Desperate times call for desperate measures. There will come a point in time where, in the middle of your juggling-of-academic-and-social-life stunt, you'll tell yourself "that's enough, I have to do something para mabawasan paghihirap magsumikap ng mga magulang ko for my education."
This came to my mind when one of my parents became unemployed which resulted in our family income plunging 55% - yes and I'm not overestimating here. It was sudden, and it was hard to adjust. I became depressed, at some point, because it was so tough I thought I might not be enrolling in the next semesters. But good thing, I did some actions in advance which helped kept us afloat, even now.
Now, would you have to wait for such tragic thing (as mine) to happen to yours? You wouldn't right?
How can a student, a teenager, or a young adult become less financially dependent of their parents? You may ask, how can I assist my parents in the middle of tuition fee increases, food price hikes, rental rate increments? What students don't know is that they can do A LOT to make life easier both for them and their parents.
Here are five (5) awesome ways I did in order to help my parents lessen the burden, while we were going through the financial black hole that was sucking us out into oblivion. And I'm definitely emphasizing saving here, hehe.
1. Apply for scholarships. Study hard and smart.
Fact one. College-related and after-college expenses increase every year! Actually, the price for expenses will usually go up as we age! Don't forget that almost everything that has a price tag in it is becoming more expensive! Blame it on inflation. Books become more mahal. Internet shops make you their cash cow. Professors give you projects for additional credits. The list goes on.
One thing you can actually do, especially if you're such a smart *ss (or just an *ss), is to really focus and study hard! It's true there are just brighter students out there who come out of the top of the class, because their well-off parents nurtured them well. Now, here's the gist. If you think you're not that type of genius I've mentioned in the sentence prior this, it's not your fault, but it's your fault if you won't do something about it!
This will always be fact number two! Hardworking, diligent students most oftentimes level with, and in some cases outshine, bright students. I have known people who are definitely smart, but fail classes because they don't attend or fail to submit on time, or don't submit at all. Studying hard and smart is the key to getting a scholarship!
You want a scholarship? Work hard to get it! :)
2. Save chunks of your allowances.
Admit it ('cause I do). It's hard to save, especially at this moment that iPhones and other smartphones plus other gadgets, add to that the hobbies that we happily immerse ourselves into (studying at tea shops, partying), lure us into spending more. But you have to realize, that even just by saving 50 Php everyday, you can already have money to pay for your books next month.
Here's an additional tip. We talk about chunks. Yes, you will save up, but please don't save up and then end up compromising your health because you're not eating well. You've got to be kidding me! Hilarious!
3. Get a part-time job! And save.
There are a lot of part-time jobs out there. You can become a baby-sitter, a tutor, a call center agent, or perhaps, a bartender at Starbucks! You just need to have the guts and the motivation. If you really want to help your parents, you know doing this is the right thing. And there's nothing wrong with it.
And remember, save up a lot - not too much that you won't have anything left for you to relax and enjoy. The earlier that you save, the earlier you're training yourself to spend less and be thrifty, the bigger the amount that you can chip in to take the burden of college education your parents are currently bearing.
4. Blog and earn! And save!
I started blogging when I was in my late years (nineteen, I think)). And I found out about Google ads during that same period. I have to be honest, it's hard to earn via blogging especially when you aren't that good of a writer whose articles can be easily searched on the web or whose topics are in demand - you know, professional bloggers call this SEO optimization. Mine isn't that optimized, but still I earned, in some way.
And tada! I just got my first paycheck from Google after years. :)) It's slow, but it's better to have earned (and waited for it) than never right? You have to make really good articles (via Blogger), and you have to build around you an audience that could stick with you all through out the year. It's tougher for me, 'cause I blog anonymously. I didn't want to subject my identity to the public, not because what I do is illegal (which isn't), but because I want people to know about my blog/s and not about the author behind the blog. I don't want to be known, but rather, I want my blog be known and share and influence change.
And, don't forget to save! Saving is compulsory if you really want to pay at least part of your tuition (or your daily expenses) or support yourself during the tough times.
5. Invest what you have saved!
Investing can come in a variety of ways. You can invest in a startup (or build one with your trustworthy friends!). You can invest in public companies via COL Financial. If you want to know how to invest in PH companies like Jollibee (JFC) and SM Malls (SM), visit this post. Also, here are reasons why I joined the stock market.
But where should you invest the most? What't the biggest investment? YOU. Invest big-time in yourself! Grow and learn in the best way you can! The world is just so awesome to live in, and it becomes more awesome with people who give out their best shot and invest in themselves!
But where should you invest the most? What't the biggest investment? YOU. Invest big-time in yourself! Grow and learn in the best way you can! The world is just so awesome to live in, and it becomes more awesome with people who give out their best shot and invest in themselves!
See. You know, you don't have to wear the hippest brands just to be in. Or be loud about what you do - e.g. posting food trips all the time, going to the malls to buy new clothing for next month. Saving has always been, and always will be, one of the best cool things to do that teenagers and young adults sometimes fail to realize!
P.S. I made this short, given the fact that it will bore you if I post lengthy stuff. Hope this post helped some of you!
P.S. I made this short, given the fact that it will bore you if I post lengthy stuff. Hope this post helped some of you!
p.P.S. If you're interested in reading more life-based money stories, here are some of them:
Two financial lessons I learned from Mama and Papa when I was a kid
5 steps that may help students (actually anyone) become rich (Part 2)Two financial lessons I learned from Mama and Papa when I was a kid
