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Here are five Pinoy money habits that might be sabotaging your road to financial stability:
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The Mañana or ‘Mamaya na’ Habit
Even the best of us succumb to procrastinating every now and then. The Mañana habit refers to the act of putting off important things and believing that they can be done another day when the situation is more ideal. Though it can also be applied to other things, it is particularly a damaging habit to pick up towards money. Often, people put off saving, thinking that they can always do it another day when their finances are better. This is not a healthy perspective to have since anyone can start building their savings no matter how small their starting amount is.
The One-Day Millionaire
We’re all familiar with this situation: you suffered through a near-empty wallet during petsa de peligro season that when sweldo finally arrives, your first instinct is to treat yourself. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with rewarding yourself, this can quickly turn problematic if you don’t do it responsibly. Before splurging, make sure that you have all your necessities covered first (if you can put away some for savings, even better) so you don’t find yourself strapped for cash before your next paycheck comes.
Giving in to Peer Pressure
There is nothing wrong with socializing. It only becomes a bad habit if you let it get in the way of managing your finances. You don’t need to say yes to every weekend invitation of your friends or give in to calls of ‘libre’ if your wallet cannot manage it. Don’t let the ‘hiya’ factor get in the way of your financial freedom and start building the habit of being honest about the state of your finances.
Buy it forward
No, this is entirely different from the pay it forward habit. When you ‘buy it forward,’ you spend money on things using credit that you still don’t have yet. A perfect example is when people use their credit cards to go shopping, thinking that they can just pay it on their next paycheck. While this can work if you’re really, REALLY good at managing money, it can also easily damage your finances if you don’t have enough self-control. As a general rule, it is better not to spend money you don’t have yet. If, in any case, you really have to, make sure that you set a limit on the amount you can spend.
The ‘Okay na Ako’ Attitude
What’s worse than having bad money habits? Not having any financial goals. Many find themselves suffering financially because they weren’t able to pick up wise money habits. Remember, nobody is too young (or too poor) to start saving.
Can you relate to some of these habits? Which of them are you guilty of? For more stories and helpful guides on [how to save money](https://revamp-pilot.homecredit.ph/Stories), browse our other articles below.