Expanding Your Peso

With the rising prices of various commodities nowadays (I suppose I need not mention them anymore because we all know what they are, right?) people are now setting their eyes on ways to expand the value of their well-earned peso. The way I see it, without our present crisis these measures may be branded by some as being kuripot or barat, but I believe even during normal days one should at least consider these measures for his own sake. Who in his normal mentality doesn’t want to earn more, anyway?

If there is one thing positive that this crisis did to us, I think it blurred the distinction between the so-called may-kaya and the maralita. Everyone has already felt the crunch and the need to tighten their belts. Every one of us now belongs in just one class—naghihirap.

To those who seem to ignore the crisis, I hope the crisis hit them, and may it hit them HARD!

So, as my way of feeling for the plight of fellow Filipinos in dealing with our present crisis, I wish to share some money-saving tips that hopefully would be of help to us all.

Take Public Transport

Today’s banner picture of the Philippine Daily Inquirer says it all—passengers of the MRT and LRT has reached critical levels. Suprising? Somehow I knew this would be happening sooner or later.

I once remarked to a fellow lawyer that the most practical person nowadays is one who has memorized all the routes of jeepeneys and buses, and one who can get to his desired destination in the least expensive way. How I wish I can be that practical person (well, at least in the memorizing part)!

If you remain to be apprehensive to take public transport because you may be viewed as walang pera or mahirap, I suggest you rethink such position as soon as possible. Public transport is the cheapest way to get to your destination. While I understand some concerns about public transport like security and safety, I say no one is secure or safe in his own vehicle either. After all, we are all the same—naghihirap.

Bath Time!

Something incredible happened last night. As I have been doing lately, I usually liten to late-night program on FM radio, particularly Boys Night Out on Magic 89.9 (Mondays to Thursdays, 9 pm to 12 midnight) and Stopover with DJ Patti on Jam 88.3 (Mondays to Fridays, 9 pm to 12 midnight). I often switch between these stations but I’m currently being hooked on Jam 88.3 because of their wonderful playlist (sorry boys!). And as what I have been doing while listening to these programs, I send tem my views and opinions regarding their topics for the show.

What was incredible about last night is that they both have the same topic—tips in save money. So I sent my tip—a single tip—to both shows, and they BOTH read my tip on air! How’s that for a tip!

What was the tip I sent them? You may be surprised by its simplicity.

It was actually not my tip. I got that tip when we bought this bar of soap from a herbal store somewhere in Quezon City. The soap—it is made from guava leaves and pulp, which is good for the skin—was a bit expensive, and because it is natural it easily dissolves in water. When I bought another bar for my mom after I’ve used mine, I told the saleslady about how the soap easily dissolves in water. Then she told me: they often tell their clients to cut the soap into quarters and to use each quarter one at a time. She explained that by using only each quarter at a time, you end up having four bars of the same kind of soap. Ever since she made that tip, we’ve been doing the same at home, and it works! Now we don’t have to buy that expensive (but effective) soap often.

Do the Walk

Scientific studies have already proven that walking is one of the safest exercises one can do. It is also the easiest for of exercise (one can do it without noticing that they are already burning calories by doing so).

This tip should be taken together with my first tip. If you still have that bias over taking public transport then you might want to consider this. It would not only be good for your money but good for your body too!

Care For Some Tip?

How about you? What tips can you share in saving our well-earned money? Maybe by sharing them we can all benefit from them. Peace!