An English teacher by trade, “Nino” is like most young professionals earning a living. After learning how to handle his own finances in college, he applies what experience has taught him.
This may seem bizarre, but the moment I see that I’ve only got around P 2,000 in my bank account, I feel poor.
Unlike other kids my age, I didn’t get a regular allowance until I was in college. My college days became the momentous time in my life where I really got to handle money on my own. By the time I was getting allowance regularly, I already had a pretty good idea of what it meant to save for a rainy day. I knew that splurging my P 150 a day allowance on one go was a totally dumb thing to do. So during all that time, I made it a point to resist spending more than what was necessary. I guess that would explain why I’m pretty good in handling my own money now.
While others are struggling not to drain their bank accounts, I somehow manage to find a way to fatten mine up. Is it because I make a lot? No. I’m just an average young professional trying to survive financially in this world. And just like any young person, I really enjoy spending my hard-earned cash on my wants in addition to my needs. However, I’ve learned to set goals in the way I spend my money. I don’t exactly make a budget, but I do estimate the amount that I would spend and the amount that I should still have before my next paycheck. I also don’t withdraw a huge amount from the ATM machine unless absolutely necessary. I find that I spend more if I have more in my wallet. To avoid the temptation, I don’t withdraw more than what I need.
That’s basically my survival plan in this heavy spending world. Does it really work? It’s worked for me. Maybe it could work for you too.
by Juco Antonio Rivera
Janina Marie Rivera is the author of the book, A Night Bird Sings of Blindness and Fear and has co-authored the devotional, Dawns, published by OMF Literature. She is a contributing poet in the books Joyful Light and Whitmanthology: on Loss and Grief by Various Authors. She is the Editor-in-Chief of One Voice Magazine.
