The importance of emergency fund
When I was younger this is not in my mindset, during that time my goal is to have a house & lot under my name and to enjoy life by means of travelling. That's why in year 2013 I got the courage to apply for a housing loan, which is pre selling that time where I have to pay first the equity ( after paying the equity thats the time that I will pay for the monthly amortization since it was a in house loan even though I will not transfer there yet). Despite of having responsibility for my housing loan I still used to manage to travel every summer since this is my way to treat myself . Where I lately realized that I already running out of fund especially when the time that I tranferred to other company with a lesser salary and I was not able to get my extra funds that I lend to others. Year 2019 where I decided to let go of the property that I loaned and planned to look for someone who will continue it and pay me all the my spent money on the equity and amortization (sinced I already find it difficult for me to continue it and I am planning to look for another job that time) plus the fact that I am single that time and I am not sure if I will have a family of my own. But I found it difficult since there are lot of documents that I needed to accomplished and it is really complicated since it was an existing loan. When my brother knew that I am planning to let go of my unit he told me he will continue it, and I say yes and just pay me when he has extra money in a installment basis.
By midyear of 2019 I got the new job, I started to saved, by 1st quarter of 2020 the pandemic started and all of us does not have job, and my savings was compromise and lend it to my sister since they need it and I am usually the one who pay for the water bill. When the pandemic subside and I already returned in my work I decided to invest/ save some portion of salary that will be automatic deducted on my salary and also that year me and my boyfriend decided to get married. By end quarter of the that year our province (where my parents live) was hit by a super typhoon that cause the mild stroke of my mother and needed financial assistance, me and my older brother sustained their needs since among of our sibling we are the one who are capable to help. It almost dried up my savings, that time since we are only newly married I did not bother to ask for my husband's salary as long as he is the one who will pay for our motorcycle loan and utility bills, coz I have my own money. But by January 2021 I was hit by corona virus although it just a mild I need some medicine and vitamins, and need to eat healthy foods for me to recover, this is the time that our savings really dried up.
After I recovered from it, thats the time that me and my husband decided to have our emergency fund aside from our investment in my company since we are already planning to have a baby. Since my work that time is not continuous due to pandemic, it's hard for us to saved our desired amount for our emergency fund and we have bills to pay and we also decided to invest for a townhouse and made a reservation since it will take 3 years before we will pay for its amortization and no need to pay equity unlike the first unit that I got.
Last quarter of 2021 when I got pregnant, I thought I will be be able to hide it in our company until the end of the year ( pregnant employees are forced to leave due to pandemic) so I will still be able to save once I announced my pregnancy. But it did not go according to my plan since I always have morning sickness, so I already informed our HR regarding my pregnancy and I dont want to take the risk . By November I was already on forced leave and by December my husband was in waiting status for the renewal of his licence that he need in his work. Both of us does not have work until January, when his licence was released there another challege came, he was positive in antigen test where he was required to take rest again and I was also hit by flu like symptoms, since I am pregnant I need to visit a doctor to be able to drink what medicine will suit to my situation. This is the time that I asked my husband if we will just withdraw our investment in my company although it is not a big amount atleast it can sustains our needs for the meantime. By the way that investment is earning 3 to 7 pesos (depending on the value of the stocks) in every 100 of our total contribution which released twice a year, and my actual plan is to withdraw it once I resigned from my job to use it as capital of a small business. And we decided not to withdraw it since we still can manage and it will be regretful if we will do it coz it offers lots of benefits in the future.
After all the struggles that we encountered it made me realized the importance of a emergency fund aside from your savings. Coz before I used to save so I can have money to expend in travel. It is important to have an emergency fund in times of trouble so that you will have a peace of mind and you do not have to bother other people when you are in need. It make me also realize that only lend money that you are willing to let go coz you can never say if the one who borrowed it will be able to returned it. And 1 thing that I also realized that it is better to save first if you want something and buy it tru cash rather than buy it tru loan coz there are times that you will be messed up. As what we already read or seen set aside our needs and wants, but do not deny ourselves a treat for our hardword. And always live within your means.
Continuation of my college life
After deciding to stop my studies on my 2nd year, I tried to look for a job to get a working experience, that time I did not bother to look for a well known company since I do not have any experience. My only goal that time is to earn money so I will not be a burden to my old parents and to have a working experience that I can use in the future. I worked in a grocery store near our house, I saved mostly of my earnings sinced I already decided that I will continue my studies and will take the course that I wanted. After 10 months of working I enrolled. Since my employer has consideration on my situation they allowed me to work during weekends and holidays so I can have my school allowance until the end of the year.
Since the course that I am taking this time is what I wanted I excelled especially on accounting 1 which I made it to the top in the qualifying exam to those who wanted to take the accountancy or accounting major which is my first choice. I was a irregular student since I am a transferee student, mostly of my minor subjects from my previous school was accredited, I have limited friends or shall I say I do not have a friend to call, only acquiantances sinced most of them are just my classmate for 1 or 2 subjects. On my 2nd year on that school I was expecting that my older brother will get a stable job sinced he already finished his studies, I thought he will be a big help to me, but it did not happened. That's the time I decided to work in a fast food chain to support my studies. Gladly I was hired, I worked 4 to 5 hours a day during weekdays. I enjoyed working sinced I learned a lots of things and I had new sets of friend in my work. During that time I was able to balanced my studies and work.
Everytime that my job contract will be ended I will ended up applying again in another branch and will adjust my school schedule according to my work schedule. That time I gave more priority on my job campared to my studies coz I used to have having my own money. I decided to take management major instead of accounting coz my worry is if I will take accountancy I need to take board exam when I graduate that will cost much, plus the fact that I am not already focused on my studies since I am a working student. On my 3rd year I was hired in one of the peakest store of that fast food chain. Where my duty is mostly 8 hours or more, which made me tired. During that time my only goal is to finished my course and find a stable job later on. That's the time where I experienced to sleep while class is going on. Im glad that one of my prof understand my situation since I was able to pass all my exams but I was not able to participate in some discussion. I even experienced to have a failing grade not once but twice which is 5 in one of my subject which is quantitative math. Well what do I expect I seldomly attend the class and I was not able to understand mostly of the topic 😁. But on my 4th year I already talked to my prof (who is the only one who teaches that subject) since thats the only subject that I need to pass for me to be able to graduate that year and thanks to him he gaved me 3😂. There are lots of time where I almost give up my studies, but I always keep in my mind that I need to finish my studies for a better future. And I am glad that I made it despite of my grades 😁.
Those students that received all the supports from their family are lucky coz they do not need to work hard to continue, it saddened me everytime that I will encounter or meet someone who waste the earned money of their parents to nonsense things.
Once I read a phrase or motto when I was younger that "Education is the best foundation of success" that phrase stuck in my mind and in my heart. Maybe that is the reason I tried hard to earn my degree. Now that I am older, I realized that education is not the foundation of someone's success. Coz I have known some people that did not finished their school but they became successful out of diligence , perseverance and own strategy in life. But I can also say that we can use education as our weapon to have a better life.
Some of us opt to give up when we feel that the situation is really hard, while some continue and use all the hardship in life to continue what they started. Sometimes in life giving up is the start of a new begginings. Just don't forget the we have God that we can run to everytime that we are tired🙂.
My unfinished course
After I finished secondary, I never thought that I will be able to continue my studies since my older brother is currently taking up engineering that time in a private school with a little bit expensive tuition fee plus the fact that my father is about to retire since he is already 59 when I finished high school and I do not want to worry my parents anymore . I already accepted it and did not bother to take entrance exam in PUP which offer an excelent quality education but with low tuition fee. Although I already accepted the fact that I will not be able to continue my studies, deep in my heart I feel the sadness. Although I show to my friends that I am ok with my decision they encourage me to take an entrance exam to another state university , since the cut off for the application for PUP is already closed (if im not mistaken by midyear or last quarter of the year they already closed for application). At first I was hesitant because that state university is not offering the course that I wanted which is commerce. But 1 of my friend encourage me to take the exam first and decide later. So I agreed and took the exam and passed it. As the enrollment coming near, my older sister talked to me and told me that it's better for me to enroll (since the tuition fee that time is only 350 pesos) so I can be consider with category of college level so if I decided to work first, it is not so hard to find a job since mostly of the the company preferred an applicant that are college level. So I decided to enroll.
When school year started I'm glad that one of my high school friend who encourage me to take the entrance exam became one of my classmate. Since we are in block section it was easy for me to have new sets of friend since I already have 1 that I already knew. And we have formed a peer group consist of 10 members that made my life easier, since we are helping each other in terms of school project and assignments. Although my life in the school is a little bit easy, I still have struggles, such as commuting since our home is far from the school, plus the fact that it cost a lot for the transportation expense and during that time there have limited public vehicles. Despite of those struggles I was able to survived the first sem. Before the school year end we need to decide what will be our final course and we need to take the qualifying exam for our chosen course. I chose to take the qualifying exam for childhood education because I assumed that toddlers teacher earn much 🙂, but unfortunately I failed that exam maybe because I have an hidden agenda😂. The other exam that I take is Math which I passed. Since Math is my fave subject during elementary and high school days.
On my 2nd year I was separated to my friends since I took up BS Math and most of them are elementary education. Although I met new set of friends, I have struggles in coping up with my new class, plus the commuting became harder. Before prelim or midterm I withdraw my first subject since I was not able to reach the class on time. While in some of my subject I felt the insecurities because I felt that I am the foolish in the class, or maybe my classmates were too smart, where I am still in the phase of annalizing the problems, my classmates are in the phase of solving it already. Although I was able to passed exams for other subjects, my insecurities became bigger to the point that I lost interest to those subject that I am having a hard time which resulted for dropping it. Before I thought that the Math subjects are easy. Since I already dropped 2 of the major subjects I will not be able to take the Calculus on the following sem. That's the time that I think hard to decide whether to continue my studies on that university or to stop and look for a job after the sembreak. And I decided to stop.
In life there are things that we tried, in order for us to know if that things fit us. Some things are meant to be but some are not. Sometimes we forced ourself to be contented and happy in where we are, but how can we be happy if we only forced ourself? Maybe it's one of the reason why I gaved up easily on that course, coz from the beggining it's not my passion. There's nothing wrong in giving up , atleast we tried first. And if we gave up of something have the courage to try again something new, maybe that time it will fit.
Some of my childhood memories
Everyone of us have memories of our childhood, which have a big factor on what we are now or how we decide on things.
I remember when we were a kid, we do not have a typical set of neighborhood since we live in a gated spacious land which owned by my father's employer. We only see other people when we get out of our gate and when the neighbor on the other side of the wall visited us to ask for vegetables or fruits that are available to pick. Maybe this is the reason why I am not usually do the first move when meeting new people. And I do not care what other people think of me. Even though its been more than 20 years since we transfered in our present neighborhood Im still not familiar on all of the people around us. I can say that their face are familiar but I have limited knowledge of who they are. Maybe because I was a victim of those "Maritess" so I did not bother to get along with them. And I am not a person who used to pretend in front of other people.
When I was kid the first time that I have a birthday cake is on my 8th birthday which was a gift from my cousin. Till now I didn't know why my parents did not include cakes on my birthday, because I remember that my parents always have prepared foods on my birthday for visitors since my birthday is after Christmas. Actually we do not have feast on a Christmas eve coz we used to have visitor on my birthday. Now that I have the capabilities to buy things,I found out ( for me it seems) that cakes are not too expensive so I wonder why I do not have cakes on my birthday when I was a kid 😂😂. The joy that brought to me of the blowing of candles on my birthday cake and making wishes on the first time made me realized or think that a simple cake can bring happiness to a kid. Athough it is a shallow idea, it stuck in my mind. That's why when I started to earn and when there is a family member or close to my heart who will celebrate their birthday I choose to give cakes.
The first time that I ate in Jollibee is when I was in grade 3 when my older sister got her first job and treated me a jolly spaghetti. I remembered when me and my parents attended the sunday mass, after the mass ended I always wish for them to bring me to Jollibee which is nearby the church, there's always a crew who give discounted coupon outside the church. But they never bring me to Jollibee for the simple reason, it simply because they don't know how to order. Since then I never ask them to bring me there and move on 😂. When my older brother got a stable job, he spoiled me with chocolates and jollibee meal every payday. Oh well that's the advantage of being the youngest🥰 until he was single. Of course after he got married the payday treat has gone which I understand. As I grew older I decided to work in Jollibee to support my studies and to buy things that I want and need. When I got my first check I dated my parents in Jollibee coz now I know how to order😂 this time I knew what thigh part is😂😂( And everytime that I encountered customers who are not familiar in ordering in a fastfood set up I always gave my best to guide them, because I know how it feels to order for the first time). I still remember the happiness of my father eating his favorite chicken joy. Since then every payday or there is an offer of SD during closing I will take it so I have something to bring when I got home. When I finished my studies and got a stable job I used to bring my nieces and nephew to my favorite fast food chain once in a while so they will not feel or experience what I have felt before. Although their parents bring them also to fastfood chains, there's a happiness inside of me everytime I treated them.
I also used to love hotdogs when I was a kid. I remember during grade school I want an hotdog sanchwich as a snack to bring, but for a poor family, hotdog is not an typical food for us or maybe it just happen that we do not have a refrigirator that time. And I remember before if hotdogs are the viand for breakfast, each of us got only 1 pc, so I wonder how will I be able to bring it to school as a snack. Thats why one of the first expensive appliances that I bought is refrigirator and I always make sure that there's a hotdog in the freezer.
All of our experiences from the past gave us the courage, either we will be encourage by those experience to bring the best in us to have a better life or we will be discourage by all the hardship and let ourself to stay in where we are. Although there are times that we are experiencing struggles in life and wishing that we stay as a child so there are less worries less stress, there are also a child wishing that if they can grow fast so they can do something about their life.
Despite of the hardship that I experienced during childhood I can still say that I have a happy childhood with my loving family who taught me how to share and to be thankful for what we have 😍
Does true love really exist?
Growing with a complete family, I have seen how my parents treat each other. After celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary this year I found it amazing that they reached that year together. I was wondering what is the secret of a strong marriage that made me wish and hope that my marriage will last long same with them. I know their relationship is not perfect well who does have perfect relationship either, but maybe they are strong enough to fullfil what they have promised to each other.
I dont remember any single moment I heard them fighting until now, or maybe they are too discret about it .Or maybe my mother was too submissive. I remember once I asked my father why I never seen them fighting like other couple in movies or like some of our neighbor. He simply answer "wala na nga tayong pera mag aaway pa kami" that made me smile🤣.
After hearing their conversation yesterday (since they are currently on LDR, my mom just recover from mild stroke and my father need to come back to our province to fixed our house that was hit by the typoon last year which is the cause of my mother's current health condition) they talking as if they are newly weds and making promises to each other. It really made me think what is the real secret of a successful marriage? Does it because of true love? Does it really exist and leads to forever? Or it is a choice of both of you to stay and fight together for all what you have dreamed together from the very start? For a 82 and a 77 year old couple, it seems that true love does exist.... and of course our dear God who created us is a proof that true love do really exist.
What I really wanted
All of us have our dreams since we were kids. During childhood I wanted to work in a office or bank industry. I felt that those profession is something cool and you can be proud of coz during those times mostly of the elders were looking up to those people who are in white collar job. Thats one of the reason why I pursue my studies and finished it no matter what.
After I finished my degree in college I end up working in a boutiqe or store of a well known brand clothing in London that has a franchise here in my country as a rank and file. After more than 2 years working on the said company, I felt that I need to grow in terms of position and salary. That's the time I took the risk of applying for a higher position in other company, despite of the stability of my employment status in my previous company. I got the job as a branch supervisor to one of the biggest company in the country. And the real battle of a corporate world started. As a newbie without proper training or experience on how to handle things I survived with the help of my indirect superior and by my own strategy. The first 2 to 3 years of staying in the company, I considered all the problems in my work as a challenge, and after I passed all those challenges I felt great and excited to face again new challenges that gave lessons and learnings. In my fourth year in the that company I felt exhsusted, maybe because of the new set of bosses or maybe I felt like im doings thing repeatedly. I dont feel anymore the sense of excitement everytime that I will ready myself to come in my office, I felt bored and felt toxic. Months after my fifth year in the company something happened that made my decision to left that company.
After leaving my company which I worked with more than 5 years, I found myself working in new company as a branch manager. Yeah the position is higher from my previous job but in terms of salary I was well paid off before since my new company is just starting. But in terms of stress I can say that my new job is a little more easier. As everyone knows the higher the position the bigger responsibility that you have to handle. On my fifth year as a manager something happened that involved my health were I need to rest for 2 months and that made up my mind to look for another job after the resting period. And I decided to come back to one of the biggest company in the country and applied for a lower position. I remember during my interview, the interviewer asked me why I am applying for the lower position where I am qualified in a higher one....
As I grow older, I asked myself is this is what I really want? Higher salary... of course all of us wanted that, higher position... stability.... I also wanted those things . But at the back of my mind all I want is peace of mind. The feeling of contentment... serenity.... Maybe it will change but For now that's ALl I WANTED a peaceful mind....
Im glad there such a platform where you can express some of your thoughts .😉
Your choice....
Born from poor family, I encountered/experienced lot of hardships in life. When I was in grade school I used to sell handmade or DIY bookmarks that created by my brother (since he knows how to draw such as cutie cartoon character), and Im glad that most of my classmates support it. That's the time I made up my mind that I want to finish my school in order to change my life. When Im about to finish my secondary school, I felt that I need to choose wether to continue my studies or not. Although my parents did their very best to provide all the things that we needed to survive, I know within myself that they are already having a hard time. After high school graduation I already decided to stop, but theres an oppurtunity came for me to study in one of the well known state university in the country and I grab that opportunity despite of the course that I need to take since thats the majority of what they are offering. After 2 years I felt that I need to do something in order for me to pursue what I really wanted. And that's the time I decided to work and stop my studies due to financial crisis that my family faced. My first job was in a small grocery in town where I only earned 50/day where my perseverance was tested. After almost a year working to that small grocery store I decided to continue my studies but this time I took up the course that I wanted. While studying that time I see an opportunity to earn on my free schedule, that's the time I decided to be a working student. I worked in one of the Best QSR or fast food chain restaurant in the country. Despite of the hardship of integrating my work and my studies, I made it. Well although not same as the other student with regular class who finished their studies for just 4 years, mine was took 5 years.
All of us have trials in life that we need to face. But it always up to us on how we will handle those things. At the end of the day... its always OUR CHOICE.... it's YOUR CHOICE.... so always think before choosing your choice 🙂
@mhel_dita