Can you feel the summer heat?
There’s no denying it, it’s summer time once again here in the Philippines. And for most Filipinos, summer is two things: vacation and relaxation.
Have you already planned out your summer getaway with your family and friends? What do you have in mind, is it going to be the beach or somewhere far from your usual daily routine? Regardless of how you want to spend your summer, one thing is for sure: you are indeed spending for it!
In my experience as a wealth coach, summer vacation can be one of the most expensive and leading cause of personal debt here in the Philippines (maybe next to Christmas season), especially if you don’t plan and budget your finances.
So, in order for you not to regret why you partied too much in Summer, you better make sure you don’t just splurge and splurge and splurge! Read on and check out my 4 simple hacks to save money this summer without compromising the fun and experience.
1. RECYCLE
Because summer season is warmer and more humid, of course, this calls for a summer OOTD. But do you really need that new pair of swimming trunks or swimsuit? Do you really need to get your hands on those new summer dress collection?
Summer season happens only once a year so this means that your summer OOTDS haven’t really had too much exposure, so you can recycle and wear them again! Check out your closet and bring out those outfits from the previous summer seasons and bring them back to life! Do mix and match. You may also want to be more creative and revise them to match what’s in for the season. Get those scissors and sewing kit ready and see how much money you can save!
2. GROUP SHARING
Summer time is more fun when shared with family and friends! And on a more practical note, you can actually cut down on your expenses when you split the budget with the group. For instance, instead of occupying an Airbnb space for Php 1500 a night, why not share the room with your friends and split the bill! This is also applicable for your summer destinations; registration and reservation fees can quite hurt your pocket unless you decide to split the cost among yourselves.
3. TRAVEL LOCAL
Many Filipinos love to travel abroad during summer time which can be quite expensive, to be honest. If you want to save money and still have 100% fun, why not consider traveling local? Take a land trip instead of a plane trip. There are so many tourist destinations here in our very own country – even foreigners come to visit! Plus, you get to help promote the country’s tourism and of course, it’s less expensive. Check out some of our local tourist destinations here in the Philippines that you haven’t visited yet and you’ll be amazed how it’s more fun in the Philippines, indeed!
4. JOIN CHINKEE TAN’S IPON CHALLENGE
Who said that Chinkee Tan’s Ipon Challenge is only for the rainy days? The idea of setting aside money is for you not to hurt your regular budget, which means, what’s intended for the utilities should not be used for something else. But this idea of saving can also be used for fun times like enjoying a summer escapade! You are challenged to set aside a specific amount of money in order to achieve a certain goal.
Start by determining the amount that you need for that summer getaway and decide how much money you’re willing to set aside in order to achieve that amount. And because saving requires time, I suggest you also set a realistic time frame. If three months is enough for you to hit your goal then you can start the Ipon Challenge at the beginning of the year. You can learn more about the Ipon Challenge and Chinkee Tan’s other lessons on financial education in his blog.
Remember, while it’s OK to enjoy, it’s also smarter to make sure that we learn to balance everything, especially our finances. After all, it’s going to be us who’s going to either enjoy or suffer. And we definitely want the former! Have a great summer!
THINK. REFLECT. APPLY.
Can you think of other hacks that can help you save money this summer? List them down.
Why is it important to balance leisure and handling your finances?
What happens when you’re all fun and no saving and budgeting?
“He who does not economize will have to agonize” – Confucius
To know more about ipon tips, please join me at chinkeetan.com/ipk
Chinkee Tan’s Wealth of Advice appears Wednesdays on GoodNewsPilipinas.com
(Chinkee Tan is a top Filipino motivational speaker, wealth and life coach whose goal is to inform, educate, motivate, and disturb. His vision is to help people become financially-literate and debt-free. For more info about Chinkee Tan, please visit his fan page at FB, Twitter and Instagram. Also follow VIBER PUBLIC CHAT GROUP search chinkee tan, and VISIONCHINKEE on You Tube for more news and encouragements.)
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