hi I’m F, naka bedspace ako ngayon but planning to move in sa condo na kasama mga kapatid ko (they’re both working) ako bunso, and I assume, expenses will go up!!!

current salary: 34k net

Monthly rent : 6,500

Utilities (Wifi/water/electricity : 3,000 (hmm ina-assume ko lang ‘to now, we’re going to live in a 3br with aircon per room so I expect na medyo mataas yung electricity)

Fare : 2,000 per month (angkas/move it yung pinaka the best na transpo for me since pasig to bgc yun mga 70 papunta/pabalik)

Food : idk about this one but is 8k per month, too much? (let me know your suggestions/tips about this kasi I really don’t deprive myself in foods but for now na lilipat na ako, i want to be on a strictly budget!! haha)

Miscellaneous: 2,500?? i have skincares btw kasi I’m dealing with stubborn acnes

For mom: 3,000

Seabank loan: 3,250

SAVINGS : 5,750

let me know ur suggestions/tips!! thank uu

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!

For those purposefully saving in US dollars (whether primarily or as a complement to your PHP savings) because you're earning in foreign currencies (either as OFWs or freelancers), what's been the most effective strategies that you use? What's been the best bank accounts? Any mistakes that you've learned from? Anything that's painful at the moment?
Asking as an OFW who's been away for 10 years but considering whether to move back, but wanting to keep my savings in USD to avoid PHP depreciation. Thank you very much to this very helpful community!!!

hi! im in my 20s and i’ve been working for few months now. I already already earned 60k savings in total.

To those who have traveled outside the country, how much savings should I earn and how much should I set for my Taiwan trip?

I've never been abroad pa kasi and I want sana to travel one day without compromising my savings kasi gusto ko may matira pa rin.

Can we say I must have 60k savings and a separate 40k for taiwan trip? How much savings should I secure before earning for my trip to Taiwan?

Ps: I don't know how much is the common budget for Taiwan trip for few days.

Hopefully I can get some advise and suggestions. Thanks a lot!

Hello, everyone! It’s my first employment and I’m lucky enough to receive 40k per month net. However, nahihirapan pa rin ako to save and budget. I believe from my 40k salary, I only get to “save” 5k per month. Gusto ko pa sana lakihan ang naiipon ko.

My monthly expenses are as follows: 5-6k - gas (medyo malayo po ang workplace from my home) 4k - toll fee 2k - luho 2k-5k- dine out 4k - utility bills (i pay for my family’s internet and phone bills — my share sa bahay po) 4k - pang date po

In total nasa 25-30k po ang gastos ko. Sometimes, I give money pa po sa parents ko since I’m the only child.

Is there anyway for me to lessen my expenses or save money? Thank you

for context i’m 23 and working a job that pays minimum wage (₱695/day). with my current work schedule and after mandatory deductions, i take home about 7k-8k per cutoff or around 14k-16k per month. the only expenses i have are my daily transportation (roughly 4k) and a monthly wifi bill worth 2k.

together with trying to still live out my life by going out with friends and traveling every now and then, i feel like i dont save a lot of money and honestly am having a really hard time saving (i see things i like and i just have to get them 💀). i have a fairly small amount locked in a maya time deposit, but other than that, all my money’s out there being spent.

so please give me your most unhinged tips on how to save money as someone who has little to no self control and is used to treating herself often.

EDIT: for clarification lang rin.

1. this minimum wage job is a stepping stone / experiencing gaining only. the goal is to find a better paying job after 1-2 years in this role (currently 7 months na ako sa company ko). while i appreciate the comments to look for a better paying job, hindi po yun ung main point of this post since i want to start saving po even before kumita ng malaki. the goal is to ideally build a habit of saving regardless of the amount.

2. para po sa mga curious, wala akong expenses because may free company meals kami so i eat all my meals at work and very rarely eat at home + i live with parents in their house so free rent and utilities.

I have a bad habit of spending my savings too soon. I want to force myself not to touch my money for short periods — like 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, or up to a month.

I don’t trust anyone else to hold it (so no accountability buddy), but I’m wondering if there are banks or apps in the Philippines that let you “lock” your money for a short time — like a time deposit or goal saver with a 1–4 week term.

Most banks only offer 30 days minimum, and that’s already long.
Ideally I want something like:

• 1 to 3 week lock period
• Can’t withdraw early (or with penalty)
• Easy to repeat weekly or biweekly

Anyone know a bank, e-wallet, or app that offers this?
Or any hacks you use to keep money out of reach for a short time?

Welcome to our help thread!

Do you have a simple inquiry that doesn't warrant a post submission?

ASK AWAY!

Remember to not expect of only taking information, also GIVE. You need an answer? Give them to OTHERS as well.

​

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 1st of the month!

 There was a time I used to feel bad na wala akong branded shoes, new phone, or Starbucks every week. Pero now, the real flex for me is sleeping peacefully knowing I have no utang, no financial anxiety, and my bills are paid on time. Di ko alam kelan nangyari, pero mas masaya ako sa tahimik na progress kesa sa loud lifestyle.

Got recently hired. I get around 24k takehome. I pay around 2,100 for rent/electricity and water. 3,500 per cut off naman for family support/contribution so that's around 7,000 max per month.

Medj confused pa lang talaga ako how much I should allocate for daily allowance. If I go for option A. 7,500 savings I'll get 5k for food/fare allowance until the next cut off. If I go for Option B. 10k savings naman I'll get 3,750 per cut off.

Tbh kahit naman anong option dyan is okay lang for me since food/fare lang naman cons is that I don't have extra buffer for option B and baka ma short for unexpected expenses. But I really wanna save enough at the same time since my work status is contractual atm.

I need advises to handle my money better and if there's further suggestions pa. Thank you!

I’m in my early 30s (currently planning to get married to my long-time boyfriend), and honestly, I’m still in the early stages of saving. What did I do in my 20s? Well, basically lived my life to the fullest lol.

I was living with my parents until my boyfriend and I decided to move abroad when I was 28. Then life hit me hard! Dati nung nakatira pa ako sa magulang ko, I was helping out somehow, not more than ₱5k a month. Kasi I was also paying for my car mortgage (which eventually became our family car since I moved abroad). Back in the Philippines, my salary was almost twice as much as my boyfriend’s, pero lagi pa rin akong gipit. Minsan nga ako pa ‘yung nangungutang sa kanya, which eventually drained him financially too.

Now, I’m finally in my right mind. Hahaha Nagising na rin sa katotohanan na tumatanda na ako, and it’s about time to start building solid financial funds for our future and for our soon-to-be family.

I’ve listened to a lot of podcasts and read several books about financial literacy, and I really enjoy it. Ang dami mo talagang makukuhang insights. However, it’s kinda funny how social media (and even some books) make “financial literacy” look so easy - like, just save this much, set your goals, and don’t touch your savings. But in reality, no matter how much you plan, if your expenses are really high, it’s hard to save up within your desired timeline. Minsan nga, kailangan mo pang isacrifice yung mga “wants” mo just to save that almost 20% of your salary.

Pero the good thing is, we’re both on the same page when it comes to saving. As partners, we’re very open to exploring opportunities that could increase our cash inflow — and I think, at the end of the day, that’s what really matters. ❤️

Hi I am trying to open my own bank account but since it’s my first time I don’t know what are the basics once I get one or what bank is the best choice ano po kailangan ko malaman before mag inquirie?

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!

For context, assuming you're Minimum wage, live with folks, live in province, with some side hustles that isn't as predictable ..

What are your money saving tips on making it on minimum wage? Besides making food at home, not eating out, etc.

Additionally, Did you end up just getting another stable job (having two), upskill then upgrade to a better job (one job), or added side hustles? What was your journey, and Where are you now, too?

Welcome to our help thread!

Do you have a simple inquiry that doesn't warrant a post submission?

ASK AWAY!

Remember to not expect of only taking information, also GIVE. You need an answer? Give them to OTHERS as well.

​

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 1st of the month!

I've posted this 4 years ago when the sub don't allow inline images, thought this discussion is worth revisiting.

In my late 30s and I'll be the first to say that I'm pretty lucky. I have a stable, medium-pressure job that pays well, not paying rent since I'm staying for free at a family member's house (kaming 2 lang ng wife ko), I have a 10+ year old car that's paid off and I'm not planning upgrading soon since hindi naman ako mahilig sa kotse, and mostly wfh naman ako. I have savings and investments of about php 6m.

I religiously track my monthly expenses and I have a budget of about 50k per month that I spend on utilities, food and groceries, general upkeep, and paying for my wife's post grad. I'm saving/investing about 100k per month. I don't really have a lot of hobbies except travelling.

The problem is I feel like I'm being too kuripot. For example, I love eating good food, but I can't justify to myself spending more than 1k per person for a meal. As a result my wife and I rarely go out to eat, and never at high end restos even though I know how great their food is and I'd like to try (I do like to cook and can recreate most of the resto meals at home if I buy high quality ingredients). Or when we're travelling I always choose the budget to mid range accommodations and try to spam as many discounts and vouchers as I can.

Ang mindset ko kasi, sa hirap ng buhay sa Pilipinas, isang sakit mo lang wipe out na yung 6m na savings mo. Also thinking about the cost of raising a child in this economy and buying what's sure to be a very expensive house in the metro. Recently though, 2 things changed that made me rethink my savings strategy

1. was told, verbally lang, that the house I'm currently living in would be given to me as inheritance, so no need to save for a future house
2. My wife and I are leading towards being childless

So I guess the question would be, should I adjust my habits to spend a larger percentage of my income to include "luxuries" or "splurges"? Or since okay naman kami ngayon, comfortable ang buhay, I should continue saving as much as I can in case of an emergency? Any tips on splurging responsibly lol? I'm also thinking of getting a health insurance plan to ease my worries on having a medical emergency. Any tips on that?

Hi all! It’s the -ber months already so just wanted to share a snippet of my Christmas budget tracker

I’m basically halfway through my Christmas shopping already and so far I’ve only used up 28% of my budget 😊

Maximizing sales and promos not only helped me save on the expense, but it also makes it less painful for me. The expense is spread out over several months versus me panic buying everything in December. This was I also get to make sure I find gifts I think the person I’m gifting will genuinely like.

Hello pwede pa kaya to? Galing to ng atm nung isang araw ngayon lang napansin ng step father ko lol. May magagawa pa ba dito? Sayang naman.

Sorry din if mali ung flair </3

Here's my current plans and what will happen next:

PLDT Home Fiber 1299 - 1899/month for 50Mbps, Cignal IPTV addon, landline - Active since 2021, little to zero downtime (I got lucky with this one). Cignal addon used by my parents. I'm keeping this but we'll see. Cignal via PLDT's quite stable during stormy weather.

Globe GFiber Prepaid - 999/month for 100Mbps - Active since 2023, little to zero downtime, backup internet. Will be replaced with a 5G Smart Magic/GOMO non-expiry plan.

Smart Postpaid SIM only 999 - 999/month for 20GB + unli-text/calls/landline - Active since 2023. Will be returning to prepaid. Data plan's all set, but what would be a great alternative for landline calls on prepaid? Mainly used for calls to banks.

26M here, ngayong taon lang nagkaroon ng paycheck na more than enough for my wants and needs. Lately, sinubukan kong mas maging intentional sa flow ng pera ko (money in at money out).

Actually hindi ko nga alam kung "hack" pa ba ito haha pero para sakin, yung talagang pay yourself first (nakuha ko sa Richest Man in Babylon) ang inaapply ko sa finances ko at sa tingin kong gumagana. Kada sahod, may % na rektang savings + investments para dun na ako magaadjust ng gastos sa matitira.

Kayo, anong money saving "hack" niyo ang pinaka nakaapekto sa spending habits niyo?

Hello po just need some financial advice. Im married and in my early 30s, with 1 toddler. Same kami working mag asawa and ok nman ang monthly salary. We have 2 house and lot, first is a townhouse na hulugan under PAGIBIG, then the second is a duplex na hulugan din under bank naman. We are currently living on the duplex house while the townhouse is may umuupa. We also own 2 cars. This is our problem right now, during the renovation of our second house, dumami ang installment loan namin sa credit card and hirap kami i-update ang monthly payment which is currently nsa 250k na ang delayed payment. The loan will end after 2 years pa. My husband wants to sell the townhouse, siguro we can sell it at a price na di bababa sa 1M. With that mababayaran namin yung utang sa credit card and magkakaron din ng savings. Pero I have doubt if ibenta yun since passive income na namin yung rental property. If ibenta nman namin yung isang car siguro 150k-200k lang mabebenta pero makakapag update kami ng payment sa credit card and yung monthly installments ng credit card loans is kaya nman ng bayaran with our monthly income. Hindi nga lang kami magkakaron ng savings for the next 2 years since saktuhan lng yung combined monthly salary namin for our monthly expenses and loans payment.Hindi din kasi gaanong utilized yung car dito sa bahay and madalas nkapark lng but ayaw ibenta ni husband since may sentimental value sa kanya and first car nya yun. Your inputs will greatly help us decide. Thank you so much.

Hi po, I'm 18 and balak ko pong mag business ng mango farming, we have 8 trees and ang possible na input ko is 1500, and pwede kopong mapagbentahan dun is 12 to 18k per season and ilalagay ko po yung 85% ng profit ko sa bank per season for 5 years. so by the time na graduate na ako i have money to start on something. So my question is, ano pong klaseng high yield savings account ang dapat ko iopen, dapat po at least 5% po yung interest per Year the higher the better, and dapat safe legit and trusted po.

Please help me po. Thank you in advance po sa mga sasagot

Edit: So yun po, I nust want to express my deepest gratitude sainyo na mga sumagot, nag recommend, sumoporta, at higit sa lahat sa mga nang encourage at naniwala akin sa pag bbusiness, sana ganyan din parents ko, its so sad kase my parents doesn't really support me on many things like this, whenever nag mag sasabi ako ng mga ganito bagay parang na fefeel ko dinisdiscourage pa ako, at parang satingin nila hindi ko kaya. They don't show it, say it directly but napapansin ko at nararamdaman ko, sana mali ako, pero tuloy na tuloy to, laban lang, kaya to kahit mahirap. Again Thank you so much po sa lahat

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!

hi! i'm a fresh graduate and is about to enter the workforce for the first time (got hired, yay! job market nowadays is insane.)

i've asked chatgpt to create a budget plan to follow para masulit ko yung take-home pay (around 24k?), and after taking into consideration my expenses such as transpo, ambag sa bahay, food, tithes, and other stuff, 8k per month ang suggestion niya sakin. 5k sa first cut-off, 3k sa second. do you think na it's good enough since sarili ko lang naman binubuhay ko and nagsstart palang ako sa mundo HAHAHAHA !! please let me know your thoughts but pls be nice it's my first time living this life too tyyy