That’s it. I’m not going to S. Korea anytime soon. I just contacted Layag Resort in Anilao for a long weekend stay first week of October. If no room is available, I can push it back to the week of my birthday since they have a weekday work-from-beach promo.

I can’t travel abroad in the next 6 months except for work because I just got the quote from my 2nd contractor and I almost had a heart attack. I’m waaaay over budget. We’re talking about millions. Prices of construction materials have doubled, I reckon. I was negotiating with my contractor earlier how we can bring down the cost (Italian granite vs cheaper but still tough granite tops; hardwood vs pinewood for cabinetry). I’m constructing my house on cash basis–no bank loans. I cannot risk having a mortgage because our industry is in a flux so I always feel insecure about my job. Whatever happens, at least I have a fully paid home.

The new car can wait a bit.

As an example, this is how expensive kitchen cabinets are:

And this is just for the kitchen granite top:

It’s tight but that’s how new condos are built in Metro Manila nowadays, a two bedroom 50-sqm unit. The indoor living space of my unit (in a duplex) is about 50 sqm and it excludes the patio on the right, the space beside it and under the stairs, which will be the grill and laundry and utility area. If you add that, I guess my total living space will be around 70sqm. I can convert some part of that into a screened studio, just like my mom’s screened porch that doesn’t have any use at all except as a repository for their shoes. 🙄

And my contractor agreed to this request by the girls.

My contractor said this would make their loft beds stable as he can anchor them against the walls. Then the girls will have a bigger floor space for an extra mattress where their friends can sleep when they have sleepovers. Contractor said there would be extra space between the loftbeds so he can build actual stairs, instead of ladders, for the girls. This way I can also divide their room with floor-to-ceiling curtains for privacy, if they want to.

So no Korea trip this October, no Japan trip in the spring. No Palawan. Just Anilao. If I need to get away, I just drive to Anilao and dive. That’s it for the next 6 months.

And I just bought again ETF when stocks were falling today. I was trying to catch a falling knife. It burned me though as I bought at 103.8, but it continued to fall. 🥴

Ah well. What can I do? I’ll just buy again at the end of the month.