Penny Picker

I make it a habit to pick up any coin that catches my eyes on the floor, on the road, even in the gutter. This penny picking habit of mine is a self imposed habit I have developed to remind myself that "pennies" or centavos are just as important as thousand peso notes or checques.

 To emphasize the point, I regularly remind friends who look at me in disbelief when I pick coins; that a person who is unwilling to stoop down to pick up a lowly coin has no business gazing towards heaven to ask for blessings.

 I came to this humbled state when I once turned down an out of town hosting job, many, many, years ago because the TF or talent fee, did not conform with industry standard. Back then, people on TV followed a pricing system whenever our services were required to host or emcee an event.

 I was too conscious about following the standard that I overlooked the fact that I should have been honored to have been asked, that I should have considered the financial limitations of the group and the fact that at the end of the day, "Work is Work." Sometimes bottom lines prevent us from realizing "relationships" as well as collateral benefits.

 Just to rub salt on the wound, a week later I found myself needing exactly the same amount of money that I had turned down the week earlier. I just thank GOD that I learned from this lesson in humility instead of being bitter or belligerent.

 Through the years I have somehow managed to devise a system where I separate the commercial engagements versus the non-commercial, ministry related events. I've also developed a way of knowing the collateral benefits or how to maximize what initially seems like a "non-profit" situation.

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 For instance, whenever I get invited to emcee, speak or lecture in Cebu by church members or organizations, I try to bring my family with me as a built in - low cost family vacation. Since my airfare and hotel are already covered, I'm vacationing for free while my family pay reduced hotel rates.

 When my friends in media learned that I agreed to be a "billboard endorser" for FREE, they said I was either stupid or too nice. I patiently explained to them that even if I wanted to, I could not afford to have a gigantic billboard at the heart of the Magallanes interchange. But by agreeing to endorse a weight loss center, the giant billboard gave me long - term pubic exposure at a time when I dropped out of television. This is what we refer to in church as a form of "divine promotion" when GOD gives you favor with people at no extra cost.

 Perhaps it would help others to think differently about "pricing" if they were to connect certain "price" issues to a face. If you're haggling over a P5,000 fee, try thinking of it as the price you pay for your maid's salary. P10,000 might not even cover a secretary, if you multiply P15,000 by 3; I figure it would cover one-year tuition fee for someone in grade school.

 That's what my wife Karen and I have always reminded ourselves, what people call small amounts are big sums for small people. Just think in terms of the salaries you pay or the people you help and you easily get over the hump or the roadblock.

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 When I received the invitation to be a "guest columnist" for The FREEMAN, our publisher Miguel Belmonte was unsure if I would accept the invitation due to financial considerations. It is flattering to see how people place a "high value" or pricey expectation for ones' work.

 But on the other hand, such an impression or stigma has often caused columnists to lose out on jobs or work because people don't even bother to ask or find out if we would be interested or would consider it. After briefly considering the invitation, I texted Miguel that "Work is Work."

 That last thing that I would want to experience is to eat humble pie once again because I turned down work due solely to financial considerations. I know only too well that to be a "guest columnist" of The FREEMAN is a privilege and to be able to reach out to its readers an undeniable honor. This is undoubtedly another one of GOD's "divine promotions."

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