MY THIRD gift to you this Christmas (after Sex, and Good Health) is Money.
Yeah, you wish I’d just write you a check.
But no.
I mean, I would—if you were my boyfriend, or girlfriend, or something.
But since we are not, I still wanna give you some money.
But it would be money from your own money.
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I’m not a money person.
I really do not know what to do with money.
I mean, whenever I have money, I either spend it, save it, or invest it.
For a while, I just saved a lot of my money.
Then, about five years ago, I started investing on real property.
Then, about two years ago, I started spending some of my money on travels.
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I do not hate money.
But I also do not love it.
This is true: having money does not make me happy.
This is also true: having money gives me a different level of confidence.
Maybe a sense of security, too.
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I do not stress myself about money.
Well, maybe a little.
If I have less than half a million pesos in a Philippine savings account, and less than $10,000 in an American checking account, I go a little crazy.
I can even feel white hair growing on my temples when I check my bank accounts and find these.
So, I make sure I keep those bank balances where I want them to be.
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I don’t have a lot of money.
My resources are not limitless.
Right now, I’m still unemployed.
So I really don’t have money coming in.
It’s just money going out all the time for about five years now.
But of this, I am proud: I do not have debts.
My credit card expenses are on autopay, and they are fully paid on their scheduled due dates.
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I am a happy person because I do not have loans.
I do not have a lot of money, but I do not owe people money.
I’m proud about that.
And that’s my gift to you: the wisdom of not owing other people money.
If you do not owe anyone any money, you can afford to look at anyone in the eye.
Even when you are wearing rags.
Or even when you haven’t eaten in three days.
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Not owing anyone money is level 1 in my scheme of financial freedom.
Level 2 is actually having some money—preferably in the bank.
Level 3 is having money to buy whatever you want, and when you want it.
Level 4 is having so much money you can actually buy the loyalty and friendship of people.
But I don’t really go for Level 4.
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So, how do I save you money this Christmas?
(And I consider this my gift to you!)
Simple. By starting you on a budget.
Granted that you have some money coming in—salaries, Christmas bonus, 13th month pay—I want you to budget that money as follows: expenses of daily living (to include cellphone load and internet data), 50%; Christmas gifts, 10%; Christmas parties, 10%; gift to self, 10%; and savings, 20%.
To be happiest, I want you to strictly stick with this budget.
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This Christmas, try to be simple.
Do not buy any new wardrobe, or wardrobe accessories, for your Christmas parties.
Use what you wore three years ago if they still fit.
No new shoes, new bags, new clothes, new makeup.
Let the other people talk.
Wear only the smile of knowing you are saving yourself 20% of all the money coming in this Christmas season.
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Slow down on Christmas gifts.
Don’t give gifts that aim to impress this year.
If you are a regular gifter, the recipients have already been impressed.
If they look down on your simplified gift, give them the finger.
These people won’t feed you when you go hungry.
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Again, let the other people talk.
That way, you will know which people love you for you; and which ones love you for what you can give.
If the 10% for Christmas gifts can only afford Christmas cards, then give Christmas cards.
But stick to your budget.
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If all the Christmas parties would cost you more than your 10% budget, consider not attending some of them.
I mean, I think you should just pay the penalty of P500 for not attending some compulsory Christmas parties.
How much does it cost to attend a Christmas party if you need to impress your coworkers with new clothes, and extravagant (exchange) gifts?
I say, if your company is not paying for the food and drinks, skip that Christmas party.
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Am I a party pooper?
Maybe.
But for the right reasons.
If you can’t afford to party, just don’t.
Better that you have money saved for emergencies, and a sense of security, than extravagant partying that leaves you in debt.
To be honest, I am not a fan of Filipino fiestas that make our people one-day-millionaires.
I hate that people show off with eating and drinking parties that they really can’t afford.
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Party me this: friends and family gather around hot chocolate drinks, and the lowly puto; with Christmas songs playing softly in the background; and having fun retelling stories of Christmas past and present.
Party me this: friends and family gifting each other cash, maybe P100, for cellphone load credits, or whatever P100 can buy these days.
Party me this: friends and family going together to watch a movie at the local FDCP Cinematheque where the movies are way cheaper than the movies at cinemas in the malls.
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I really wish that people would reinvent the celebration of Christmas, and Christmas parties.
Can we please stay away from materialistic and consumeristic ways of celebrating the season?
Can we please stop showing off what we can buy, and what we can give?
Can we please start thinking about saving some money for the new year?
Really, can we just please give love this Christmas? (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
