CEBU CITY, Philippines — Youngsters today are big on the phrase “you only live once” so it’s often easy to justify why our hard-earned cash are spent in a jiffy over things we don’t really need.
No judgment really.
Your money, your rules.
But an age-old adage that remains true up to this day is to “save up for the rainy days.”
You can go ahead and spend but don’t forget to save.
But how to make savings possible when online shipping and food delivery are so easy to do?
We give you these tips on how you can stop yourself from constantly taking out more money from your wallet:
Always have a list of your needs. Budget your money so you don’t end up looking for loose change for lunch. List down your needs and try your best to stick to this list when you’re out on a supermarket run. Put your phone’s calculator to use as you check on your list to make sure you don’t go over budget. Remember: it’s always need over wants.
Skip the expensive coffee. Sure it’s nice to be seen holding a venti cup but do you really need to have that Starbucks blend every single day. Treat expensive coffee as a payday treat; not an every day indulgence. Or you can set a day in the week when you can reward yourself with that well-deservedcoffee. Otherwise, stick to the one your office provides.
Live within your means. How we live our lives are curated on social media. Often times only the good, happy, exciting ones are posted online. It’s tempting to be live a life that too; where social media dictate the way you dress, speak or present yourself. Our suggestion? Take life at your own pace. Live the life you can afford or you’ll end up owing everyone a lot of money because you were too busy keeping up with the Kardaishans. The worst part? You might lose yourself in the process because you’re fixated on the material possessions over what really matters.
Keep track of your expenses. This can be a painstaking task in the beginning especially when the bills pile up and you have to stare at the numbers. But bills come with adulting so face your responsibilities and pay them. List down all the bills you need to pay so you can allocate the needed funds for them. This way, you can keep track of your expenses and anticipate what bills you would need to pay the next month.
Set your goals. When you were a child, you had a dream to become a doctor, teacher or lawyer. Reaching your dreams or your goals should continue well into adulthood. Continue to set certain goals and accomplish them. Set up a goal for the year. Want to get your own place next year? Make it happen! You want to go on a backpacking trip? Then save up for it! Everything and anything is possible if you set your mind and heart on it.
Saving can be hard especially with so many tempting products surrounding us. Choosing to give up that milk tea can be a huge sacrifice. But think about this: it’s really the short-term pain that brings forth long-term gain. Save up and reap the benefits of your determination soon enough! / celr