I recently became part of a financial Facebook group, and there I realized that I am not alone; that there are many of us who are part of the Sandwich Generation, who have been working for years but on some days we feel "stuck" where we are financially as we need to support our aging parents while building the life we dream for ourselves, and for our own family.
Instead of feeling "stuck," let us feel blessed for having the capability to support two generations, and still be able to live the life of our dreams. As what I recently heard from a podcast, Ms. Eleanor Lee Teo said, "The money we make is not for us, it's for other people. Being able to manage your money is a superpower, that not everyone has the gift; but we all have the opportunity to learn it. So please, make it a priority. Learn it, understand it, harness it; and when you do, go out and help other people. Do it for them. At the end of the day, I promise you, it will be the most fulfilling thing you've ever done in your life." (I will be sharing more of this in a future post.)
Let me share with you what I have learned over the years..
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Today is payday. Yay! And while there is this unending list of things we need to pay month after month -- from insurance premiums, monthly loan amortizations, bills, groceries, gas and toll allowance, Shopee finds, etc. (the list goes on..), I hope that you are making it a priority to PAY YOURSELF FIRST.
Admittedly, this is one of the worst financial mistakes I have made in the past, which taught me a very valuable lesson.
And I am sharing this with you here so that you can avoid committing that same mistake.
My Personal Story
It was in 2013 when I found myself flat broke and living paycheck after paycheck. Because I was well compensated at work, with bonuses and incentives, I spent my money knowing that my payroll account gets replenished two weeks after.
Every time I would get a salary increase, my standard of living also increases. This is what we refer to as lifestyle inflation.
Then one day, it hit me. I was already in my early 30s then and have been working for more than a decade. Although I did not have any liabilities, sadly, I did not have any assets either. It was a rock bottom moment and at that point, I had the humility to admit that I was broke, and made the decision that I want to get out of that cycle.
I Became a "SEMINAR-ian"
From spending money on stuff, I began investing first in knowledge. I signed up for the Truly Rich Club. I bought and read financial books.
I attended one seminar after the other. I attended the Wealth Summit, Money Summit, and even the Franchise Summit.
And because these seminars are paid (as charging a fee separates the committed from the non-committed), I made sure that I apply the things I learn from the speakers.
Then I enrolled in an Online Marketing Course and Book Writing Course, which I came to know from the seminars I attended, as I was searching for other ways to grow my income while I was also in the process of lowering my expenses.
That Online Marketing Course led to the birth of this blog, which has been my way of reaching out to as many people as I possibly can. As an introvert, this blog is my way of sharing my message to the world, and blessing and serving others.
I Began PAYING MYSELF FIRST with 20 Percent of My Income
My mantra became, "Twenty percent of what I make is mine to keep."
Aside from my day job, I tried a lot of side hustles for that additional income. I sold brand new clothes from Bangkok, sold ukay-ukay, organized farm tours, became an affiliate marketer, became a distributor of an organic liniment, and became an insurance agent. I wanted to earn as much as I can so I can retire from work as early as I can.
And where did I put this twenty percent?
I began investing in the Philippine stock market, as this was the easiest and most affordable way to start. I opened an account with an online stockbroker with my Php5,000, and bought minimum shares of stocks of blue chip companies payday after payday.
I also insured my future income by getting my first life insurance policy.
By God's Grace, I was able to quit employment in 2018..
My ultimate goal was to be able to quit employment and be able to take care of my very young daughters as a full time mom, and do everything else on the side.
By God's grace, I was able to quit employment in 2018. My ultimate goal has been ticked off! From seeing them four times a week when I was still working, to waking up next to them every single day! It was pure bliss! I was not only witnessing them grow over the years, but I grew with them as well. Our bond has been the closest!
And because my husband has been providing for us, always giving us more than what we need and what we could possibly want (let me also take this opportunity to honor and thank him for being the best husband and the best father anyone could possibly pray for), I stopped having new dreams. I stopped having big dreams. I did not only retire from a job, but I retired from life.
And today, four years later, I am making a bold decision not to live that way anymore..
It was such a blessing that I came across the podcast episode I mentioned above. It was as if God was speaking to me through her message. And I also remembered what I have read from the book Hey, Is That Really, Really You, Lord? by Rey Ortega years back. He said, "Retirement is an insult to God who has blessed me with a heart that keeps on beating for the dreams and hopes of others."
Final word.
Developing the habit of paying yourself first is not for you alone. It is not just for the fulfillment of your dreams. But also be able to help fulfill the dreams of others through you. I pray that we learn to live a life bigger than ourselves, so that we continue to grow as much as we can, earn as much as we can, and be able to give as much as we can.
Wake up everyday with that burning passion, and there will never be a day that you will feel "stuck" again.
Be very blessed!
P.S. I hope you find this post to be of value. If you think someone you know can resonate with the message I am trying to convey, kindly share this post. Appreciate it very much!
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