Do You Know Where Your Money Is?

The answer to this question may be obvious but in reality most people don’t have a clue where their money is spent and where their money is invested. 

I often hear people saying, “Parang dumaan lang sa palad ko ang sweldo ha…di ko alam kung saan napunta” (I don’t know where my salary was spent).

This was also my dilemma before I took conscious effort in managing my finances. As a typical office worker, happy days would be right after payday. We eat in expensive restaurants, watch movies, clubbing, travel, salon visits, shopping to our heart’s desire and the list goes on. Then a few days before payday, there’s nothing left. We seem to be clueless where our money went.  

I am not saying that we should totally deprive ourselves from these pleasures. In fact, like a typical woman, I enjoy engaging in these kinds of activities because they give me joy.  I love pampering myself!  I also believe that you don’t have to be a miser and live a boring life to be wealthy.

The key here is to create a balance -  know first where you stand now in terms of your financial situation, get organized and have a goal where you want to be. I know that getting organized can be difficult especially if you are not used to monitoring your finances. But once you’ve started it, the next steps will be relatively easy.  

The Personal Statement of Income and Expenses sheet you can see at the bottom can be your guide to determine where you are now. Fill out the sheet so that you will have a better grasp of your financial situation. 

Personal Statement of Income and Expenses

But in order to accomplish this, you need to find first the necessary documents and have an organized filing system.

Here’s what you need to do. Use an expandable long folder with dividers inside. You can buy this in any bookstore. Then, based on the tips given by financial planning book author David Bach, label each divider as follows:

v     Tax Returns – place your yearly Income Tax Returns (ITR)

v     Investment Accounts – stocks certificates, mutual funds, and UITF statements.

v     Savings and Checking Accounts -  monthly bank statements

v     Household Accounts – house title, home mortgage, etc.

v     Credit Card Debt  - all credit card records and statements

v     Other Liabilities – these would include other liabilities such a college loans, care loans, personal loans, etc.

v     Insurance -  insurance policies such as health, life, car, homeowners or renters, disability, long-term care, etc.

v     Family Will or Trust – copy of your most recent will or living trust, along with the business card of the lawyer who set it up.

v     Children’s Account (for those who have children) - put all statements and records pertaining to college saving accounts or other investment you have for your children

Once you’re done, keep this in a file cabinet and feel good that you have achieved the first step to financial security.

Budgeting in Style - The Envelope System

My Cash Envelope System

I know that many people hates budgeting. I understand that listing down all your expenses everyday to the tiniest detail can be a tedious job. 

I too feel the same way. When I tried that technique before, it only lasted me for a week then I was back to my old routine of being unconscious with my spending.. 

But I learned another budgeting style that worked for me. In this technique I don't have have to list down my expenses everyday.  I also find it easy to implement because I only do it once or twice a month right after I receive my paycheck, after each pay period. But it definitely helped me from overspending, it organized my finances and now I spend my money more wisely.

This is called the Cash Envelope System. 

There are different varieties of this system. Others call it the Money Jar System. But the concept is just the same. 

Both systems entail separating your income into different accounts for specific purposes.

To implement this system you need to :

• Have several envelopes or you can buy a cash envelope with several dividers inside like the one I'm using (refer to the picture above). Or you can also use several jars

• Decide what categories you will be using for your budget and label you envelopes/jars accordingly. 

          Let me share with you my categories and the corresponding percentage based from my total income. This was derived from T. Harv Eker's Money Management System:

        

          A. Financial Freedom Account (FFA) - 10%

          This is the money that you will NEVER spend and can only be used to purchase passive income streams or investments that will grow your money. Examples of these investments are stocks, mutual funds, UITF,  insurance, government securities or capital for your business. This can be your retirement account. Think of your FFA as the golden mother goose that lays you golden eggs! 

          B. Long Term Savings for Spending (LTSS) - 10%

          This is my emergency fund. The money I put in this account are kept in the bank for easy withdrawal. This can also be used for major expenditure like house repairs, children's education, hospitalization expenses and for other emergency purposes.

           C. Give - 10%

           Giving back to God is my first expense. I allot 10% of my gross income for tithes and for 
donations to my chosen charity and foundations.

Envelope System

           
            D. Necessities - 50%

            This is the account I consume to settle all my essential bills such as phone bills, electricity, food, clothing, transportation, gym, etc. If you can't survive on 50% of your income, then perhaps you have to analyze your spending habits... simplify your lifestyle. 

            Remember to ask yourself when purchasing things - "is this a want or is this a need?" I have found that i want a lot of things but i do not need them. This has saved me a lot of money.

             E. Play - 10% 

             This is my favorite account. It's my favorite because I believe that you don't need to be a miser in order to become rich. You have to feel good about yourself and have some fun!  

              I spend this account every month to pamper myself. Like having a haircut, massage, manicure, pedicure, eating out in my favorite restaurant, watching movies, etc. I spend all of this Play money every month so that I will feel good about having money and spending it! However, if I need to save up for things such as travels or gadgets that require a little more money, I accumulate my Play money for  few months before I use them.

             F. Education - 10%

              I love learning new things. That's why I have an account that would finance my need for continuous education, such as for books, seminars and trainings.  

That’s it!

Anyone can use this system regardless of how much money they earn.The percentages are not fixed and can vary depending on your spending needs.  What makes this system effective is that it enables you to develop a habit of managing your money. It may take some time to get used to this new way of budgeting but you need to have the discipline to stick to this plan and to make it work. 

The Book That Started My Journey

It was last November 2010 when I purchased the book that changed my life.

Actually, that was not the first time I noticed book, "Rich Dad Poor Dad" on a bookstore shelf or heard about it from other people. But I didn't bother to take a look at it, more so, buy it.

But God shows us the way during times when we are seeking for answers.

Again, I stumbled upon this book during that time I was looking for direction in my financial life. And something inside urged me to purchase it.

Before I read the book, I was nagged by the thought that at the age 32 and with 8 years experience working as an employee, I had no savings and investments. (please read my first blog entitled My Past to learn more about it). I felt like that I was just going through the motions - without a direction.

I thought that a bigger salary will solve my dilemma. But transferring from one company to another that offers a higher pay or having a salary increase was not the answer. Ironically, my expenses and credit card debts even became higher!

Little did I know that a single book would change everything.

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki is a fascinating story of how the author's Rich Dad taught him the lessons he needed to learn to make himself financially independent. 


This book opened my eyes that some things that we thought are assets are actually liabilities - for example : a house or a car. Moreover, because of my addiction to shopping I even  justified to other people and to myself that my quality/branded clothes, shoes and bags are assets!

While reading the book, I encountered a lot of "Aha" moments when it comes to money management, investing and personal finance .  It provided the basics to my quest for financial literacy and opened my mind to new possibilities. 

Because of this book, the lady who used to be a "bargain-holic" became addicted to learn the ways and the means to become financially free. 

My Past

I like my money right where I can see it - hanging in my closet.  

           ~From the television show Sex and the City

I was a certified "bargainholic". Finding and buying something on sale or on a discount gives me a very special feeling - it thrills me...it excites me! In fact, the less I pay for an item (my faves are clothes, shoes and bags), the more it has worth to me.

My favorite past time was going to the mall, tiangge, bazaars, and the UK (ukay-ukay). These places were my haven. 

A typical weekend for me is going to the mall at 10am or 11am (time the mall opens), I go in from one store to another, patiently searching for clothes, shoes and bags to try on.  And even if I have less cash on my purse, I don't care! I have my 2 cards : my visa and mastercard. I would always had reasons to justify my purchases, such as "Oooh! This beige bag will perfectly match the top I bought last week...and besides it's 50% discount so I think it's a good buy."  

My stamina for shopping was so strong that I can stroll around the mall from 10am up to 8pm. Wow, that's 10 hours on non-stop shopping! Did I get tired? Time passes by so quickly when I shop and I  only feel the fatigue when I arrive home from a full-day shopping spree.

A trip to my closet would give you an idea of this passion. I have a closet full of clothes, shoes and bags...and some of them bought years ago but never worn or used. 

I don't shop because I need something. I just shop for shopping's sake.

                                                                                     ~ Cat Deeley

 

And whenever I would set a goal of saving, I find it so difficult to implement it because aside from the temptation of my hobby (shopping), at the age of 32,  I lack a very important skill --- and that is financial literacy. 

              The number one problem in today's generation and economy is the                                      lack of financial literacy. 

 ~ Alan Greenspan