Maging Financially Fierce! Budgeting Tips Para sa Isang Sobrang Latina na Lifestyle!

Sis, pagod ka na bang ma-stress kung paano pagkakasiyahin ang sweldo mo? Nagtataka ka ba kung bakit parang nawawala agad ang ipon mo sa loob lang ng ilang araw? Ang sikreto sa financial freedom ay isang budget na talagang mag-wowork para sa’yo!

Bilang isang babae, ang dami mong ginagampanang role—mula sa pag-manage ng gastusin sa bahay hanggang sa pagseguro na natutugunan ang pangangailangan ng pamilya. Pero gaano kadalas mong inuuna ang sarili mong financial well-being? Kung ready ka nang hawakan ang control ng iyong pera, ang unang hakbang ay ang paggawa ng budget na swak sa lifestyle mo.

In celebration of Women’s Month, narito ang ilang smart budgeting tips para sa mga empowered Pinay na gustong maging financially independent at maging successful career woman na matagal mo nang pinapangarap! 

Before diving into numbers, take a moment to ask yourself: What do I really want? Do you want to save for a down payment on a home? Are you aiming to pay off debt, build an educational fund for your children? Or maybe you want to start investing for the long term?

Start with the “big picture”:

Long-term goals (buying a house, retirement)

Short-term goals (emergency savings, paying off credit card debt)

Start by writing down your goals and setting a timeline for each. This will help you manage your funds later.

Now that you have your goals in mind, it’s time to assess how much you’re earning. Whether you’re a salary earner, freelancer, or businesswoman, it’s crucial to know your exact monthly income.

For those with irregular income (like freelancers), track your income for the last three to six months to get an average. The more accurate your numbers, the better your budget will work for you.

Now comes the most important part—listing all your expenses. This includes both fixed and variable costs:

Fixed expenses: Rent/mortgage, utilities, phone bills, insurance

Variable expenses: Groceries, transportation, dining out, entertainment, beauty services
For Filipino women, it’s easy to overlook expenses like the occasional gift giving or home repairs, but every peso counts. Be honest with yourself when listing these expenses. You’ll be surprised at where your money is going!

Here’s the trick that will make budgeting easy—the 50/30/20 Rule

50% of your income goes to needs (housing, utilities, food)

30% goes to wants (shopping, entertainment, travel)

20% should be allocated to savings and debt repayment (emergency fund, investments, loan payments).

Pro Tip: Start by setting aside the 20% for savings and debt first. Once that’s done, use the remaining 50% and 30% to cover your needs and wants. This method ensures that you’re always putting your future first, no matter what.

At this point, you might realize that your spending habits aren’t aligned with your goals. Maybe you’ve been spending more on “wants” like clothing or eating out than you thought. Don’t be discouraged! The goal is to start making small, manageable changes to your lifestyle that move you closer to your financial goals.

Cut down on non-essentials: Are there subscriptions you don’t really use like streaming for example? Or restaurants you can skip this month? Cutting back on small, frequent expenses can add up. When it comes to shopping, consider installment option to spread out your payment. Home Credit offers payment terms payable in easy monthly installments with interest rates as low as 0%. 

Find cheaper alternatives: Try cooking at home instead of ordering food or switch to more affordable grocery items to save money.

Automate savings: Set up automatic transfers to your savings account as soon as you get paid, even if it’s just a small amount.

Remember, budgeting is not about depriving yourself—it’s about making smart choices to help you live better now and in the future.

Bilang isang Filipina, ang paggawa ng budget na talagang swak para sa’yo ay isa sa mga pinaka-empowering na bagay na magagawa mo para sa sarili mo. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pag-manage ng pera mo para sa’yo o sa pamilya mo—ito rin ang magbibigay sa’yo ng mas secure na future.

Sa pamamagitan ng pagmonitor ng iyong sweldo, pagiging wais sa paggastos, at pag-prioritize ng financial goals mo, mas nagging in control ng iyong finances na parang isang pro! Oh diba, sobrang latina?!