Save when you can

August 18, 2022

Year 1999 when I graduted hig school and when I start working also and I was only 17 years old that time, my reason of working at early age is poverty and at the same time broken family, my father lives in our province and my mom is at the city. Actually my mom wants me to continue my studies in college at the city but I refused since she was living with other guy and I am a Papas girl, so I choose to work and support my father in our province, but I also support my siblings who live with my mom, but I did not spend time with them that time.

As first timer to have my own hard earned money, I never think of any investments, after sending money with my mom and father, I spend all the remainings with my needs and wants.

Until one time I really run out of budget as in simot tlga, to the point that we dont have money to buy for our lunch(our because my brother is with me that time and just about to start his work). What I have in my wallet is I think ₱20 pesos and ₱500 on my savings account.

So I decided to withdrew the money on savings account with the ₱20 with me for my fare back and forth, but sad to say that the nearest bank where I first stop was offline, so I decided to go to the main bank and I need to ride again coz its a bit far but on the back of my mind I was thinking what if the main bank is offline too, I dont have any money with me, so what I did is I just walk going to the main bank goodthing I have my umbrella with coz its almost noon time, and I think it was ny fate that time because the main bank is offline, so I feel exhausted but I dont have a choice so return home with just the exact fare amount with me.

I felt like crying that time when I was on the vehicle going home and I was thinking where would I get the money to buy for our lunch?

When I arrived home my brother ask whats for our lunch coz he was about go go to work, so what I did it I talk to the food store (karinderya)where we always buy our food if she can lend me her menus for lunch and I will pay the next day, and she say yes since we are her regular customer, and I feel relieved after she gave me what I order and I go home with smile on my face and let my brother take his lunch before going to work.

That incident teaches me a great lesson that I will never forget all my life, Imagine it happened many years ago but everytime I remember that incident I still felt like crying, kasi awang awa ako sa sarili ko that time, eventhough I have my boardmates where I can borrow money for the meantime, but I am not comfortable doing that because I know we are all struggling and supporting our own family and I am not really fond of borrowing money from others.

So after that incident, I started to save a little even its just a coin, I have a plastic mug before inside my cabinet and only me can access it, whenever I had ₱5 coin with me I always put there and it became my practice and my siblings were always happy especially during Christmas seasons coz I gave it to them or sometimes I used it shower/paagaw ng pera during the christmas eve.

End Notes

Never forget to save for the future, because we really never can tell when is the time that we will be needing those savings we have.