“It is not how much we earn that counts but what we can save.”

I was reading a local book when I came across this phrase,

“We must be frugal and practical. It is not how much we earn that counts but what we can save. If we were a car, we need not be jazzy. To run, we do not require large rear mirrors and blaring stereos just a large tank and a working brake.”-Alejandro Clemente in Dare to Lead

This phrase gave me a wonderful thought that I'm on the right track in my current journey. It's not how much we can earn, it doesn't matter if you have more than five digits in your payroll. What matters is how you handle it, how you manage your money. Honestly, I have no position for writing this since I'm not a financial advisor. But I think I have the right to share my thoughts.

I worked as a dining staff before and as a cashier in a Family Arcade, and honestly, my salary is only enough for myself, for my allowance. However, not to brag, I made to save some of my earnings.

When I was a dining staff, our salary is approximately ₱3,500 per fifteen days, which was about $70 only. Since I was living alone in the city, I rented a room worth ₱1,500 or $30. So, my money left will be my allowance until the next payroll. In that ₱2000, I managed to control myself and only live a simpler life. I'm not materialistic and fond of buying unnecessary stuff. What I bought was the only food to keep me full and healthy while at work. Regardless of that little money left, I managed to save some and keep it in my secret wallet. I also bought a new phone from my salary as a reward for myself. And after some months, I have saved ₱6,000 or about $120. It's not that much and I should be proud of it, but things stumble down when I made a foolish decision.

My co-worker who's become a good friend, asked for financial help since she had a one-year-old baby left in the province. And my soft heart pitied them, as she told me that she had nothing in her pocket to buy her little girl her milk and diapers. As a result, I let her borrow ₱4000 from my savings. I'm foolish and easy to feel pity for someone whom I think deserves my help. One of my coworkers asked for help too, and I also let her borrow the remaining ₱2000. My savings were gone, but at first, I have no regrets for helping them since I thought they're genuine in their stories and words.

My work contract ended and still, my two “friends” haven't paid their loans to me. Months had passed and all I have was a little hope for them to realize that I need my money too. That it is my savings and supposedly for myself. After a year, I realized I have to speak up and told them my feelings, I confronted them and after a long journey of getting my money back, finally, I was paid.

I learned from my foolishness, I'm so stupid to think people will give the same kindness I offer them. I learned from my experience that not all people are true. Some are just using your innocence and stupidity to gain something from you.

However, despite I got back my money from them, I have no choice but to use it to find a new job. Then, I became a cashier at a family entertainment arcade in a mall. I made my heart a little tough this time. My salary as a cashier is a bit bigger than my previous work. My payroll every 15 days is approximately ₱3,880 or about $77. This time I've saved enough amount of money. I decided to left my previous rental and find a lesser one. After 8 months of being a cashier, I have kept about nearly ₱20k. That's because I just want a simple living. I'm not fond of buying useless and glamorous things. After 8 months, I became jobless again because I became a mom. However before that happened, something went up and my savings were used up.

My partner's father was hospitalized because of high blood pressure. He suffered and was asked to take some medical examinations since he's showing some signs of a stroke. No matter how hard I want to keep and save money for the future, I can't withstand just look at them to shoulder all the problems especially financially.

It's only money, I can still earn it in the future, but our life is only one. So, I gave wholeheartedly my savings to his dad.

Maybe I'm not money-wise. I'm careless and too soft to handle tough things, that's my weakness. However, if I come to think of it, it doesn't matter how much money I earn and lose but how I helped someone in times of their needs. I'll just look it at that way.

Who knows, maybe my friends do truly need help that time and I became their savior for a moment. Yes, it's a good deed but I need to good to myself too. So, I realized from my experiences. I helped without thinking about any consequences. That's my lesson learned.

But it's not too late to save, I'm still young and every day is a new opportunity for me to change and make my family's future bright. I still have that weakness in me, but I can now control it. I somehow know now how to look at true people with good and decent intentions.

Now it's your chance, my chance, our chance to save. Being here on these platforms (read.cash and noise.cash) are a great opportunity for us to save and keep some of our earnings. Since BCH is a peer-to-peer digital currency, no one can steal it from us. We are the ones who managed it, we have the decisions in our hands.

Don't feel jealous of the other users who earned and get a lot from “Rusty” or “Big People”. It's not their fault why they are rewarded, it's a fruit of their dedication and hard work. Instead, why not make them as an inspiration to make good writings too?

Even I have that gloomy day here wherein @TheRandomRewarder didn't visit me for a couple of days. But that can't hinder me from continuing my works and my writings. And what I noticed when I was away for 2 days or more, the bot won't visit me immediately. So, I keep on writing despite it.

If you keep receiving downvotes even you're aren't doing anything wrong, why not make a new account to continue just like the others? I saw some of them are back on track. There's a lot of ways only if you want to.

Save your earnings, even a portion of it. Even I received a little, I always kept it. That small cent can be vast when gathered in the future.

You control your money, you control your decisions, it is not how much you earn that counts but what you can save that matters. Who knows, you can be someone's rescuer or your “own” savior with the help of your frugality. It's not too late to be money-wise. Save for the future.

But it's not all about the money after all, but the feeling of satisfaction and getting trust in yourself again when your goal was attained. Earning a new sense of self-worth.

Let's all be a part of #Club1BCH! Make and set your goals now. 1BCH is possible, if they can make it, we can make it too!

Written by: @eommaZel ✍🏻🥀