Saving Tips Pinoy Style

[pau_ann]

ako mga sis as an ofw, i try not to splurge on materials things like gadgets and clothes. i think mostly yan ang trap for ofw. for example dito sa dubai, madalas mag-sale, so tendency bili dito bili doon. lalo na pag gadgets, nku kakalabas lang bili agad e after 2 months less 500 aed kagad [textspeak!] price nya from the previous. deadma sa mga bago labas na gadgets, as long as nagana pa yung mga phones ko keri lang.

as for sale, dont rush into buying just because its sale nga. tendency napapadami ka ng bili and may madadampot ka na hindi mo naman talaga need. for me tricky rin yang sale hehe. pag may gusto talaga ako i wait for it na mag sale then pag meron na un lang talaga bibilhin ko. no more tingin tingin na sa iba.

pero syempre kanya-kanya style of living yan, i just think mas madami pa pwede laanan ng money na worth it at pang future talaga.

[gil12]

Regarding inverter appliances, I think sulit talaga toh para sa ref kasi magdamag nakasaksak and ginagamit ang ref. Sa aircon naman, I read somewhere na dapat atleast 8 hours bukas or ginagamit aircon para ma-feel mo yung pagiging matipid niya. If you don't use the aircon that often, siguro okay na sa regular aircon.

1. Budget -every start of the month naka-budget na yan and I follow envelope system. Mas madali kasi alam ko kung san ako kukuha ng pera for specific expenses.

2. Record expenses -I have this android app called CamScanner. Lahat ng receipts I take a picture and automatic scanned siya. Iba ibang categories din yun so alam ko kung san ilalagay receipt for ganyan, ganto. Sobrang useful app and it's for free. At the end of the month, I email scanned receipts and record it naman in excel. Sa excel file dun ko makikita total or actual expenses for the month.

Magastos pa rin ako sobra, impulsive buyer kasi ako. Na-realize ko, I should limit my trips to the mall kasi ang dami ko nakikita eh, haha.

[enchoi]

Started using Expense Manager App this year and super laki ng naitulong nya sa akin.

Every gastos, log lang ako ng log sa cellphone so at any given time, alam ko kung magkano ang natitira sa wallet ko at sa atm ko.  Magaling din kasi nasa-summarize ko yung expenses ko per category. 

May budget din sya na nag-wawarn na over na ako sa budget.

I think kapag aware ka sa iyong financial position, talagang mas conscious ka to spend your money wisely.

Problema lang OC na ako... di ako mapakali pag di ko mareconcile yung balance ko with the actual money in my wallet. 

[dark_phoenix]

During payday, I immediately spread out (deposit it to my other accounts for utility bills, then deposit my allowance until the next payday on my other account.) my money for expenses, savings, and utility bills the same day kasi if I keep the money in my wallet there's a possibility na magagamit ko kaya dispose agad during payday.

I must say envelope system kaya lang yung envelope ko bank accounts. I work in a bank kasi so marami ako accounts sa bank namin. =D

[MoonshineLady]

1. pag dating ng sahod ang una mong ikakaltas agad ay ang savings mo. whatever % you wanted to save monthly yan ang dapat ikaltas mo agad and then live on what is left on your salary
2. if you are shopping always ask yourself if it is a need or a want? only buy the things u really need. if its only a want then dont buy it.
3. live within your means
4. tayong mga pinoy mahilig magshopping, kumain sa labas, mag good time etc. if you really wanna save up then advise ko is wag na lang kayong lumabas ng bahay.
5. every peso counts. kahit piso lang yan or 10 pesos, this amount goes a long way

[tischarmedlife]

sa akin effective din yung savings muna ang ibabawas and kung ano matira, pagkakasyahin sa mga expenses.

also, when I do my groceries, nakalista na ngayon lahat ng kailangan ko bilhin. Kahit kasama ko yung 6 year old son ko, hindi na kami bumbili nang mga hindi kailangan.

[dark_phoenix]

I also list down my expenses for the next payday para meron din akong monitoring.

[scruffs]

I am trying to do the envelope method. Pero most of the time I always have a budget to stick to. I don't buy at impulse kahit sale pa. Minsan siguro yes pero may limit pa rin. I have a credit card too, but I always make it to the point to pay in full on or before the deadline. Allergic ako sa finance charges and interests.

[unicorn_ChicMD]

1. grocery- i bring with me a list para iyon lang ang bibilhin and iwasan pumunta sa aisle na wala naman akong kailangan

2. limit dinner/lunch outs- we do this kapag weekends lang

3. electricity- naka off lahat ng ilaw sa umaga

4. if manunuod ng sine- i bring our own water/ softdrinks and junkfood(i keep in in my handbag)

[minabey]

1. Nagg-grocery kami isang beses isang linggo at bibilihin lang yung nakalista (hangga't maaari). Yung isa, taga check ng listahan, yung isa taga running balance para di mag over sa budget.

2. Kada sweldo, kaltas muna ipon, tapos bayaran ang babayarin, kung may matira yehey. Kung wala, nga-nga muna.

3. Pag umaalis, lagi may baon kutkutin at tubig para di hindi gutom na gutom pag kakain na at maiwasan bumili ng kung [textspeak!]-ano.

4. Gawing LED lahat ng ilaw hangga't maaari.

5. Wag magdala ng madaming cash pag namamasyal.

[andrada28]

Proven talaga na pagsimula ay yung self-assessment.
1. Lista kung ano yung average na pumapasok na pera. (Average lang kasi para sakin na project-based ang employment, minsan meron, minsan wala)
2. Alamin mga bills at expenses na hindi pwede mawala or idelay like sa bahay and food.
3. Try to check yung mga expenses na hindi naman kailangan like yung mga Uber (minsan sobra na), load, unexpected na labas, or mga bili ng tubig.

Tapos I realized kung gaano ako gumagastos sa mga bagay na hindi kailangan. One time, pinag compare ko gastos ko sa credit card at ipon sa bank. Mas malaki pa binayaran ko sa credit card buwan buwan kesa dun sa ipon. So nagkaroon ako ng matinding motivation to change my poor spending habits.

Nag open na din ako ng ibat ibang account para ma meet ko mga goals ko.
1. Metrobank: Credit card
2. Chinabank passbook: Emergency fund, bank certification
3. BPI: transactions or gastusin
4. Other accounts for my other goals: travel, education, even yung future ng anak ko through UITF (kahit single pako)

Onting tyaga lang. Sa una parang walang nangyayari lalo na kasi atleast 1K lang naman yung nilalagay mo sa bawat account. Pero magugulat ka andami pala nya pag naipon.

Saka kapag may ibat iba kang account, may system. May mas control ka sa kung anong dapat mo lang gastusin.
 

[Blair_w]

I use envelop and zero-based budgeting. Regular income is divided into categories (envelops) until nothing is left meaning up to the last centavo  is allocated and put into envelops.

Also, I agree with tracking my expenses. It makes me evaluate my spending every month and based thereon, i make financial decisions.

[Guada_FN]

As soon as I get my salary, I immediately deposit 20% of it to another account that I have no ATM access to

[lovemeagain30]

I do zero based budgeting before the salary comes in.
We do combined salaries samin mag asawa. in this way, we share both our dreams, fears and goals.
Envelope system din kami.
We dont have any kind of debt. We cut our credit cards a long time ago and we always use CASH in all our transactions.

Sa groceries, I buy buy 1 take one white distilled Vinegar bottles. Why? I use 1/2 cup vinegar in our laundry. Hindi na kami bumibili ng fabric conditioner -- plus hindi na rin kami madalas gumamit ng detergent soap! madalas just vinegar lang sa amin paglalaba. malinis na, mabango at malambot pa ang mga damit. Super matipid din.

Nagbabaon din kami mag asawa pati na anak ko. breakfast, lunch and merienda covered na.

Dati mahilig ako magpa plansta ng mga damit namin. I realized mas makakatipid kung ako na rin ang magplantsa ng mga damit namin on weekends.

I write and track all our expenses. maski piso sinusulat ko sa maliit kong notebook then i transfer it to my excel file. tedious gawin eto pero it helps me track kung san napupunta ang kinikita namin at kung san din kami pinaka magastos.

25% of our combined salaries goes to our emergency fund, investments and savings.

We write down our financial goals and post it in our fridge door. in that way may reminder kami kung bakit namin ginagawa etong pagtitipid, kung para saan purpose. it keeps our whole family involved pati na mga bata.

[fionaapple]

I have just discovered this thread. And I like this.

My saving tips:

1. Drink tap water when dining out. No sugar, healthier choice. Good for your pocket.
2. Bring baon  to work.
3. Bring your own water in your own containers/bottles when going out. Good for the health and good for Mother Earth.
4. For 2-income families, as much as possible, live on 1 spouse's income and don't withdraw the other spouse's money. (If you don't withdraw it, then you cannot spend it).  Live on 1 income only.

5. try to limit going out/dinners outside

6. online shopping saves me money. no parking fee, no unplanned meriendas/dinners, no temptation to buy new clothes/shoes, baby stuff.
--however, sometimes, online shopping is also a big temptation since you get to see all these stuff that you can easily buy with 1 click. so---

7. Don't always buy what you see online. Temper your shopaholic tendencies. Buy only what you need. --Ito talaga, madalas ang pitfall ko. i am sort of an online shopaholic.


These do not mean that we do not know how to have fun:

- I buy my husband what he wants whenever we have the budget. For example, hubby wanted us to have a shared interest/hobby and that is playing modern board games. So we buy our board games when we have the budget. He usually gets tempted to buy every month, but I tell him we cannot always buy a new board game every month because we need to follow a budget.

[patchiislove]

Envelope method really works for me aside from excel sheet template that we used to track our expenses. When we do budgeting, ina-advance naming yun tracker 1-2 months para sa mga expenses. In that way na mo-monitor namin yun mga bayarin or kung may idadagdag kami. Kung baga kung maluwag kami this month at sa mga susunod na buwan ay may mga additional na babayaran dun namin dinadagdag or kung may sobra inihulog naman namin yun sa account ni hubby. Good thing also na hindi kami maluho, basta we limit our expense talaga.

6. online shopping saves me money. no parking fee, no unplanned meriendas/dinners, no temptation to buy new clothes/shoes, baby stuff.
--however, sometimes, online shopping is also a big temptation since you get to see all these stuff that you can easily buy with 1 click. so---

relate to this ... 

[hushush]

Eto yung mga katipiran na ine-execute ko lately:
1. Dont shop using your cc lalo na kapag xmas season kasi matempt kang mag-overspend (dami sale, dami reregaluhan, etc)
2. Dont buy xmas gifts or costumes ng mga anak mo sa mall, unless wala ka talaga mabilhan kasi alam nating mas makakamura ka kung sa local market or baclaran/divi ka punta
3. Kung bibili ka sa baclaran/divi, try buying wholesale items, magugulat ka kung gano kalaki markup ng retailers.
3. For your daily needs lalo for daily meals/cooking mas laking tipid mamili sa talipapa kesa sa supermarket
4. Avoid going to malls with your kids every weekend lalo na ngayon xmas season, mapapagstos ka talaga kasi ang setup talaga ng malls nakakaengganyo gumastos. Makakita ka ng xmas tree, decors, makarinig ng xmas music, angsaya ng feeling diba? Then uungot anak mo na bilhan mo sya ng expensive toys or paglaruin mo sya unlimited sa playhouse..mahihirapan ka tumanggi.. Tapos may nakita kang mga shoes, clothes on sale.. "Pasko naman eh" ganun na lang yung maiisip mo justification.
5. When planning about gifts, pakaisipin mo kung worth it ba na ibili mo ng tangible gift or perahin mo na lang. Lalo na sa mga kabataan ngayon, angmahal na nga nun gift tapos magreklamo pa yan pag di nagustuhan ang gift mo..kung pera, kahit 100 pesos lang masaya pa yan kasi makadecide sila kung san gagastusin: load, fastfood, makeup, tsinelas /damit na gusto nila, etc.
6. Huwag magbakasyon or magtravel abroad pag December kung wala sa budget.staycation ka na lang. Malamig naman sa Antipolo eh. 
7. Avoid attending getos with your old beshies unless may host kasi mapapagastos ka. Pamasahe or gas pag malayo ang geto venue plus food, pag makantyawan ka e ikaw gagastos para sa food ng lahat ng attendees.
8. Avoid attending too much bday parties or events like every weekend umaattend ka. Gastos sa gifts, baka pede next year na lang attenan yung iba
9.kung pupunta ka ng mall para mag-unwind or "me time". Magdala ka lang ng sapat na pera panggastos like 500. Leave your atm card/cc to avoid impulsive buying. Bring small bag only. Dont bring shopper bag. Bringing big bag will tempt you to fill it up kasi sayang naman ipinunta mo sa mall, might as well buy this or that. Pag liit lang bag mo, madidiscourage ka bili lalo na kung tulad ko na hate magbitbit ng plastic bag.
10. Practice self-control pag nag-oonline shopping. Mas ok kung cash ang bayaran para kung wala sa budget or wala ka enough cash to buy, hanggang tingin at lunok ka na lang. Matuto kang magcontrol..
11.kung may gusto ka bilhin na medyo mahal, itapat mo na may important event like anniv nyo ni husband or bday mo o kaya xmas... Then ibilin mo sa asawa mo with lambing para gift kamo nya sayo..

[weng.totz]

i will keep this in mind. dito ako natuto ng pag eenvelope. kahit minsan nag zero balance pa din ako at minsan negative nakakapagtabi pa din ako kahit 500 lang kada sahod. I am working for my financial independence. konting tipid pa ako.

[khaleeesi]

Master the following:
1. "kailangan ba o gusto lang" mantra
Basically, when you're in the mall or kahit anong shopping place or site, always ask yourself kung kailangan mo ba talaga yung item o gusto mo lang. Kung kailangan mo talaga, then go buy it. Kung gusto lang, pass.

2. hindi para sayo technique
Can't choose between two items? Don't buy any of them. Gantong ganto ako sa mall lalo na kapag di talaga ako makapagdecide kung alin ba ang bibilhin ko, si item 1 or si item 2? Para walang gulo, di ko na lang bibilhin both. Wala pang gastos. Or kung kailangan mo talaga, bitawan mo pareho, umalis ka and take sometime to think. Minsan uuwi pa ko. Tas pag bumalik ako after a few days, or a week at andon pa sya, edi para sakin yon. Lmao.

I managed to master these two and ended up saving a lot esp kung mahilig kang bumili ng kung [textspeak!]-ano.

[salted caramel macaron]

Nice thread. Lot's of great tips :-)

Other ideas:

- For Christmas, do a Secret Santa, that way everyone gets one nice present instead of having to buy for multiple people.

- Potluck parties, in lieu of gifts. Kids get so many toys these days and it works for adult parties too. Assign the type of food or bev instead of getting presents.

- Host a swap for clothing, books, kitchen supplies, etc.

- Always buy second hand

- Plant your own fruit and veg. Container gardening if your backyard is concrete.

- When you are tempted to spend, keep reminding yourself, that the less you spend, the sooner that you can retire. :-)