you have the coupon code, all you need to do is enter the code and submit but merchants have different places where shoppers can enter the code, sometimes it is in shopping cart or order review page. If you are still clueless you can always check the FAQ page of the website to ensure that you’re on the right track.

Most of the online sellers are offering coupon codes to attract first-time shoppers and to give incentives to their loyal shoppers. If you are budget conscious consumers like me, you can take advantage of this because there are savings with coupon codes. It is very popular in United States but there are coupon codes that can be used worldwide.

If you are online shoppers, feel free to check popular Bloomingdales coupon code. Bloomingdale’s online shop is now shipping to the Philippines.

March 18, 2012

Getting Cabs in London

London is considered the world’s most visited city. There really is no doubt about that; after all, even little kids know about London as they sing the famous nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down”. A lot of people dream of visiting this place because it is the home of four World heritage sites and famous landmarks.

London’s most visited attractions include Madame Tussauds, Victoria and Albert Museum, National Maritime Museum, Tower of London, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Tate Modern, National Gallery, British Museum, and London Eye. I personally would love to visit Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace.

Planning an itinerary is difficult because London has way too many tourist attractions. Most of the time, tourists try to get in touch with different travel agencies to avoid the trouble of having to plan everything. Getting the service of a reputable and trusted travel agency makes it much easier to enjoy London because all that is needed is for one to pay and follow the tour guide. Oh, and there is always the option of availing of a taxi tour if you do not want to join group tours.

Believe it or not, you can hire a taxi to tour you around London. Whether you have limited time or you have the entire day, you can enjoy London with the help of taxi tours.

You have the option of choosing your own tour: day tours, popular tours, themed tours, city tours, or limited tours. It all depends on your time and budget. Taxi tours can accommodate up to five people – the more, the merrier because the rates are per taxi. Therefore, taxi tours are a good choice if you’re bringing along your family or a group of friends.

DIY travelers want to plan their own itinerary according to what interests them, and also according to their budget and time. They feel that they can maximize their time and save more money if they travel on their own. There is no problem in touring London on your own as long as you can speak the language. In addition, London is a very tourist-friendly city. If you need a ride, you can just check Anycabs.co.uk for London taxi cabs. This spares you from the trouble of looking for cab companies to call.

Any Cabs is like a one-stop website where you can book your minicab, check different cab companies, and compare taxi prices. Using the site is very easy and the best thing about it is there are no charges! Yes, looking for cabs is free on the site. Just enter your route and you will easily receive information on pick-up times and price comparisons. The site will help you choose which taxi cab to book.

So, if you want to enjoy London, www.anycabs.co.uk can definitely help you. It will save you time and money because you can get the nearest and cheapest cab. One other thing: if you accidentally leave your stuff inside the taxi cabs, the company can return it to you!

March 16, 2012

Free Stuff from Hotel

For those who love to travel, I’m sure that you are familiar with hotel’s complimentary stuff and most of these items are toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste and lotion. I’m one of those people who take advantage of free stuff because I know that it is included in room rate.

Complimentary stuff like these…

This stuff is very handy if ever we have an overnight trip because it is very light. We can also use it for our visitors, just in case they forgot to bring slippers or toothbrush.

Of course, not all are free stuff like towels, bathrobes and blower. To give you an idea you can watch this video

How about you? Do you love taking free stuff or you just leave it behind.

March 14, 2012

Why I Love Being a Mom and Blogger

When I was a kid I used to watch Doogie Howser M.D., if you were born in the 80’s I’m pretty sure you are familiar with the series. At the end of the day, Doogie will type his entry on his personal computer diary while I write my feelings, memories and random thoughts in my diary. But I stopped writing when I graduated from college and started working.

Year 2008 when I became a mom, that time I want to have a personal blog to document my son’s development and milestones. I also want to share my journey as a wife and mother but like I said, I have no idea how to create a blog, I said it here numerous times that my first post in Wordpress was also my last post because I find it too complicated. Last year, I discovered Blogger and I created Michi Photostory, where I share pieces of my life.

From that moment I enjoy writing and sharing my experiences as a mom and wife, our travel trips, food trips, and even my random thoughts. I have no idea that blogging could be fun and therapeutic. Blogging became my “me time” and I’m happy writing my post at the same time reading other blogs.

Some people may never understand why I blog but I have my own reasons why I love being a mom and blogger. I love being a mom because I know not all women can bear a child and I’m really thankful that God gave me a chance to become a mother.

My son completes me; there are things that I’ve discovered when I had him. I never thought that I could give up my career and be a full-time mom. I never thought that I could find joy and satisfaction being a domestic goddess. The journey may not be easy but I still love taking the path of motherhood.

Being a full-time mom gives me more time to blog, aside from my son, this blog became my baby. I have my own dreams and wish lists too for this blog. I’m happy when I see new followers, comments, thoughts, suggestions, and feedbacks.

I enjoy blog hopping because I learned a lot, it allows my mind to travel, to eat and to feel their experience. It allows me to see the world even at the comfort of my home. Being at home for almost 24/7 is not easy because you have less time to socialize but I don’t mind because I gained online friends through blogging.

I have more reason why I love being a mom and blogger but I don’t want to bore you reading my post. But before I end this post, I would like to share this “Don’t live to blog or blog to live, but live then blog”. I’ve read it somewhere but this is a constant reminder to me, mommy duties first before blogging.

March 10, 2012

Memorable Experience in Norway

I know there’s no place like home but if there is one place that I want to live in aside from my country that would be Norway. I was been in Norway several years ago, and I was fortunate to have a three-month vacation, and indeed it is one of my memorable vacations.

Norway is very far from the Philippines, a total of 36 hours flight including layover; we took 3 international planes, 1 domestic plane, and 1 ferry boat just to reach my mom’s place. The travel is really long but it is all worth it because Norway is really an amazing country.

If you love to commune with nature, this is the best place because Norway offers various scenery. You can see rocky wilderness, valleys, mountains, forested hills, and waterfalls. Did you know that most of the world’s greatest waterfalls are found in Norway?

My three-month stay in Norway was really a grand vacation because I was able to experience boating, fishing, picking mussels, nature-tripping, and many more.

We were able to visit a few cottages which my mom’s friend owned. So if you want to spend your holiday in Norway, you don’t have to worry because you can find peace in the cottages there. You can also check holiday homes Europe for a list of holiday homes not only in Norway but all over Europe.

Happy Golden Birthday to my Mom!

Happy Golden Birthday to you! It was sad that we couldn’t be with you on your special day for obvious reasons, the plane ticket is so expensive and is not yet vacation time. Thank God for technology because I can greet you in my post.

I just want to let you know that I am really grateful that God gave me a mom like you, though we’ve only been together for seven years and we never really grew up with you. We are still thankful because we know that you are always there to support, pray, care for, and love us across the miles.

I know you’ve been through a lot and if there’s one story na pang MMK (Maalala mo kaya) that will be your story. You suffered and sacrificed a lot just for us so even though we’re unable to live with you, we’re still happy for you because you truly deserve to be happy.

Growing up without a mom beside me is not easy but it also taught me how to be a strong, independent, and responsible person. I always think that you’re not with me so I have to learn to fight my own battles, run my own race, and achieve my dreams.

I salute you for achieving all your dreams; you got your degree while taking care of our youngest sister and at the same time working to support us. When I became a mom, you served as an inspiration to me because I know that you had 3 kids at the age of 20 without a nanny and house helper and I only have one son so I know I can do it too.

You taught us to have a good relationship with God so when life is so tough when we’re about to give up and we can’t run to you for help because of the distance, we can always call God to strengthen and comfort us.

I’m proud to be your daughter and I hope that I can be like you. I want to be a good mother to my little one and I hope that I can raise him the way you raised us when we were still kids. They say that the first 7 years is the most important phase and I hope I’m on the right track.

Happy birthday and I really pray that you will have more birthdays to come because I can’t imagine the future without you! Jeg elsker deg!

Btw, my mom has a blog too “Joy’s notepad”, you can click here to visit her site and if it is not too much to ask, can you also leave a message and greet her. Thank you!

If you live in Norway, you can grab my sister's book Smaken Av Fosen . It is a recipe book. =)

March 07, 2012

Iloilo Airport

I rarely feature airports, in fact, Iloilo Airport is the second airport that I will post on my site. Well, I just want to share these photos with you. I don’t mind paying P200 for the terminal fee if the airport has good facilities and amenities.

Look at the toddler’s area; it is clean, spacious, and homey. I didn’t mind if our flight was one hour delayed because my son enjoyed playing here. How I wish, all our airports have toddler’s areas because it is really important, especially for kids who hate waiting.

dito ko nakaupo habang nagbabantay!

March 06, 2012

Bright Bakers: Choco Blast Cupcake

It is not a secret anymore that I love joining giveaways and last month I was so lucky because I won 5 giveaways and Bright Bakers kit is one of my winnings.

Two weeks ago I received the package but I was too lazy to bake. I supposed to bake this last weekend but when I read the recipe book, there’s one missing ingredient so I have to ask Bright Bakers first, thank God for twitter and facebook page.

According to the recipe book, Bright Bakers Baking Kit gives you the joys of baking professional grade cupcakes, with recipes inspired by pastry chef Penk Ching, in the convenience of your own kitchen. They make things simple while still preserving that one-of-a-kind baking experience. Taste the benefits of having your personal touch while working with the best ingredients. And to make things even better…no leftovers.

The kit includes most of the ingredients except for the salt, oil, vinegar and water which is readily available in your kitchen. The steps are so easy to follow even kids who know how to read can bake their own cupcake.

I only use whisk and fork to mix the batter. I use mixer for the icing

After 30 minutes…

hindi pa presentable, hehe!

presentable na. =)

pwede pang regalo. =)

March 05, 2012

Day 4: Iloilo Churches

This is supposed to be my Day 2 itinerary but I have to move it to our last day and cancel my day 4 itinerary which is one day tour in El Dorado Waterpark. When I booked our Iloilo trip, I invited a friend if she wants to come with us but she said “anong meron sa Iloilo? Wala naman yata interesting sites dun”. Well, Iloilo is not known for tourist spots but you can have a side trip in Guimaras or visit old churches. Though I’m not a Catholic, I enjoyed visiting different churches because not all churches look the same. Each church has its own beauty and story to tell.

At 8AM, we started our Church Tour; we just took San Joaquin Jeep. First stop is San Joaquin church. It took 1 hour and 30 minutes before we reached the church. Biyaheng-langit pa nasakyan namin, I was really scared that time but thank God, we’re safe.

San Joaquin Underground Cemetery

Hubby: Hon, pati sementeryo kasama na sa itinerary natin.

Me: Yes, kung ayaw mo mauna ka na sa hotel. =)

After our visit here and every time he sees cemetery he will asks me, yun sementeryo na yun hindi natin bibisitahin? (makaasar lang)

Miagao Church

One of the four Baroque Churches of the Philippines inscribed in 1993 on the World Heritage List pursuant to the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the protection of the World National Heritage.

Construction of this church began in 1787 while fray Francisco M. Gonzales D.S.A. was parish priest of this town and Domingo Libo-on was Gobernadorcillo. The church was completed in 1797. It served as fortress against muslim raides. In 1898, during the revolution, the church was destroyed. Subsequently rebuitl, it was damaged by fire in 1910. It was badly damaged by earthquake in 1948. Restoration work began in 1960 and completed in 1962. During the term of office of most Rev. Jose Ma. Cuenco, D.D. Metropolitan Archbishop of Jaro, of Msgr. Gernando S. Javillo D.P. parish priest of this town and Dioscoro Mueda, municipal mayor.

Guimbal Church

Guimbal Plaza

Tigbauan Church

Molo Church

End of our church tour. As I mentioned earlier, we took San Joaquin jeep to reach San Joaquin Church then from San Joaquin church we travelled back to visit the other churches.

1. Jeep to San Joaquin Church (I paid 200 and conductor gave me P80, so am not sure if P40 each pax or P60 each for two adults)

2. We took trisikad to San Joaquin Underground Cemetery (P40)

3. Jeep to Miagao Church (P15)

4. Jeep to Guimbal Church(P15)

5. Jeep to Tigbauan Church (P10)

6. Jeep to Mohon Terminal (P19)

7. Jeep to Molo Church (P7.50)

8. Jeep to Robinsons (7.50)

We’re supposed to eat at Afriques restaurant but we can’t find it so we just went to Robinsons and we had lunch at Sbarro. =) We stayed at Robinsons till 4PM and off we went to airport, taxi fare is P500 (fixed rate).

March 03, 2012

Green Living

I’m pretty sure that we are all aware that our environment badly needs our help; we can no longer deny it because of climate change, global warming and different catastrophes that we’ve seen and experienced.

Sadly to say that not all people are practicing green living, I guess green living should no longer be a choice but it is a must for everyone. If we really want to improve our environment condition we should act now not only for our own benefits but for future generations.

Green living is eliminating materialism, conserving energy, reducing waste, lowering consumption, recycling materials, supporting green projects and using organic products.

I’m trying my best to live a sustainable life and I’ll be sharing my little ways in helping our environment.

1. I practice 3 R’s which is Reuse, Reduce and Recycle

a. Reuse

As much as possible we try to reuse some stuff in order to reduce waste and of course to eliminate buying new stuff.

1. Plastic shopping bags use as a trash bag.
2. I keep all paper bags for future use.
3. I reuse bottles and containers of liquid soap, dishwashing soap, bathroom cleaner, and many more. I just buy refills.
4. I reuse gift wrapper and gift boxes.
5. I keep all paper bills, e-ticket, itinerary and other papers that we can use for my son’s artwork and scratch pad. I always make a scratch pad, see my sample here.

b. Reduce

Reducing our waste and practicing minimalist living.

c. Recycle

I segregate our trash, bottles, plastic containers, boxes, newspaper and any stuff that can be sold in a junkshop. We always go to the junkshop every month or if we already have more stuff to sell.

We earn a minimum of P40 and our highest earning so far is P160. All earnings go to my son’s savings account via online banking. So in one year, he gets more or less P1000.

2. Using Eco-bags

I always have one in my bag. We are lucky that our city is very serious in helping our environment so we say no to plastics bags and straws.

3. Using Organic products

Organic and natural products are now everywhere, I’ve tried Greencow, Ilog Maria and Human Nature products.

4. Using a rechargeable battery, CFL bulb, LED Christmas lights, energy saver, and other energy efficient appliances.

5. Switching from paper bills to electronic billing

I’ve been using electronic billing for our credit card, postpaid lines and I even stopped the SOA from our bank. Since there is no passbook, the bank sends monthly or quarterly Statement of Account so I request to stop mailing the SOA since I can check my balance online.

6. If you have the budget, invest in solar panels so you can save more.

Read: Energy Saving Tips

7. Lastly, always remember this when you travel.

“Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.”

These are my little ways in helping the environment if you have additional tips, feel free to share.

March 02, 2012

How to Make Money Online

It is no secret here that I’m a full-time mom, I resigned when I got pregnant, my pregnancy is not easy and we’re afraid to lose the baby again so I resigned. Of course, NO WORK = NO SALARY, so I searched the internet for possible opportunities if I can make money online.

1. Online Business

I started with my online shop using Multiply (does not exist anymore), I sell some whitening soap, organic products and even pre-loved stuff of my son. I stopped this business when we moved to our new house.

2. Online Jobs

I was a ghostwriter for 8 months but I also stopped because it’s too stressful for me. It is not easy to write articles, take care of my son and do household chores. Like I said before, stress is not good for my health. I also noticed that I spent more hours in front of my computer than playing with my son.

But if you like writing, this is a nice way to earn, all you need is your laptop, internet connection, and writing skills.

3. Answer Surveys

Yes, you can earn money by just answering surveys. Every time you answer a survey, you will earn points and once you reach the minimum, you can exchange your points to cash, gift card and more.

4. Create a Blog or Website

One week after I resigned, I created this blog and the rest is history. I know that I can make money through blogging because I know someone who is earning big time but I’m still in the process of researching and learning. You can earn through ads, sponsored posts, paid insert links, product reviews, collaboration, or other blog opportunities.

As of now, I’m happy sharing pieces of my life in my blog but of course I’m also happy when I received an email for some income opportunities but like I said it is not that much. So if you know how to make money online, I’d love to hear that. I tried paid to click services but unfortunately, I did not get anything so beware, there are scammers.

How to Create a Website?

Michi Photostory just celebrated its first year anniversary last February and within that year some people asked me how to create a website even my family asked me this question. I admit I’m not an expert when it comes to this topic; the truth is I did not know anything when I started this blog. But with the help of some research, I was able to create my own blog.

How to Create a Website?

Choose Your Platform

So if you want to have your own website, you can do it on your own. There are several free blogging providers that you can choose from;

A. Blogger
B. Tumbler
C. Wordpress
D. Livejournal

I first signed up with Wordpress but I find it too complicated for me so I switch to Blogger. Blogger is more user-friendly so I stick to this provider. But I'm still contemplating if I should try Wordpress because I have more options and opportunities to improve my site.

Choose Your Blog Name

Once you choose your blogging provider, all you have to do is sign up and think about your website name. Sometimes this is the difficult part because most of the time, the name is already taken. Some website owners, use their personal names for their domain.

Another idea in choosing a name is, you have to consider your blog niche, are you creating a personal, lifestyle, travel or food blogs?. Make sure that your name will blend your niche.

Design Your Website

Then choose your theme and arrange your layout. If you are just starting out, you can choose from free themes or if you want you can purchase a theme design or hire a website designer to do the work for you. Don't worry you can have a nice blogger theme for as low as $15.

You can check the $15 Blogger Templates here.
If you want a Wordpress theme, check it here.

Start Posting

Everything is so easy and you don’t need to be an expert to start blogging. The exciting part is creating your first post. If you want to be organized, have a blog planner. This will help you in organizing your blog post, social media and tracking your blog opportunities.

Good luck and happy blogging!

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