How I've Been Saving Money the Unusual Way

Below are things I have been doing to save money and most would find it unusual but hey, all in the name of peso-pinching.

• Bring breakfast to work so I can drink freshly-brewed free coffee

• Reusing floss - Gross? Shut up! Do you throwaway your toothbrush every after use? No! So is floss! I do run it with hot water every after use and besides, I am not sharing it with anybody so it's a-okay!

• Making reusable sanitary napkin/pads 

Hand-sewn by Your's Truly

Cut out old tee-shirts in the shape of the regular sanitary pads with wings, put few layers in the middle, sew it by hand, put some snap buttons on the "wings" so it won't budge while wearing it and voila, reusable pads! Eco-friendly and I save tons! Gals, let me know if you want to know how I did mine and I'll make a separate,detailed post.

• Toilet Flushing Mantra: "When it's yellow, let it mellow, when it's brown, flush it down"

Unusual, right? Some might say it's "ewwww, gross" but, how do you think I was able to saved up for my First Million Pesos,My First Million Pesos in Stocks and how do you think I'm worth 5 Million Pesos? Because I made frugality and cheapness my friends so don't judge. ha!

So fellow kuripots and peso-pincher, what's your unusual way of saving money?

PHONES: Switching to Prepaid Has Save Me Tons

Aaah, I remember my first phone. Nokia 3310. You know, that phone that dances when you stand it up.  I was proud of that phone. It was the product of summer job, handling fliers and being a watcher on an election day. It wasn't brand new but I was stoked beyond reasoning. Writing this up makes me remember the giddy feeling I felt at that very day... the day I sent my first text message.. ahhhhh, sweet!!!


When I first came here, I used roaming and I eventually ditched it. Not only that I am spending extra on keeping it active, it was also a way where my relative can "borrow" money from me. hehe.

Meet my recent phone:

My First Phone's Relative

I had an IPhone but I traded it with IPod Touch and I have never been happier! I was paying $50 monthly for minutes I am not using. You see, I am not really a cellphone addict. If not for my work then I would have gone phone-less.

How much I am paying for now? $10 every 2 months! That's right, $10 every 2 months! Far from my $50 monthly, huh? And I can't even finish that 10 dollars. As of now, I still have 100 plus extra minutes.

• Why would I need an on-the-go cellphone plan? It's as if I have a multi-million peso business that needs constant monitoring.
• Need to search something on the internet, I wait until I get home. Convenience comes with a price, you know?
• Skype is my best friend when making long distance call to my family back home.

It's pretty basic, but switching to prepaid has really saved me a lot. I don't have internet on the go and I rely on wi-fi but I am pretty much happy with it. Nothing beats a 10 dollar every 2 months vs the 50 dollars monthly I have been paying before.

Switching to prepaid + taming the urge to surf the net most of the time has really save me a lot. 

Frugal Tip: The Gift of Contentment

Contentment is hard to come by these days. The temptation to consume your way through life is great, that's why I consider contentment as a gift from the Big Guy up there. My daily  and breath prayers include : Lord, give me the gift of contentment.

Being contented with what you have is an important trait to be mastered coz if you don't have the sense of contentment, no matter how much you have, it would never be enough.  

I consider myself fairly frugal, but I still get tempted to spend. Though I always change my mind after thinking it through, it still leaves a hollow feeling inside- the feeling of deprivation. When this feeling of deprivation kicks in, I count my blessings and ask for the gift of contentment, and immediately, the feeling of deprivation dissipate and by then, I'll realize that I am blessed with more than enough. 

Sure, I can afford to buy a silk bed covers that I have been eyeing for the longest time but I chose not to, I'd make do with my cotton cover and I'm contented with it. Sure, I can afford to eat out all the time but I chose not to coz I am contented with my homecooked meals , plus cooking regularly adds to my not-so-good cooking skill.

To this very day, I always and often ask for the gift of contentment and immediately I'd feel a sense of peace and knowledge and I know that the Big Guy is listening. 

Lord, give me the gift of contentment each and everyday. Let me be constantly reminded that I'm blessed with more than enough. Thank you for the opportunity and the ability to do wealth.

Frugal Tip : No Spending Day Habit

A day or a period of time set by you where you don't spend anything, not even a single centavo aka The Spending Fast.



I have been doing this for a quiet some time and I consider myself hardcore. I can go for weeks without spending. I can go for a month, but I regularly send money to my mom back home so I really can't do this, otherwise my mom would starve.

    Things I do prior to No Spending Day/s:

• I plan for my meals. This is the time I go over my leftovers and rummage through my pantry.  Cook in bulk. Be creative and be open for substitute ingredients.

• Transportation should be budgeted ahead. 

• Plan for activities that don't cost a dime. Suggestions:

 

                       Run
                       Walk ( Leisurely or Brisk)
                       Read
                       Board game session with family
                       General cleaning/ de-clutter
                       Sleeping in
                       Gardening/yard work
                       Talk to family and bond with them
                       Etc.



I suggest you refrain from going online. Yes, you can check your email once in awhile, but don't be glued in the web unless you work online. Hey, going online cost electricity ,too. Read a book or listen to some podcast.

Take note: No binge-spending  before and after the No Spending Day.

Try this, it's just a day.. Come on now..

Good luck.

Photo Credit: talkingcents.consumercredit.com

                                    

Fighting Homesickness on a Budget

I do things alone, (yup, loner here!) and it gets lonely sometimes, but I found ways to combat loneliness and homesickness without breaking the bank and without succumbing to retail therapy ,aka shopping- the popular and expensive pastime of OFWs. 

Two places you would find me on my days off:

• Library

New Arrival Section

OMG, I can't even begin to describe how grateful and lucky I am to be able to use this state of the art library! This library is one of the best and biggest in the country, and I feel so lucky and, at the same time, sad coz walang ganito sa pinas (but I still love'pinas!).

The local library is 3 miles away and whenever I am off from work, I would go to there and burn my time. I can stay there all day coz I can surely find something to do. I swear, this place has save me tons of moolah- entertainment wise. It has great selection of books , DVDs, magazines, audio books, graphic novels, ebooks , free wi-fi, free 2 hours computer usage, etc.. I thank this place for honing my personal finance knowledge. I am privileged enough to read different personal finance book for free. I've watched countless movies old and new, for free. I've borrowed tonsa books and ebooks,too! That's why, as much as possible, I give back by donating my used books to them and by being a responsible borrower.

I would surely miss this place.

• Jogging/ Walking

These activities are ingrained within me. I feel so much alive after a long run or after hours of walking. I would walk everywhere for miles and miles. It's free, plus it is making me healthy.

One thing I would miss when I get home is the awesome jogging trail. The jogging trail is 4 miles but the whole park is 70+ acres of green space, park, picnic area ,tennis court, playground, cycling, etc.  The government is making ways to get people healthy by making jogging trail accessible and available to everyone. A trail with nature as I like to call it- I would surely miss this too, but I love pinas more.

Jogging trail in Spring

• Blogging

It has been four months since I started blogging and I am enjoying it. I love connecting to other Filipino finance bloggers and read about ways to save money in the Philippines. Blogging has been my pastime as I am slowly getting Facebook out of my life. I remain anonymous that's why I love expressing myself through blogging. It really warms my heart when someone mentions me on their blogs or when someone  thinks I inspire them. Awwww moment indeed, and I do appreciate it.

Frugal Tip: Take Candies Whenever, Wherever

My Own Stash

  If you are looking for ways to cut back, look at the way you are snacking. Little things do add up.

Going somewhere? A bag of assorted candies and water bottle intact and I'm ready to go...

Whenever I go somewhere, expect me to be carrying candies and water bottle with me. This strategy has save me a great deal of money.  

Hungry? No need to buy food,  I can pop candies or chew on some tootsie rolls and my hunger is in control good for when I arrive home. Thirsty? Lemme refill my small water bottle with water on that fountain.

Again, this has save me money and kept me from eating out a lot, which means extra savings, plus it's healthier than munching on those hamburger.

You can't go wrong with Jolly Rancher, Ricola and Tootsie Roll alongside water.

I am an avid fan of this little buddies of mine. 

How about you? What do you do when you get hungry while on the go? Do you just go and give in? Do you just buy a chips in the nearby sari-sari store or  just eat  in a fast food restaurant? 

Overcoming Spending Temptation

Growing up having no fancy stuffs, growing up having hand-me-downs from my well -to-do cousins, I promised to buy everything I want once I have a job, and so I did. I went through a "spending phase".  My thinking was: I work hard and I need to reward myself with stuffs. When I started investing, I realize the value of money. 1 dollar can turn into 100 dollars! That became a major reason I was spending less.

When I decided to pursue minimalism  and I started letting go of stuffs, I became even more ninja when it comes to acquiring things. But remnants of my spendthrift days are still here, lurking around, not being used. It makes me feel bad that I wasted money on things I thought would bring happiness. Oh well, right? No shame, no blame! At least I didn't go into debt just to acquire these things.

 I don't reward myself with stuffs anymore, I reward myself with stocks! Über coolness, right?! hehe

These were stuffs I was once addicted to buying:

• Converse Chuck Taylor-- I have a love affair with all things Chucks cuz I'm tomboy like that. I only have one pumps just in case there's a formal gathering. I'm glad that I only added 3 Converse after this picture. A blue , a flat girlie one and the customized one, but I have been meaning to get the white chucks but naaaaah, not now.. I have enough to last me a lifetime.

To tell you how crazy I am with Chucks, I designed my own, which I never wear coz "sayang". haha. It has the first 3 letters of my name, which I covered and the CE stands for Collector's Edition... Naaaah, it's actually my initials. Hehe

• Perfume- There was a time that I can identify what perfume someone is wearing. Put me in a crowded place and I would secretly sniff people and would identify what scent they are wearing. I originally have almost 20 bottles. Ultimate regret :(

Other weakness:

•Flip flops

•Thrift store shopping

• Workout clothes-- sporty ones

I overcame my spending phase long time ago. The spendthrift monster is locked and chained  in the deepest part of the abyss. I have stuffs to last me a lifetime. 

How about you? What are your spending weakness? I hope you'll overcome and tame those the-urge-to-splurge monster. 

Frugality = Financial Independence

A realization hit me, no matter how many hours you work per day, if you don't watch where your money is going or if you don't practice frugality, you won't climb the finance independence stage quickly.

The first few years when I started working abroad, my schedule was packed. I was working around the clock. I only went home to change and rest for an hour or two then go back to work again. My life pretty much revolved around work. Energy drinks were my best friends at that time! Even though I seemed like I was working 24/7, I don't remember where my salary went! I don't remember saving it and I have nothing to show for all that 24/7 hard work! It's only when I started introducing frugality in my life that I saved up for my first million pesos! Frugality really works!

Never would I sacrifice my health and wellness to earn. Back then, I don't have the time to smell the flowers and money was elusive as ever even though I was working like crazy. Now that I have been taking it easy and enjoying my time off from work immensely, I am blessed to see my bank account growing without having to work hard like before.

Base on my experience, I can boldly say that frugality is the key to financial independence.

Photo credit: www.creditwritedowns.com

UPDATE: 52 Week Saving Money Challenge

I am still going strong with this challenge. Originally, I put it in the plastic container but I wanted to display it, so I transferred the money in a glass flower vase and displayed it in my bookcase. 

I am in my 4th week and I would enter the 5th week this week. I have a total of 10 dollars! 

I don't have concrete plan on where to spend this money yet. I'm thinking of a nice and long massage.

I am excited to finish this challenge and buy something nice for myself. Yay!

How's yours going?

Frugal tip: Cooking in Bulk

I used to spend the bulk of my salary on eating out. I love trying different cuisines and since I'm alone, it's easier for me to just eat our rather than cook.  When I started my journey towards "frugalism", I realized that I am spending way too much money on eating  unhealthy meals and I was getting fat! Making my meals easier came with a hefty price tag! I needed to do something about it or I might end up little or without money to show or I might end up being too fat and get sick. After all, overweight is the main source of deadly illnesses such as diabetes and/or high blood pressure problems.

Back then, I don't know how to cook so I watched Food Channel, Martha Stewart and Rachel Ray a lot. I also read cooking books or surf the net for easy recipes . After familiarizing myself with basic cooking stuffs, I was busy experimenting in the kitchen. 

Nowadays, I make meals for the whole week on Sundays. It's easier and considerably cheaper. I also made sure that the ingredients  are in season. This method saves me time and money, plus I'm getting healthy!

Stuffed Peppers
(Turkey and Brown Rice inside)
$8 for 4 meals

Baked Eggplant Lasagna
($10 for 8 meals)

Spicy Chicken
($10 for 8 meals)

Side Vegetable- Baked Zucchini 

Meatballs and Pasta

Marinating Chicken Meat to be baked the next day

Spaghetti Squash

Mushroom Chicken and Meatloaf with Brown Rice

  

I also freeze food in single servings so the food will last longer. Freezing food allows me to choose what to eat rather than eating the food because you-just-have-to-or-it-might-spoil. I might be having meatballs today and chicken the next day  or whatever I have in the freezer at the moment. I want and need variations!

It is a must to learn to cook coz it doesn't just saves us a lot of money, it also saves us from gaining too much unwanted weight! Cooking is doable! I can't believed I am saying that, from someone who had zero knowledge in kitchen stuffs.

Let's get our kitchen busy, save money and lose weight

Addicted To Saving Money

           The thought of receiving your salary every 15th and 30th of the month makes you jump for joy. Instead of thinking how you are going to spend it, you think of adding it to your savings account. You walk almost everywhere to save on transportation cost. While you are walking, you look down most of the time to look for loose change and if you find one, you will pick it up with a smile on your face.
            

         The thought of going to the mall gives you headache. You don't understand why most people can spend all day in the mall. You do all kinds of tips and tricks to save a penny, and you even beat yourself up for spending a $5 dollar McDonald's meal. But then you stop and think, "Am I addicted to saving?"

          Boy, that sounds so me, or is that me?

         There is a big difference between being cheap and being frugal. Eating instant noodles each and every meal is being cheap, while eating vegetables and fruits that are in season and cooking in bulk is being frugal. Sometimes, we are too focus on one thing that we become extreme and we miss out on something important. We must seek balance in our life and that includes a balance between spending and saving. Overspending, to the point of bankruptcy, is as much as bad as saving money to the point of scrimping on things that are essential like nutritious food  and foregoing on activities that builds a  strong and healthy relationship with loved ones.

         I am in the process of bringing equilibrium into my spending vs. saving habit. I grudgingly set a once in a month "cheat meal" just so I wont feel that I am depriving myself on my small wants. I still drag myself to that "cheat meal",but I really have to do this or I might end up a miser or when I pass away, my relatives might end up fighting over my assets, the assets that I work so hard and did not spend while I was alive. Acceptance is the first step to healing, right?

         Have you heard about a 78-year-old Pinay in U.K. named Brigida Aro, who recently died from her own house in Tooting? And you know the reason why her house burned down? She was using a candle to save on electricity bills. The candles caused the fire which burned down a significant portion of her house. The penny-pinching cost her her life. What a sad story. I don't want to end up like that.

       Saving can be addictive and addiction of any kind is never good.

Delayed Gratification

To buy or not to buy?

Spendthrift me :  Ohh, I really need an IPad!

Tightwad me:  Do you really need it, or do you want  it? What are you going to use an IPad for anyway? As if you are an on-the-go business woman who has business that needs constant monitoring. YOU DON'T REALLY NEED IT!

Spendthrift me : Buuuuuut....... I haven't spend anything for myself for a long time! I'm entitled for little luxuries in life such as this, right?!

          Do you find yourself in a situation like this? Congratulations, you aren't an impulse buyer! Controlling your impulse to buy expensive stuffs is a part of financial literacy. The need to examine yourself before buying is crucial step to financial independence. You can't get rich by buying and accumulating stuffs that don't put meaning to your life. By practicing delayed gratification, you become thankful with what you have or what you will have. Everything you will acquire through delayed gratification has meaning because you did the effort and discipline. You will take care and respect your stuffs more.

          A year ago, a mental conversation like the one above happened to me. Being a frugal person, I stopped and gave myself a time and decided to save, even though I can afford and buy it right away. So, I labelled "IPad" on an empty jar, and I committed myself in putting $50 every two weeks. Six months later, with $600 in hand, I was ready to buy an IPad.... So, did I buy it? Naaaaaah, I realized that I don't really want it.  Do you know what I did with the $600? I added it to my stock investment in the Philippines. I bought myself a gift for my future! I'll be Php 360,000 richer 30 years from now! Yay!

     
           One thing that I've been doing to keep my material desire at bay is to have a grateful heart. Saying thank you to even the smallest things that I have makes me realized that I am blessed with more than enough. Instead of complaining about my heavy and slow laptop, I'm saying thanks cause even though my laptop is slow and heavy, it still works! Then I think about the people who made my laptop, I asked God to blessed them. I think of my ability to buy a laptop, I thank God for my work.

There's a lot to be thankful for. Just say thank you to the littlest stuffs and you will realized how blessed your life is. Try this, it works!

Everything takes time.

Penny-pinching tips for OFW

One thing I regret is not setting a goal prior to going abroad.  All I was thinking  were the nice gadgets I'd purchased and the nice stuffs I can afford because "I WILL EARN DOLLARS!" Had I set goals earlier, I would have been home by now, but it's not too late, right?

I have been practicing frugality for four years now and its been hard at the beginning, but totally worth it. 

Here are some "frugal" stuffs I've been doing:

• Public transportation. No taxi. Bus and trains are way to go. Walk whenever you can, it's good for your health. 

• Pack lunch. Don't eat out a lot. I only eat out once a month to treat myself. (To know what my cheat meal is, click here.)

• Find out if there is a public library near you. Library saves me a lot of money entertainment wise. I borrow DVDs, books and burn my time there. I swear by it.

• Don't go to malls to past time. Even if you go there to just hang out, you cannot help but buy something. A pretzel here, a soda there, those will add up. Read a book instead.

• Go for a "No Spending Day" habit or "No Spending Weekend", and if you feel like you are a hardcore frugalista, go for "No Spending Month". ( I went for 2 months without spending anything for myself. It's doable. For tips and tricks, click here.)

• Don't post pictures to impress your Facebook friends. It's too costly. 

• And if you are one if those people who can't help but post pictures on Facebook, you don't have to freakin' buy new clothes for every darn picture session. Your friends don't care if you are wearing same clothes two posts ago, and if they say something, give them your middle finger. Haha.

• Don't buy every new gadget that comes out. Think long term; OFW life isn't forever. 

• Don't hang out with friends who enable you to spend. "Sis, sayang 'yan. Bilhin mo na, bagay sa 'yo. On sale pa naman." Hang out with a like-minded friends, or just enjoy yourself solo. You will have time to know yourself more.

• Don't give every salary to your family back home. Just please don't do that!

• Don't keep on giving your family impression that life abroad is great. You know it's not, don't kid yourself.

• Buying gift for yourself coz you have been working hard? Don't reward yourself with material stuffs and gadgets, buy stocks instead, a gift for your future.

• Off from work? Bored? Lay in your bed then envisioned your life in the future. You are exercising your brain and practicing the power of visualization.

• If possible,buy used.

• Ask God for the gift of contentment.

• No to credit card. It's a trap. 

• Learn how to cut your own hair. To know how I have been doing mine, click here.

Those are pretty much what I've been doing to save money.  

We are given opportunity to earn so much than what we earn back home, don't waste it. We won't be OFWs forever.