09/06/2021
Hi!! Im Mj, 24, from Bulacan.
I work as a chef in an International Cruise ship that sails all around the world, working 12-13 hours a day EVERYDAY. NO DAY OFFS, NO HOLIDAYS, NO BIRTHDAYS for a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 10 months (saya diba). 😅
Before meeting this group, I was a big time Financial ILLITERATE. To tell you honestly, since i started working 3 years ago I would say that I’m really blessed for having good paying job right after I graduated, everytime i apply for a job I always get it faster and easier than most of my batchmates. In short, I never had a hard time with applying and getting a job, I consider myself lucky.
But that luck didn't go well with my finances.
In 2016 my father retired from being a seaman (he used to be an executive chef) all of a sudden without giving us a heads up. I was still in College during that time, and about to graduate, and my younger sister was also in college. With my father's decision to retire, we really struggled to make ends meet. That was a very difficult time for our family, we had so much responsibilities to take care of — me as a graduating student, my younger sister who still had a long way to go in College, plus a car that needs to be paid monthly, and all our day to day necessities.
Honestly, that year (2016), was such an eye opener for me. I learned to work hard, to humble myself and accept the reality that from then on everything will change. We have to make the hardest decision of changing and adjusting our lifestyle just so we can survive. We need to sell the car for the amount needed by the bank without getting any profits, I have to go back in playing futsal so i can get a scholarship (which i never bothered taking before because we are able to pay tuition), my sister needed to stop for 1 semester because we cant afford to pay her tuition fee and that she ended up getting a job as a cashier in a small pub, and the rest is history.
2016 was a major eye opener for us, it was only then when I realized that even though my father earned very well working hard as a seafarer for more than 20 years, that’s not enough, because in the end WE STILL FAILED TO BUILD A SOLID FINANCIAL FOUNDATION, we still ended up UNPREPARED for his retirement.
As sad as this sounds, We FAILED TO PLAN. All it took is one storm for our finances to crash and crumble. It was only then that we realized the importance of saving and investing for our future.
So when I landed on my first job as a chef and barista, it was the happiest moment of our lives but that was also where my biggest responsibility came — I became a bread winner. Although I have a relatively good pay I didn't have any savings, investments, health care, insurance, since most of my money went to debt payments. At yung ibang matira, ginagastos ko for my wants, as a justification for my hard work. I thought I already learned my lesson from my father’s experience. Madami pa pala akong dapat matutunan.
Until I came across the vlogs of Ate Chai. Everything changed. All of a sudden, nagising ulit ako and I became so eager to learn about Proper Financial Management. Bumalik sa akin yung desire na mag succeed financially, to have a solid financial foundation, to retire early (I don't see myself working as an employee until 60), and to fulfil all my other ambitions and dreams.
The only question is HOW, WHEN AND WHERE. The answer? I found in this community, I found in IMG.
I really thank God for bringing me to IMG through Ate Chai. In IMG, all in one na. Kumabaga ayan na nasa Harvard of Financial Education ka na, aaralin mo nalang, may guidance pa kung paano mo sisimulan yung learnings mo, may guidance kung paano mag invest ng tama. Tapos pag tanda natin, alam nating may pera ng magta-trabaho for us because of our investments.
Alam niyo, para sa akin, simple lang, tama na yung years of financial ignorance, PAGOD na ako maging MAHIRAP. PAGOD na ako mag isip saan ako kukuha ng PANGGASTOS, PAGOD na akong MANGUTANG at magbayad ng UTANG.
Ang gusto ko para sa future ko at future ng family ko, ma ENJOY yung perang PINAGHIRAPAN ng WALANG WORRIES at masiguradong tatanda ako na hindi umaasa sa iba. FINANCIAL PEACE OF MIND — ito ang gusto ko. And I know that I can only make this possible through Financial Education.
