Achieving financial freedom is one of my goals because being a corporate slave is not the life that I'm dreaming of.

That’s why as early as now, I’m already learning how to exit the rat race.

In this entry, I talked about where I put my money to live a comfortable life soon without relying on paychecks.

1. PAG-IBIG MP2

2018 to Present
Value: Php7X,XXX

Since 2018, I’ve been putting a portion of my 13th-month pay and bonuses in the Pag-IBIG MP2. This is the voluntary savings program of the housing agency where you can earn up to 8% dividend every year.

My invested funds have so far gained more than Php5,XXX within 2 years. I’m still pouring more money into my account for the next 3 years to complete as I complete the 5-year lock-in period.

2. BPI EQUITY INDEX FUND (UITF)

2020 to Present
Value: P8X,XXX

Saving up for retirement at a young age is necessary. If you haven’t started yours, you better ask yourself when.

I’ve been setting aside money for my retirement fund since 2019. But instead of locking it in a regular savings account that only promises less than 1% of interest, I’ve decided to put it in the Unit Investment Trust Fund or UITF offered by BPI.

Under UITF, my money is invested in companies listed under the Philippine Stocks Exchange or PSE. It’s a long-term investment that I intend to hold for 15 years. It’s high-risk that also promises high returns.

3. EMERGENCY FUND

2018 to Present
Value: P1XX,XXX

Aside from a retirement fund, an emergency fund is also a must. This is worth 3 to 6 months of your monthly salary. You can use the money in emergency situations such as losing your job or getting hospitalized.

Since I started to save this fund, I decided to split it into two different banks – CIMB and Security Bank.

SECURITY BANK

It’s just a regular savings account that holds Php6X,XXX of my emergency fund. I’ve saved it here to easily access the money using an ATM card whenever I need the money.

CIMB

This digital bank offers 4% interest to savers. I decided to put the other half of my emergency fund here valued at Php5X,XXX.

So far, I was able to earn more than Php1,XXX in interest in 10 months! You wouldn’t earn that in a traditional bank just like the one mentioned above.

4. SEEDIN

2021 to Present
Value: Php3,XXX

You probably haven’t heard of this one.

Just to give you an overview, SeedIn is a crowdfunding platform where small businesses or start-up companies pool money from investors. They offer as much as 20% of interest per project.

I invested Php3,XXX just this March and I was able to earn more than Php1,XXX already. Since my money grew on this platform, I decided to invest more next year.

5. UNIONBANK

2020 to Present
Value: Php1XX,XXX

I use this account for my Pag-IBIG foreclosed property investment. This is where I save the money that I spend on the house that I bought for Php9XX,XXX. So far, I already paid about Php8X,XXX for the down payment, property insurance, and other processing fees.

What’s left now in this account is a little over Php2X,XXX.

6. INVESTMENT FUND

2020 to Present
Value: Php1X,XXX

Right before I entered the cryptoverse, I prepared my investment fund first. This is the money that I can afford to lose which I have been building since last year.

I have already invested Php2,000. I talked about that in this blog. So far, no significant loss has happened and everything is going well with my crypto investment. 

Meantime, what’s left in my fund is ready for the next bearish market.

Work Hard, Save Harder, Invest Hardest

It looks like a lot of money in just 3 years, right? You’re probably thinking that I’m earning big as a journalist. But I’m not. My salary is just enough for a guy who still doesn’t have his own family.

No, I don’t mean to brag. I’m here to inspire all of you who finished reading this article. This is your sign to save for your future!

Just like you, I’m also a regular employee who works hard and relies on a paycheck - at least for now.

Achieving financial freedom is hard but with the right mindset and discipline, everything is possible.

How about you? Aside from crypto, where do you put your money? Tell me in the comment section below!