Before 2015 ended, I came across a lot of saving challenges to start off the coming year. There was the 52-week "kuripot" (frugal) challenge, and the 52-week reverse "kuripot" challenge, among many others.
I did not get the point in an increasing or decreasing saved amount, so I thought of making my own money challenge for 2016 -- to save Php2,000 every week in my piggy bank as shown above.
After putting in my first two thousand pesos, I changed my mind and thought of doing something else instead.
Shift Happens
If I save Php2,000 every week into my piggy bank for 52 weeks, I will have a fixed amount of Php104,000 by the end of 2016. That is guaranteed.
But being the high-risk/high-return kind of person that I am, I told myself, "Why not invest these small amounts into the stock market instead and make it my giant piggy bank?"
And that is exactly what I did.
16 Weeks Later...
If I continued saving, I would have had Php32,000 today.
But through my online stockbroker, COL Financial, I invested and was able to build my stocks portfolio.
In January, I bought 10 shares of Ayala Corporation (AC).
In February, I failed to add on my portfolio.
In March, I bought 5 shares of PLDT (TEL), 100 shares of Double Dragon (DD), and 20 shares of Metrobank (MBT).
This month, April, I bought additional 60 shares of MBT, and 200 more shares of DD.
In total, at average prices plus charges, I spent roughly Php32,000 for all these.
Upon checking last Friday, below is my updated stocks portfolio.
Upon checking last Friday, below is my updated stocks portfolio.
| Stock Code | Stock Name | Market Price | Total Shares | Market Value | Gain/Loss | %Gain/Loss |
| AC | Ayala Corporation | 782.0000 | 10 | 7757.33 | 1604.01 | 26.07% |
| DD | Doubledragon Properties Corp. | 37.5000 | 300 | 11160.56 | 961.85 | 9.43% |
| MBT | Metropolitan Bank & Trust Com. | 84.0000 | 86 | 7164.40 | -233.52 | -3.16% |
| TEL | Phil. Long Distance Tel. Co. | 1896.0000 | 5 | 9404.63 | 393.12 | 4.36% |
| TOTAL EQUITIES | 35,486.92 | |||||
| TOTAL EQUITIES GAIN/LOSS | 2,725.46 | |||||
Note that the additional 6 shares of MBT were as dividends from last year, and I also received cash dividends from TEL and MBT this year.
Saving and Investing
We save our emergency fund. This is the money we keep in banks or piggy banks for easy access.
But if we really want to grow our money, we invest it. The easiest way is through the stock market.
My Php32,000 capital is now worth more than Php35,000 today. How much more if I keep adding small amounts until five or ten years from today.
This is the "evident" reason why I keep encouraging you to invest TODAY, and not later.
Grow your money. Learn how to make it work for you. So that in the long run, you can stop working for money, pursue your passion, spend time with people that matter and live life based on your own terms.
Two years later today... November 2017
(Updating this post)
AC is now priced at Php1,017/share.
DD is at Php37.40/share.
MBT sells at Php95.85/share.
And TEL is at Php1,500/share.
It's bonus season once again, and if you have no plans of investing yet, I think that you should think twice, even thrice.
Remember that nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.
Happy long-term investing!
P.S.
I hope you find this post helpful, and kindly click the SHARE buttons below. Send me an email anytime at financialplanningforpinyos@gmail.com. I would love to hear your thoughts.
