Saving Tips for Working People. By: Maebelle

It’s been a year of stress, demands, and risks, and I’ve been really itching to get out from this environment. I guess my sweetest escape from this chaos will be travelling and trying new things. But as I grabbed my planner and started to budget my expenses, I figured out that “Damn, it’s hard”.

With my frustration, I’ve listed ALL the things that I can think of that will help me save and earn extra income.

1. The PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ADVENTURE

Ditch the taxis and try cheaper and more exciting ways of getting to your destination. Riding the jeep, bus, or railway transits will not only cut your expenses drastically but will also give you opportunities like the fulfilment of surviving the raging crowd (esp in MRT or LRT), being able to “fish in the sea” (spotting cuties hihihihi), bringing out the catwalk superstar in you by balancing yourself in the bus, etc. If you’re in cool places like Baguio, you can also try walking. Walk with your iPod on, and then sing along with the music. You’ll enjoy it! Just don’t sing along too loud because you may frighten other people. Hahaha!

Note: Always bring your kikay kit, water, perfume and powder or wipes with you so that you can retouch yourself when you have arrived in the office.

2. THE MASTERCHEF TECHNIQUE

Learn to cook or bake. It’s always cheaper to have your ‘’baon’’ than to eat in fast foods or even in carinderias. Cooking and baking can also take away your stress esp. when you’re really into it or enjoying it. Make your colleagues taste your “masterpiece”. Make sure that it’s “i-almost-forgot-my-name” delicious because you can also earn from this. After the free taste, you can start baking and make it your business.

Note: If you are too busy to cook, find the cheapest (but make sure it’s clean) food chain in town. You can also try the gravy + rice meal, soup + rice meal, the street foods + rice meal, or the “palibre-nga” meal (these meals are for the desperate to save!).

3. THE BANKER’S WAY

                Have a PASSBOOK or NON-ATM based bank account. ATMs are everywhere and putting your savings in your ATM account won’t really help since you can easily withdraw it. Deposit it in passbook accounts or in accounts where you still need to access it in the internet or in other means. This will help you decrease your withdrawals and help you save faster.

                If you’re not satisfied with the interest income you can get from savings account (which is very little) and you have spare money, you can start investing it. Investments provide higher yields than regular savings. Plus, they usually come with holding periods so you cannot really withdraw for a certain period of time.

Note: BTW, did I mention that I work in a bank? Yes, I work in BPI. BPI provides a lot of means to help client to save. And we can help you choose the right investment depending on your risk tolerance. All you need to do is to talk to us! You can visit any BPI branch or call 89-100 and we’ll help you in your financial planning. BPI, Let’s make it easy!

(Sorry, I’m a marketing graduate, and I was trained to market my product at all times hahhhaa)

4.  THE TIME FOR MISTRESSES

                I’m not talking about real mistresses here. What I mean is that try to be in love with the “alternatives”. For instance, if you’ve been obsessed with Starbucks, like you and Mr. Frappe are inseparable, try to be seduced by Mr. Milk Tea hahaha!!! Yeah, it’s the new fad! Milk teas are cheaper plus it has more varieties. Break up with the new and branded clothes and try the DIY stuff. You can recycle your clothes, shoes, bags, etc. and make a whole new thing J Search the net on diff DIY ideas.

                Many of the alternatives can be found in the Internet. Instead of watching the TV series in DVDs, you can download it from the net. You can also download e-books instead of buying a book. Most of the stuff in the internet are free so it’s a great tool for saving.

5.  THE POWER OF GIVING

                The more you give, the more you’ll receive. Practice being generous and believe that what you give will prosper. I am always amazed by the stories of people who give a lot and then receive even more. And I also want be a testimony to this phrase.

                What I learned during my victory group discussions is to practice tithing wholeheartedly and then to pray and ask in faith what you desire for. (I still believe that God is the best provider and that He will guide you in your finances when you pray for it).

So, these are tips I can give you to be able to save and earn as well. Let’s do our best and let’s be ready to rock the world!!!! J

Saving Tips For Student-Travelers! By: Yang

Being a student (STILL) gives you little opportunity to work and earn your own living. I am struggling in financing some of my future travels but I would not be held back by the lack of financial stability. So what does a student like me do in order to save up for future travels.

TECHNIQUES and TIPS for student-travelers:

1. NO TO IMPULSE BUYING. I am guilty at this. I buy things that has "I WANT THIS" all over it. You have to always keep in mind that it's better to spend money in travelling than collecting stuff that would last you an hour of happiness. I love buying school supplies like post-its and coloring materials for no reason. Now I have to close my eyes whenever I enter National Bookstore.

2. UNSUBSCRIBE. Unsubscribe from online shops that constantly flood your news feed. Or at least subscribe only from their important posts. You might be subject to impulse buying when a picture of their product pops out of your news feed and you spend 1 hour browsing at their albums and paying for their items.

3. BE INSPIRED. Follow travel blogs! Aside from getting tips on travelling you'll be inspired at how they got to their places of destinations and looking at their pictures will definitely inspire you to save so you can also travel like them. I constantly read 2 Sole Sisters' blog and I look at many many pictures of places I would want to travel. I also keep an album full of beautiful pictures of places and use them as a screensaver so whenever I start to get lazy these pictures would remind me why I'm studying so hard and at the same time managing my business.

4. DONATIONS PUH-LEASE. There was this gimik by my elementary classmate. He placed a "donation box" in his cubbyhole and it has this writing over the kawawa eyes that he drew: "Please please help me and give me some money! P1s are great but I only accept P5s and P10s...". Guess what?! It was a hit and he would go home everyday with his "donation box" full!! HAHAHA! So I'll be placing a "donation box" at our living room too! Who knows maybe somebody will actually give me some loose change.

5. BE AN ENTREPRENEUR. Since you can't have a job just yet, you can first test the waters of being an entrepreneur. It's so easy to make your own business with the help of various social networking media you can sell your stuff online. You can resell stuff or take advantage of your skills and make stuff (like jewelry, clothing, art, food) and sell them online. When you have free time and enough friends join a bazaar to increase sales. I used to sell food in my 3 hours classes, I sold load before, and now I'm selling clothes online.

6. MAXIMIZE. Maximize the things you already have so you can use it to its full potential and narrow down the things you have to buy. For example you already have a digital camera and you're going to the beach; so instead of buying yourself a new camera how about buying an underwater camera casing instead.

7. NEVER BE LATE. When you're late for class, instead of riding a jeep you are most likely to ride a taxi to school in order to make it. That will cost you half a week's jeepney ride fare. Sayang! So let's discipline ourselves and wake up early. This is not only discipline to save but simple acts of discipline tells much about a person. Everybody who knows me know that I always get to class late! It's because I never rode a taxi to school, i'd rather get scolded!(Okay, that's not the right example)

8. GOOD SHOT. Be very good children to your parents because they will remember your good acts when you ask for an allowance increase or to add some pocket money to your travel.:)

9. RAFFLE DRAWS. Join as many raffle draws or promos out there. You can win neat stuff so you won't have to spend on such! Or you can win a trip to somewhere! :)) I was begging for an Ipad from my parents before (which upto now they would not give in to my request), I collected Winston Cigarette Cases and joined their raffle draws. Sadly I didn't win but it was worth the try.:)

10. BET YOUR GRADES. This is next to impossible! I had a bet with my mom that if I make it in the Dean's List she would finance my travel. So I am now studying really hard!

11. LIST IT DOWN. Whenever my mom would write down her grocery list I would make one too for all the needs I have to get for myself like my own brand of toiletries, socks, school supplies so I won't have to spend on them using my own allowance.

Here's where my  Allowance go:
Tithes- 10%
Savings- 20%
Travel- 10%


and I have 60% of my allowance to spend on Extra stuff. Then if I still have money left from my 60% Extra money I put them in my "stache" bottle for gadget expense (saving up for a tablet and underwater camera).