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It’s graduation season! After spending for the tuition and other fees and expenses entailed to give kids the best education possible, here comes one more item to pay for - the graduation.


Source : weneedtolivemore.com, livingthehealthychoice.com


When media pays greater value to supreme looks and sharp physique, how can one escape the wanting to get the best look he/she can possibly achieve? While some will say it’s all about feeling and looking good, others believe that one’s future self will surely thank him/her for the healthy way of life he/she subscribed to today.

And so we ask, fitness invest – is there such a thing?

As a starting point, let’s take a look at what Euromonitor.com said - Alongside the increase in health awareness amongst Filipinos has been a surge in patronage of dietary supplements in recent years.

On Sports nutrition

Though a lot of women desire to have a slim body, very few aspire to have a chiselled figure. Even if a lot of females go to gyms and as are active in sports as men, a greater majority do so in order to remain fit or address weight problems and not to have well-defined muscles. As such, it remains the male consumers who drive demand for sports nutrition to assist in their desire to achieve well-toned muscles.

Total Nutrition Corp, exclusive franchisee of GNC, maintained its lead in sports nutrition with value sales accounting for 38% of the total in 2013. Aside from its high brand equity, its network of stores allows consumers easy access to its products. The company also sustains interest in its brand through advertisements in radio and print media, events, press releases and social media marketing. Endorsements by celebrities and athletes are likewise undertaken, which helps further build the brand’s image.

Sports nutrition is predicted to post a steady growth over the forecast period to return a constant value CAGR of 5%. A well-built body is expected to remain as the notion of attractiveness amongst the male population. As such, demand is predicted to be derived mainly amongst men. Women’s notion of beauty, meanwhile, is not projected to change to include sporting well-built muscles despite the more equal treatment between genders in the society.

Source : euromonitor.com

On gym membership

Lara Parpan, editor-in-chief at Women's Health Philippines, shared one should set aside about 5% of your disposable income for a gym membership.

"The 5% is just about gym membership. We're not even talking about the shoes, equipment, the gear you need, and all that," Parpan told ANC's "On The Money".

"But I'd like to think that the 5% or any number you put for fitness is not an expense but an investment in your future. I think that's one way that people should look at it," she stressed.

Parpan shared that current gym memberships cost around P3,000 to P10,000 a month. The basic packages already include being able to use all the venue's amenities, unlimited number of sessions and a couple of sessions with a personal trainer.
The rise in the rate comes as one opts to have a personal trainer for each session he visits the gym.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

On Getting fit in style

Take Marineth, an Ortigas-based call center employee who frequently plays badminton with her friends.

“I rarely play badminton without my wrist strap and my favorite racquet. Somehow, I feel stylish and seem to play better whenever I use them,” she said.

Louie, a marketing officer from Makati City, never steps on a basketball court without his favorite rubber shoes.

“Kasi nakakatulong din kung comfortable ka sa suot mo. Plus, pogi points pa lalo na kung maganda sapatos mo,” he said. For people like them, staying fit does not mean falling out of style.

“Basically when you play a sport, you want to be stylish. That’s why we have our play plus style concept,” said Anton Gonzales, CEO of Planet Sports, Inc., a successful line of retail outlets selling fitness and sports apparel. Gonzales said fitness enthusiasts know it's important to look their best whenever they train or compete. Some even buy matching tops, bottoms and shoes from the same store.

He said it was this trend that prompted him and his team to redesign their eight-year-old Planet Sports concept store in Power Plant Mall, Makati City.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com

Century Tuna’s Superbods campaign

Developed for loyal consumers of Century Tuna, the website was created to guide everyone on the road to their personal transformation as “Superbods.”

“We all know that Century Tuna Superbods is one of the most awaited summer events in the country and this year, we are making it even more exciting by enjoining our consumers to be part of the Superbods experience,” said Greg Banzon, general manager of Century Pacific Food Inc.

He adds: “We are making it possible for our consumers to work on becoming fit and healthy. It’s a huge effort for us — we have tapped two of the country’s most trusted fitness experts to put this website together — but it’s something worth doing as part of our commitment to promoting health and fitness among Filipinos.”

Source: philstar.com

So whether getting fit is just for the summer or a lifetime mission, remember to always consult your doctor to find the best fitness plan for you that will of course, fit your budget.


Price tags. We deal with these everyday. From the daily ride to big ticket items, price tags are our base in deciding our willingness or capability to spend.

Earning money is not a walk in the park, so whenever there’s a need to purchase, its always nice to hear the magic words – Discounts, sale, price slash, reductions!

Accountingtools.com defined sales discount as a reduction in the price of a product or service that is offered by the seller, in exchange for early payment by the buyer.

Makes us wonder why a sale happens? Is it just to push more purchase?

Here are some insights shared by experts.

“On fashion retail, advertising is not really much on our side. We have to be creative in marketing. Our brand is really up there that it cannot be marketed as a need but as a lifestyle badge. Price reduction is our key to induce bigger sales. It happens whenever we close and open a new collection. In the Philippines, it starts January to really kick off new design lines. It’s a different story for our partner stylists and personality development consultants. Sale happens every month for them. And you’ll be surprised that corporate market is bigger than retail!” – Ms. Z.R. ,Marketing Manager for a high-end fashion brand.

 Airlines are also hot in giving away seat sales. Jonas.ph, a famed Pinoy blog site focusing on travel shared tips to spot great deals and promos:

There will always be an Independence Day or an Araw ng Kagitingan seat sale for September travel dates. All Souls Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day for the rainy seasons next year.

This has been proven. You’ll also notice this after you install the Airlines Promo app. Like a competitive suitor, Cebu Pacific always release a seat sale hours later when the rival PAL Express and Air Asia Philippines launch their respective promos to woo potential customers.

Travel Expositions happen at least twice a year. But recently, PAL Express is the only airline among the others worth the queue. Why? Their promo is different from what are published online. Compare the prices in the expo and in the website to know if queueing for half-day is a better decision. Pro-tip: Basco tickets courtesy of PAL Express are rare. So you need to be in the line first hour of the first day.

I am often asked about booking flights during rainy seasons (the off-peak in the Philippines). And I always answer wholeheartedly – take that flight. When typhoon becomes a threat to your vacation, the airline will eventually cancel it for safety. Your tickets are rebookable in this case. If you worry about your accommodation, you should have booked it via booking.com or any website that allows pay later schemes.

And speaking of, as released by Manilastandardtoday.com, Travel Tour Expo 2015, the biggest and most awaited event in the tourism industry will once again offer Filipino travelers unprecedented deals and treats,  at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City on February 13, 14 and 15, 2015.

On consumer retail, Warc.com divulged that shoppers in Asia Pacific are seeking out promotions like discounts and buy1 take1 on fast moving consumer goods through a study done by Nielsen.
                                                                          
One of our sources from Metrobank Card Corp shared that discounts are high before Christmas season and after New year. In 2014, purchase went up during discount sale activities at the start of the year and during summer season.

Some would say that discount sale is just a scheme, where brands don’t really slash prices, but just remove revenue margins. True or not, its up for us to decide whether every purchase is worthy of our money or not.







There goes that Beatles song telling us money can’t buy love. The hopeless romantic, romcom fanatic bones in us couldn’t agree more. But as much as hugs, kisses and all-night long sweet stares are top deal makers, we cannot deny the fact that we buy for love.
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