At the age of 23, I've already had two jobs. First is working on a private school for two years and after the contract ends, I was unemployed for 10 months due to the pandemic, secondly is having a new job which I have now for 4 months. It was a roller coaster of emotions but it was always worth it. Even before I'm employed for the second time, I already have goals and plans which seemed really easy not until I'm already at the situation.
Before I even had my current job I already have a concrete plan on how will I save and how will I manage my finances. It seemed to be an easy and exciting goal knowing that I've had everything budgeted already. It was a pleasant feeling having something to look forward to. It ignites the excitement and joy of having money to count at the end of the year. But guess what, none of my plans happened.
I'm already a young adult who's supposed to be responsible in everything I do, but when in comes to finances, I always fail to do so. I was planning to save up at least 10% of my salary every cut off but I've got more expenses. I only bought myself 2 new pants and nothing else. I had a goal of being a giver everytime one of my family member celebrates his or her birthday. Every special occasion, I aim to appreciate the person involved just like during my parents wedding anniversary and during the mother's day.
This June, we will be celebrating father's day as well as the birthday of my father and my mother. I want to make them experience the things, I was never able to give them. I want them to enjoy meals which was difficult for me to purchase way back in my early years of working. I want them to experience every good thing that life has to offer because they deserve it. I can't say that I'm spending too much not until I realized that I have no savings at all.
I've been seeing the 'ipon challenge' on Facebook which reminds me that it was my original plan and goal in the first place. Then, I asked myself what hinders me from doing so? Where did my money all went? How did I end up not saving a single penny every salary? Knowing the fact that I haven't bought anything for myself except for 2 pair of jeans and a new white shirt? Besides I am on a work from home set up so where did it all go?
Then I remembered how guilty I am for buying food even when there's food at the table. I don't like going out and coming home empty handed. Whenever I go to my siblings house, I need to bring something as my 'pasalubong' to the kids. I'm guilty for not setting my priorities straight and I don't plan on continuing further. I need to have my new bank account where I'll place all my savings. I need to be strict with myself. Yes, it's not a bad thing to want to treat others from time to time but what's, bad is when I have nothing left with me because I have spent it all.
I have a goal of buying a brand new laptop and a brand new printer for myself because I know that I'll be needing it when I'm already teaching in public school. I also plan to save up so that our home can be renovated. You see, our second floor is made out of plywood and due to our house being built a few years ago, now, the floor is fragile. There was one time when I almost fell down because the plywood cracked and just to give you a heads up I'm just 49 kilos. How much more my huge siblings who stays upstairs.
I also wanted to have our water tube fixed since we've had to go back and forth to open up the water meter after saving up and filling all our buckets and drums. I also need to work on cleaning up our home since there are lots of things all over the house which some of those aren't actually needed anymore. Since we live in squatter's area there is no privacy that much. We're surrounded with inconsiderate neighbors who only care about themselves.
They kept shouting and spouting bad words. Their kids are all over the streets shouting and crying non stop. They also cook with smoke and our house becomes the catch basin for the smoke. There are a couple of times when they have forgotten that they were cooking and we needed to go to their house since our house is almost on fire. All they was to apologize and nothing else. They also like singing videoke or playing really loud music and when you try to ask them to volume it down they'll tell us to move to subdivision so that there'll be no noise.
I am a night shifter so it's really important for me to have enough sleep in the morning but since they are inconsiderate, I couldn't expect any better. I don't like my neighborhood. They also like to talk about the life of others.
I asked my parents if they still want to stay here and they asked me where will we go if we leave this neighborhood. I wanted us to move to a place on the city which is peaceful since my parents are not getting any younger anymore. So it's much better for the whole family to move out to a more peaceful neighborhood.
Now, I came to an agreement with myself to only withdraw the exact amount I need in order to restrain myself from spending too much. My parents birthdays are this month of June so I'll need to prepare for their party and their cakes. I am always the one to plan so I'll have to make sure that everything is done well. I'll need to buy a happy birthday banner and a cake. Aside from that, I'll also need to clean our house to ease my stress.
TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE:
1. SAVE BEFORE SPENDING.
I do t really apply this that much which is why I have no savings at the moment. The best things to save is to save first before spending. Make sure that you keep a percentage of your salary, allowance or income before spending.
List down the things that you have spent your money for. On that way, you can be sure to spend just according to the money you have slotted for spending. Also, you have to make sure that you don't spend the money you are saving. Do not use it for one time use only. It's much better if you have a target for spending your savings.
2. WEIGH YOUR NEEDS FROM YOUR WANTS.
When I list down all my expenses as well as my withdrawal transactions, I am able to see where do I spend my money and be able to differentiate my needs from my wants. Wants is being able to live with or without it while needs are essential items or things which is needed in order to survive and live well.
I bought 2 pieces of new jeans as well as a new white shirt. First, I needed to go to the office and I have no pants so it's a need. Secondly is buying food everytime that I have the chance to do so. There are times when there is a prepared meal on the table but since I don't like it, I'll buy a new dish which becomes a want since there is already a meal prepared at the table.
Another example is whenever I eat out, I need to buy something for my parents and siblings at home. The reason? I feel guilty for eating out and not having them with me. I feel as though I'm accountable since I spent money to eat out but I can't even bring them snacks so I always end up buying some for them.
You see it's very easy to say that this isn't always or that I'm just trying to make up for the time that I wasn't able to give them anything but guess what it's a mistake in the first place. I can't always reason out that way. If I don't change my mindset towards things then I wouldn't really be able to save up.
3. HAVE A SPECIFIC GOAL.
Why am I saving? What is it for? If there is no specific goal, it's easy to spend the money you have been saving for. I want to save up because ___________________. Your because is what will keep you going from scratch towards reaching your goal. You wouldn't notice that you have already reached your goal if you will always keep in mind what you wanted to achieve and why you wanted to achieve it.
As for me, I wanted to save up because our house is slowly getting broken. I don't know the right term but yeah, it slowly starts to become fragile. When I asked my mom how much will it be to have it fixed my mom told me that it might take up to 200,000 pesos. It's not a small amount so I'll need to save up for it. I can't also my siblings for help since I know that they also have their own goals with themselves. While me, being single, my goal at the moment is my family.
I want my parents to settle in a beautiful home that even if I get married, I wouldn't worry that my parents won't have a nice and good place to stay at. I want them settled before I also settle down.
I also have my personal goals but those personal goals can follow. For now, my focus is my parents well being. I'll do it at my own phase, one step at a time.
4. OPEN UP A SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
I have been planning this for a long time but I wasn't able to do so. I don't want to just put the money on my wallet because I know that if it's within my reach then I'll be able to spend it. Yes, I know that money isn't everything and that you only live once but that type of mindset is oftentimes the reason why a person can't get past his current situation.
5. SAVE CONSISTENTLY.
I feel envious to those people who are involved in ipon challenge as well as those posts on Facebook about saving up money. I feel excited and I wanted to do the same but how can I do that if is don't start acting now right? So I made a deal with myself to stop buying unnecessary things or meals and spending too much. I need to be firm with my goal. 4 months is enough to make up for the times that I want to make up for the things I wasn't able to do last year and it's now the right time to think of my future.
I need to be firm with my decision to save up. I need to take control of myself especially during this pandemic. I can't just always live at the moment. I need to save up if I want to reach my goal of having our house renovated.
Honestly, while I'm writing this, I felt excited and giddy thinking that at the end of the year I'll have this amount of money on my savings account. It's not easy to save up but it's possible. You just need to be motivated in doing so and to never allow yourself to be swayed by the terms, this is seldom or that YOLo so you better enjoy. Yes, that's also a fact but you also need to remember that you need to save up money in order to achieve your dreams and goals in life. You can't always have that type of mindset.
Love_16
June 1, 2021
Tuesday
Great Article!