We have to learn to spend smartly. Like now, I seldom buy magazines since I can just view them in the Internet. We are so wired right now, that you unconsciously spend so much time browsing the Net. And the good thing about it, it doesn’t add to the magazine clutter at home. (I do keep some since most of the comics and magazines I have can be considered as collector’s items already)
Last year, I paid off and closed three of my credit card accounts. I realized that even if some consider it as a lifesaver in case of emergencies…been there, done that, and the card is just pure temptation. Having that huge credit limit is actually a black hole and will suck your hard earned money into oblivion. The interests and penalties are just outrageous. Before, I spent about 20,000.00 pesos every month just to pay off my credit cards, and that’s just settling the minimum balance with about an additional thousand or two to try to lower the remaining balance.
With those gone I can now proudly say…been there and now I am totally done with it. I have to live within my means. Sure, it’s exciting to see that you have a hundred thousand credit limit, but how will you ever pay that off? If I had that kind of money in the first place, why would I even need a credit card? Prestige status? Does having dozens of credit cards show how successful you are in life?
What are the basic necessities of Life? (Click on the following to view my opinions on Bare Necessities)
I was also never a huge fan of hanging out in bars. People usually spend a lot in booze and bar chow. What we do is just hang out at home; I buy my liquor at a store in Greenhills that for me has the lowest retail prices on bottled drinks. You get to cook your own bar chow with minimal cost, play your own music at the right volume and not blast your eardrums, and still have that fun filled evening with friends and family.
(Is that sunlight?? Johnnie in the middle of the day??)
I admit, I have splurged every now and then, such as bringing the family to the zoo or recreational parks, spending the weekend in a hotel or watching a Broadway play, or having dinner out at a famous restaurant. And it’s true, the happiness, experience and togetherness that these activities bring to the family is priceless. But we have to realize that there are other practical alternatives.
Like in the case of my 3 year old son; I already brought him to Ocean Park (Ocean Park Adventure) a couple of months back, and that was with a huge discount from the partnership Ocean Park had with the company I work for. He was so happy and excited to see all those attractions, but he experienced the same happiness and excitement when we took him for a ride in the MRT (Metro Rail Transit). If you compare the expenses, I spent a couple of thousand pesos in Ocean Park, but taking a ride on the transit was no more than a hundred bucks.
Different monetary values, but same priceless moment of happiness.
With this, I shall leave you with two quotes to ponder on:
“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”. ~Confucius
“To be happy, do not add to your possessions, but subtract from your desires.” - Anonymous
No comments:
Post a Comment