Where did your first 'lockdown sueldo' go?
This article is for the lucky salaried employee who got his salary in full recently.
It has been a crazy “kinsenas” for all of us. The lockdown or enhanced community quarantine started on March 15, 2020 and all our work, social, spiritual and other behaviors have been altered drastically as we are asked to do our part to just stay home in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic affecting everyone around the world.
This article will be short and sweet. You may pause and say thank you for all the blessings that you still have around you, including receiving your salary this pay day.
Next, may I invite you to think about the things that you were not able to do and spend on because of the crisis?
- Starbucks or your favorite signature coffee
- lunch out
- milk tea
- Grab or Angkas expenses
- gasoline expense
- parking expense
- weekend gimmicks
- canceled party or gift to your canceled party
- canceled summer outing
- movie tickets
- shopping
- dates
- massages
- other salon services
- other expenses saved due to lockdown
Add the total of the above expenses
Here’s one that we came up with using a quick survey among millennial/gen z workers.
How about yours? How much did you come up with? I’m sure it’s a decent amount. If you’re one of the lucky salaried employees who just got his paycheck in full, let’s get to the next step.
Assess the following:
1. Your emergency fund. Is it at least three – six months of your expenses already? (Put in time deposits or money market funds.)
2. Your dream fund(s). Have you started any bucket for your next trip, gadget, car, house, learning investment, etc.? (Invest in medium term funds such as bond or balanced funds.)
3. Your retirement fund. Have you already set up something that’s regular and automatic that will augment whatever you will get from SSS or GSIS? (It is the best time to start your automatic investment in equity index fund.)
4. If you’re the breadwinner, do you already have a life insurance? (Talk to a competent insurance agent and ask for the most cost-efficient term insurance best suited for your existing needs.)
5. Help fund. Have you donated to any of the many causes you can contribute to right now? (Vet the trustworthiness of the person/entity you’re donating to. Scams are again present to take advantage of people’s generosity and feeling of panic at the moment.)
The above already give you a good number of options where to put savings. Do so and put to good use those unplanned savings. This way you get to make something good out of this extraordinary crisis.
What do you want to learn?
I wish to ask you to help me come up with contents that are relevant to our ongoing crisis. Please shoot me an email on what you’d like to learn more on, read about, watch, to help you get through your current circumstances. Is there any course you’d like to take up now that you’re on a lockdown? Is there anything that you’d love to hear from FQ Mom right now? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at FQMomm@gmail.com.
Stay safe and sane everyone.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Watch the edited version of last Sunday’s #SundayFamDay on our YouTube channel (Click here). Should you wish to see the full live version, please click here. In this episode, the boys did a warm up dance exercise, we gave updates on what’s happening including an excerpt from an interview with Rep. Joey Salceda, Marvin demonstrated a way to fold your towel “ala-KonMarvin,” and answered your questions. We invite you to join us live on Sunday at 5 p.m. for our fourth Sunday edition of this get together.
2. If you missed yesterday’s Mom & Son Podcast, you may click to listen to this, especially if you need to have a rest from all the COVID-19 news. Click this.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6MaQwqx8VoqHWJlgAE3Nte?si=9szYUt5OSRWZpVfl-wRJlw
3. Have you read my book “The Emotional Cycle of Investing”? You may download it now for free only during the lockdown period.
4. If you haven’t yet, now is the time to start your FQ journey. If you’ve taken this six or so months ago and you want to check how you have improved, you may take it again by clicking the link: https://forms.gle/tSHBiGtwpWHaKVzU9
5. Reading is another coping mechanism for the lockdown. If you haven’t yet, may I invite you to read any of the FQ Mom books?
Attributions: Photos from freepik.com, modified and used to help deliver the message of the article.
