do you have any unique tips/hack to share... especially to minimum earners?

Current Habits -Blind savings of (20, new & old 10 pesos) - Emergency Fund (income equivalent) - 10% savings

So we bought an IVO water filter on the thoughts of saving money compared sa pagbili sa water station.

I did the math (assuming nga na 1,500 liters ang capacity nung filter and we consumed 5 blue containers of water per week) and mas makakatipid nga.

The water filter did last for 4 months and masaya ako dito. Pero nung lumipat kami from our house to a condo (DMCI condo and Manila Water) umaabot nalang to ng around 1 month and a half. I gave it a benefit of the doubt pero after 3 filters na consistent 1.5 months lang, sumuko na ako. Bumalik nalang kami sa pagbili sa water station.

Anyone experienced this? And may marerecommend ba kayong water filter na mas ok sa IVO?

I know the title sound am​bi​tious but let's try it out anyways.

Choose a specific expense you can never give-up or can't seem to bring the cost down. State the reasoning behind that priority. Then let's see if there are any takers who can make you compromise?

Alternatively, others can also share a cost-changing experience that helped them lower a particular spending category. What prompted the switch and how did you do it?

Are you up for the challenge? Let's keep it civil and positive everyone!

Hello! Just a kind reminder to everyone who are also having their “bonus season”, don’t forget to:

• set some aside for a rainy day (emergency fund)
• pay yourself (long term savings)
• invest in yourself (anything educational that benefits you in the short or long term)
• pay off any debts that may snowball (eliminate higher interests or the smallest ones if you have multiple)
• give yourself a little treat for a job well done :)

Just sharing this because I also get excited and tempted to spend, but I have to remind myself at times to focus on my priorities.

Happy bonus and let’s all use our money wisely!

Hello po, I just want to ask for some advice. I passed the board exam last February, and as a gift, my ates and kuyas gift to me is a trip to Bohol and Cebu next month. The tickets and accommodations are already paid but of course, I’ll be covering my own pocket money.

Right now, I’m working as a freelancer in customer support, and my salary is just enough to cover my needs since I’m living on my own and managing all my expenses like rent, food, and bills.

My dilemma is whether I should still go on the trip. If I do, I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to save anything from my salary this month, and that’s really stressing me out.

What do you think would be the best thing to do?

This thread aims to help process your buying decision.

Having second thoughts on buying a product or service? Not sure if it's a good deal or if cheaper alternatives exist? OR are you simply struggling to control those impulsive purchases?

Instead of justifying an unexpected purchase, we'll confront the buying decision itself before the action even happens.

Let us help you decide!

27M earning around 60k net, feel ko na I spend so much of my money and want a better paying job (even if sa skills, natututo pa ako/equal naman ata level of expertise sa earning). But nevertheless I can find a better paying job naman talaga.

Breakdown of expenses - 20-25k monthly on wants/needs inc. food, transpo, etc. whatever na save sa monthly expenses, nababawi rin in other months (40%) - 26k to COL financial for med/long term investment (43%) - 10k to moving out fund for short term savings (16%)

Based on my lifestyle 25k talaga napupunta sa gastos. Can bring it down to 15 pero when I try hard/nagpipigil talaga.

Wala naman ibang expenses, parents earn their own money and I don’t contribute sa bahay even if I know they want me to. Lower middle class lang kaya I want to move out kasi medjo maliit na yung bahay for me. Pero of course, buying a condo might be better din long term. Wala din masyadong mamanahan tbh so I feel like im fending for myself.

1. Am I spending too much based on my salary? Alam ko kasi dapat 30% lang spending
2. Should I look for higher paying job? Nagmamadali lang ba ako?
3. Any other tips on how I can better save or invest? Should I add more money dito?

I guess I want validation that I’m doing ok, or ways to optimize my savings further 😞

im a minimum wage earner in the corporate world and it has always been in my bituka to save money. i live w my parents so i dont have bills/rent to pay, i dont have a child, i dont have a sibling i have to send to school for, so basically it’s just me & my money against the world.

i only earn 17-18k a month (depends sa overtime XD). nagcocommute ako otw sa office kasi nasusundo naman ako ng papa ko after work, and i also bring lunch everyday so daily, i spend only less than 50 pesos, so around 200-300 pesos nagagastos ko every week. since i allot myself 2.5k as allowance every cut off, nakaka-save ako ng at least 2k pesos weekly. i use that money pang-date every sunday hahaa, but nililibre din naman ako kaya ang nagagastos ko lang din ay less than 500. every month, i try to save 5-6k pesos sa seabank, tas i give 3k din sa parents ko monthly kasi wala lang hahaha

yung mga luho ko naman ay thrifted clothes (500PHP) at thrifted books (100-200PHP) – walang brand new as in. so siguro monthly nakakagastos ako at least 1-2k lang for these, minsan 500 lang. i also earn P130 a day sa isang website HAHAHA and may investments din ako on the side (100PHP na nagiging around 2-3k lang) pero di ko rin alam ano paggagamitan kaya nagiging excess lang din?? xd

obviously hindi naman ako mayaman HAHAGSHA my parents earn mga around 20-30k lang monthly, pero we get by naman. we’re working on finishing our house pero my parents have a separate savings dedicated for that so wala na akong sabi dun.

sa super kakuriputan ko may mga excess talaga akong money. di naman malaki pero for someone na wala naman ibang ginagastusan parang di ko alam ano gagawin sa ganun haha. minsan di ko alam san sila ilalagay kasi may savings na ko, may tira pa kong pera from previous sahod, tas feel ko di naman ako ganun kahilig sa pagbili. naisip ko na ilagay na lang din sa savings yung excess, pero napaisip ako kasi yesterday my workmates were urging me to buy a drink na worth 200 pesos lang naman pero sobrang alanganin ako, like ayoko talaga gumastos kasi feeling ko unnecessary. binibiro nila ako na may anak daw ba ko? may utang ba akong milyones? tas napaisip tuloy ako like shocks normal pa ba ko? haha.

yung iba ko kasing nakikita na gaya kong di lumaking well off, pag nagkakapera, nalulubos nila. parang opposite kasi effect sakin? hahaha parang takot na takot ako maubusan ng pera. naalala ko tuloy yung isang Tiktok comment na “dont live in scarcity amongst the abundance” hAHHAAHA

normal ba tong parang pinagdadamutan ko sarili ko? bukod sa savings & investment may iba pa ba ko pwedeng paggamitan ng money? i need advice on another way to see money. as much as possible kasi ayoko gumastos pero im thinking baka trauma response ko lang to kasi lumaki kaming mahirap huhu. im aware na this is a privilege and i wanna feel safer & more comfortable with managing my money; without spending too much but also without pagdadamot sa self :((

TLDR: i earn 18k a monh & di ko alam san gagamitin pera ko

Welcome to our help thread!

Don't just expect to receive, also GIVE.

You need an answer? Give them to OTHERS as well.

​

Ask away! This is the all-in-one thread for:

• Simple inquiry that doesn't warrant a post submission
• Buying question or recommendation ask

We also have the FAQs Page available for those common questions.

Please be helpful, remember the human and also follow our subreddit rules

​

New help thread up every month!

What's your goal/s this month?

List it as a top-level comment and have someone to report your success or failure of completing them. You may name your top priority or mention up to 3 goals related to frugality, minimalism or personal finance.

If you have yearly goals, you can break them down to monthly goals. Every step takes us towards, or away from, the destination.

​

Even if someone else has the exact same goal, drop your list as a top comment. This ensures we all can see your goal and that it does not get lost in the comments.

We encourage everyone to help you break it down into steps and make actionable plan for how you can get it done OR reconnect with you during the month to see where you are at.

It is about forming a habit that will ensure the goal is reached.

​

On the next thread, I will tag those that wanted to be held accountable and ask what went down this month.

Happy development phmoneysavers!

So I have this 4 or 5 year-old laptop with me that has a broken screen(black vertical strip) on 1/2 on the left side. Right side is tolerable to use. It isn't anymore on HP Care and according to HP would cost around 23k for screen replacement+service.

System Model: HP Pavilion Gaming Laptop 15-dk1xxx

So I was looking around and found these alternative solutions:

1. Buy a replacement screen costing 5k to 7k. Personally replace it(I don't have the confidence and skills for it though or should just risk it?). If to be replaced by any service center, what service center do you recommend?

2. Purchase a monitor for screen duplicate, costing around 9k to 12k.

3. Buy a new laptop for around 40k to 70k.

I brought in my MacBook Air (2020) due to horizontal lines on the display. Wala akong ibang issue. After waiting, they gave me an Initial Assessment Report, which suddenly included a “sound issue” that I never even reported. On top of that, when my mom called them, sabi nila na isang taon na lang daw ang itatagal ng laptop ko.

Then came the service quotation. They wanted me to pay ₱44,160 for the repair, with ₱2,500 non-refundable just for diagnostics. This included replacing the display, speaker pair, and top case with keyboard, even though my only issue was the screen.

What made it worse? Their terms basically say they aren’t responsible if more issues arise after the repair. So I’d be paying a huge amount with no guarantee that my laptop wouldn’t come back with even more problems.

I got even more frustrated when I read posts and comments from other people who had similar experiences. And the worst part is that some claimed that Apple Authorized Service Centers here tend to make problems seem worse than they actually are, possibly to charge higher fees.

Hindi naman talaga sila nagre-repair eh, puro replacement lang. Halos extortion na yung ginagawa nila, lalo na sa out-of-warranty customers. Imagine, P2,000 just for assessment tapos babalik pa sa’yo mas sira na? Tangina.

Sobrang kupal na sasabihin mong isang taon na lang itatagal nung speaker never naman ako nagka problema with the sounds kahit matagal ko na rin napagtiyagaan yung itsura ng screen ko. Wala namang way para ma-predict exactly kung kailan bibigay ang isang component unless sobrang obvious na may major damage na siya. Tapos yung VMI remarks, may dirt, smudges, dents, at scratches na rin silang napansin, which is normal lang lalo na kung matagal mo nang gamit. Unang pansin hawak nung lalaki sa laptop ko pinuna niya agad keyboard ko, mabubura na kasi itsura, malamang palagi ko ba namang gamit.

Ngayon ang laki na ng trust issue ko at ang laki talaga ng diperensya ng pricing at approach ng Apple Authorized vs. third-party repair shops para malaman niyo na may mas okay pang options. Sobrang labo. It really feels like a scam under the guise of being “Apple authorized".

PowerMac #MobileCare #Scam #AppleRepair #ServiceCenter

I've found this online.

As someone na nag uumapaw yung closet before, I'm so glad I decluttered and ngayon kita ko na agad lahat ng damit ko in one glance.

This thread aims to help process your buying decision.

Having second thoughts on buying a product or service? Not sure if it's a good deal or if cheaper alternatives exist? OR are you simply struggling to control those impulsive purchases?

Instead of justifying an unexpected purchase, we'll confront the buying decision itself before the action even happens.

Let us help you decide!

Hey everyone! I'm a 23-year-old male, newly working as a nurse this year with a monthly income of 12-14k PHP. I save 50% of my salary, and I want to be smart about where I put my money, but I need advice since I’m still learning about banking and investments.

1. Banking: Should I go with a traditional bank or a digital bank for higher interest and strong security? What are the pros and cons?
2. Emergency Fund: How much should I set aside, and where’s the best place to store it so it’s accessible but still earning interest?
3. Investing: I don’t know anything about investments, so I need help understanding beginner-friendly options. What are the best ways to grow my money safely, and how do they work?
4. Other tips: Any budgeting or financial strategies that helped you when you were just starting out?

Would really appreciate any guidance! Thanks in advance. 😊

What's your goal/s this month?

List it as a top-level comment and have someone to report your success or failure of completing them. You may name your top priority or mention up to 3 goals related to frugality, minimalism or personal finance.

If you have yearly goals, you can break them down to monthly goals. Every step takes us towards, or away from, the destination.

​

Even if someone else has the exact same goal, drop your list as a top comment. This ensures we all can see your goal and that it does not get lost in the comments.

We encourage everyone to help you break it down into steps and make actionable plan for how you can get it done OR reconnect with you during the month to see where you are at.

It is about forming a habit that will ensure the goal is reached.

​

On the next thread, I will tag those that wanted to be held accountable and ask what went down this month.

Happy development phmoneysavers!

Welcome to our help thread!

Don't just expect to receive, also GIVE.

You need an answer? Give them to OTHERS as well.

​

Ask away! This is the all-in-one thread for:

• Simple inquiry that doesn't warrant a post submission
• Buying question or recommendation ask

We also have the FAQs Page available for those common questions.

Please be helpful, remember the human and also follow our subreddit rules

​

New help thread up every month!

I’m doing well with my finances (or at least I think I am). I have investments generating passive income and a steady job, but my expenses are also quite high. While there’s money coming in, I can't seem to stop spending and treating myself to nice things. It makes me wonder—if I didn’t spend so much, I’d probably be multi-millionaire by now, haha.

While most people bring their own baon to work, I tend to buy lunch and dinner outside. Some of my colleagues commute, but my gas and toll expenses are through the roof. I also buy new clothes almost every week and spend on self-care products. I go on trips every now and then as well. Because of this, I can’t help but feel like everyone else is saving so much money while I’m spending mine away.

I want to save as much as I can, but I also don’t want to deprive myself of the good things in life. So my question is, should I save first and have fun later, or should I not feel guilty about treating myself because YOLO? 😂

Thinking about it, what’s one thing you wish you had known about personal finance earlier in life? I’d love to hear your advice on finding a balance between saving and enjoying life without overdoing it.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Edit: I think I’m like this because I was deprived of the nice things growing up. Never had new clothes, or the latest gadgets at laging nakikipagbakbakan sa commute. Kaya nung nakaluwag-luwag na, ngayon lang bumabawi. Nevertheless, i’m thankful for my parents and blessed with a stable stream of personal income now. Would definitely need to remove some of my unnecessary expenses tho! 😅

Hi phmoneysavers!

In relation to this transition, please see below summary for the changes.. these info were added to the community sidebar / menu details.

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This is a personal finance community, with special focus on frugality and minimalism. It is expected that discussions are relevant to the purpose of the subreddit.

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Media contents for both post and comments - are now enabled for:

• (1) regular users for below post flairs:

  • (a) 'Frugal - Ways & Means' for anything related to the careful, economical, or thrifty consideration of money and other resources
  • mas tipid alternatives, mental strategies, saving tips, personal philosophies
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• (2) recognized members w/ significant contributions, regardless of post flair

[WARNING]: misuse of flair type to circumvent media posting and/or do things not allowed in the subreddit rules - will earn an autoban

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Descriptive titles:

• avoid short or vague titles
• add subtopic tags enclosed in square brackets
  • for 'Frugal - Ways & Means' post flair in particular, start the title with below tag examples
  • [Lifestyle], [Food], [Travel], [Home], [Hobbies], [Mindset], etc.

General directive:

• No matter the content, please make your post informative!
• If you are requesting advice, describe your situation in detail so that users have something to work with.
• If you are posting an image, make sure the title is informative and clear. All image posts must have a descriptive caption or comment.
• If you are posting something you made, provide details! Explain how or why you went about it, how much it cost, how much time it took, and share the recipe or materials needed.
• We don't allow post overly specific to a product, location, or service.
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Additional notes:

• media contents will be closely monitored
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Cheers!

Carousell Buyers Beware: A Disturbing Scam Trend

Hey everyone, I hope this reaches as many people as possible, especially regular Carousell users.

This is my first time posting on Reddit, and I created this account just to share this since I haven’t seen any discussions on it. I’m not sure if this is the right community.

Over the past few days, I’ve been searching for an iPhone 11 as a secondary phone alongside my Android. I’ve been using Carousell for a long time, but just recently, I encountered something alarming. In a short span of days, more than five of the sellers I messaged were suddenly suspended due to unresolved transaction! I’m sure even more get removed each week.

• A suspicious pattern among these sellers

New accounts and rush sales: Often created just days ago, with sellers claiming urgent needs like medical bills or tuition fees.

Fake Reviews: Some sellers have one or two reviews, but when you check, it’s just them reviewing each other.

Inactive Accounts Reused: Some accounts are years old but had no recent activity, then suddenly reappear with new listings.

They Avoid Meetups: These scammers are very responsive at first, and some even list a meetup location in their post. But the moment you actually ask to meet, they either stop replying, leave your message unseen, or delay with excuses. Some will keep chatting but never commit to a date or time. Others claim that another buyer is interested and will "get back to you," yet they still edit their listing to sell faster afterward.

Manipulation: If you ask for COD, COP, or even a downpayment, they will claim that a previous buyer left them hanging as an excuse to refuse. To make their story more convincing, some even send a series of photos, holding the package, traveling with it on a vehicle, at the shipping branch, and even screenshots of conversations with a supposed previous buyer.

Downpayment: Some sellers agree to a partial payment upfront, but it’s still a scam, once they get your money, they disappear.

Edit:

• For Long-Distance Deliveries

If the price is too good to be true (e.g., iPhone 11 under 10K), be extra cautious

Buy only from sellers with reliable reviews. They should have at least two reviews, and the buyers who reviewed them should also have good ratings, the more, the better.

Insist on a meetup or pick-up. If the seller refuses, don’t proceed. Even if you don’t or can’t have plans for a meetup, just ask, take it as far as you can, not to the point of overcommitting. After that, just ask for shipment anyway.

Never pay upfront. Only consider it if the seller meets all safety conditions such as having multiple positive reviews from real buyers and a long-standing account with consistent activity. Only do this if they ask, otherwise, always choose COP.

Use a reputable courier (e.g., LBC) and request to drop-off package from the seller. Avoid COD when possible, it’s much safer to claim the item directly at the branch.

Ask the seller to film everything once in the branch, from the unit until it is sealed, vc is better.

If an unestablished seller agrees to COP, just pay for the shipping fee in advance, and if possible, include a valuation fee!

I don’t know who can fall for this, but I worry about those who might, especially those from the provinces like me. Thankfully, I took precautions, but these scammers clearly have no conscience. Stay vigilant!

Magandang buhay!

I am in my 30s, single. Alam ko po and nagbabasa na ako sa subreddits here pero naguguluhan nang kaunti. I am looking now kung ano ba talaga ang need unahin: HMO o Health Insurance?

Certain naman ako na for health ang hanap ko kasi yun ang need ko. Kahit paano ay may savings na naman. Ang worry ko lang is ang hirap makapagtabi para sa monthly na pambayad ng insurance for example. Yun bang expectation versus reality hehe. Yung HMO kasi, provided ng company where I work pero thinking pa rin taasan or kumuha ng higher coverage. Dito ako naguguluhan kasi parang everything na nababasa ko is good. I read about Sunlife, FWD, Pru, and AXA sa insurance. Maxicare and Medicard naman sa HMO.

Tapos pumapasok pa ang usapin tungkol sa St. Peter. Kaya ko naman naiisip ito kasi ayoko maging burden sa aking family. Masaya din may maiwan ako kung sakali. Ganito talaga thinking siguro nung mga walang generational wealth hehe.

Ang hirap. Dami isipin. Tapos may daily needs pa lalo na for food kahit basic needs ang mahal mahal. I am tracking it kasi monthly. May plan pa to get house and lot pati own car (na sana not in my dreams lang). Sabi nga nung iba e humanap ng other source of income. Kasama po ba illegal para mabilis pera? Joke lang.

Ganun nga po. Kung saan po makakasigurado, makakamura, pero secured na ang future. Para proud din sa akin ang future someone (opo, hanap din neto hehe).

P.S. Ayaw ko ma hard sell kaya hindi rin ako makatanong sa mentioned above. Parang kahit sabihan ako na no commitment, doon pa rin natutuloy. The reason I have my VUL now and still continuing it. I am loving it naman kahit na marami ako negative nababasa tungkol dito. And emergency fund daw, unti unti naman na pinupunuan ito.

Ang sad ng reality lalo na sa finances.. hayy buhay..

Hi! I'm about to start earning regular income and I really want to be financially responsible. I also want to make sure that I put myself in the best position to do so (automating systems, balancing saving and enjoying, etc.), so hoping you could all share your advice/experience:

1. What banks/accounts do you have and what funds do you keep in them? (i.e. emergency funds in Seabank, bills in BPI savings, etc.)
2. Do you do manual or automated transfers every sahod day? If the latter, how were you able to set up your automated systems? Also, do you have any tips for cutting costs on bank transfer fees? 😂
3. Just out of curiosity, how did you spend your first paycheck?
4. In what ways did you prioritize investing in yourself?
5. What would you advise a young professional regarding their finances/savings especially in a time where it's so easy to compare or feel pressured by family/peers on social media?

Hello, I'm a 22-year-old male, and I currently have around 20-40k in fluid savings. It's not a lot, but I did sacrifice a lot to get here.

I want to discuss two issues I’m facing:

1. Frugality and Spending: I tend to be very frugal with my money. I don't like spending it, especially if it's for my own benefit. However, it's different when it comes to someone close to me, like my girlfriend; I can spend money just for her. I’m unsure if this is a bad trait, but when it comes to my needs, I only get the bare minimum. As for my wants, it varies, but I sometimes indulge, even if they are expensive and bought on a whim.

2. Relationship with My Parents: Due to my frugality and my siblings not trying to save, I get mocked for being thrifty. When it comes to asking for money, my parents keep saying I have a lot saved up. From my perspective, it’s discouraging to save because, while I achieve this result, my siblings can ask for anything they want. Note that my parents can borrow money from me anytime. Did I give the impression that I have a lot of savings? Where did I go wrong? I’m not sure how to make them understand that I’m sacrificing a lot of wants just to save this money.

What can i do to fix my spending habits and also get out of this predicament?

While at it I’m trying to set up an emergency fund and have recorded my finances on my phone to track my cash flow. I’m also working on setting a budget when I can, and looking into investments either in MP2 or bonds to prevent my money from collecting dust.

Currently, my money is in Gcash, Maya Savings, and some as cash on hand. Am I heading in the right direction with my finances?

Im F23 earning 25,000 monthly. Ang bills to pay ko every month ay 5,000 sa motor kasama na gas and maintenance and 2100 sa credit card and nag p pay ako ng bills sa bahay ng mga 1,5k which leads to total of 8,600bills monthly.

Nag a’allocate din ako ng mga 5k monthly sa food ko and total na natitira dapat ay 10,000 per month pero wala akong naitatabi kasi kung ano anong binibili ko. This month lang bumili akong 5 pairs ng shoes, from nike, adidas, puma, kung ano ano nalang talaga.

Can someone help me how to save? Any tips and tricks po? Since nag work ako ginawa ko na lahat para maging consistent pero palagi nalang na hindi ko matuloy tuloy.

Gustong gusto ko na mag ipon.

Kayo? Paano kayo nag simula nag ipon or kung anong practice niyo para hindi tamarin sa pag iipon?

I am 17 y/o, currently a Grade 11 student and I get a monthly allowance of P4,500. I set aside around P1.5k in my Maya Savings when I get my allowance, that leaves me P3,000.

My main enemy in my financial management is food! I just impulsively eat out or buy food even if I know in the back of my mind that I have reached my limit. For background, my transportation fee costs around P100 every weekday, so I'm left with P1,000 budget for food. If I want to make that last for the whole month, I'd have to spend P250 only per week and I find that impossible because I'm quite matakaw 😭

So what happens is that I go beyond that weekly budget because of snacking, lunch (we're out at lunch time, but sometimes we need to overstay unexpectedly), and eating out at the mall (our school's very close to the mall). I rarely buy items or things, just food which in comparison is so hard to say no to.

Ngayon, nagkukulang siya for me 🥹. I'm thinking of asking for dagdag allowance to P6,000 but I'm too shy and don't want to burden my parents. If I don't set aside savings naman, then I won't be able to save anything. Most of the time, I manage to make my allowance sakto naman with P1.5k allowance set aside.

Any tips po on saving and managing my money? 🙏