Listening to the Little Voice and Saving Money

Photo credit: BusinessETC.ie

Have you ever been financially broke in your life? If you have, you probably experience that feeling of
anxiety and helplessness. You self-esteem goes down. And what keeps you sane is your belief that things will get better soon while clinging to your faith.

Did it ever came across to your mind that such thing could have been prevented? The situations we are in right now are the results of our previous decisions and actions. If you believe on that, then what we are experiencing are mere consequences. Sometimes, it is not brought down by God to try your faith but instead you've done it to yourself. Again, let's go back to the reap-what-you-sow principle. If you've sow your field well, expect to reap greater rewards. The same thing goes to our finances and to our life.

I am lucky that I don't have a family of my own yet. It gives me more time and opportunities to improve the different aspects of my life. My finances is one area that I am working on.

While working in the corporate world and living in the big city, I noticed that my savings never improved. I was living from paycheck to paycheck. I spend on many things that, oftentimes, unnecessary. Looking back, I feel that I was one heck of a disheveled person who don't know where she is going. I was lost amidst the city's commotion and pressures of the adult life. The short-term happiness I get from material things temporarily filled the void I felt.

Tired of that system, I realize that I needed to change. When you know and recognize your desire, the universe seems to align itself to your want. And that's what happened to me. I got acquainted with people who have similar aspirations. I was encouraged to leave my comfort zone and pursue what I truly want. One thing leads to another, until I found myself working as an independent contractor. I have more time developing my skills and my creativity.


The little voice

I left the big city and started living alone in the province where I found solace. Far from the noise and the influences of the city, I feel more relaxed and vibrant. I am able to think clearly without all those distractions. True enough, there is a little voice inside us that wants to speak, yet it is drowned by all those noises and distractions. If we only listen to that little voice inside us, we learn to understand ourselves better. We learn more of our passion, desires, and purpose in life. And with that, we will be able to make better decisions.

We are also spiritual beings and our body is the temple of our soul. Our soul needs food—spiritual food. When we indulge our soul with their favorite food, we are doing ourselves a favor. Not only we are making our soul stronger but it equip us with wisdom, sound judgment, patience, joy and peace—these are spiritual gifts that material things could not provide. And it all makes that little voice becomes more audible, and it manifest itself on how we make our decisions and how we act.

Saving money

Is there really a connection with my little voice and saving money? The little voice is my soul speaking. By being in touch with myself, I feel less inclined to spend for things or go to places just to fill that certain void or sadness inside me. In short, the less I spend, the better I save.

Every time I receive my money, I calculate and plan how to use it. I immediately compute for the tithes and offering, and set aside my savings. I also allot budget for projects and bills. Basically, I have to live within my means with the amount left afterwards.

It takes discipline to have a control over the finances. It was hard at first but it became a habit to me. Believe it or not, this simple thing, even if I am not managing huge amount of money, its impact is tremendous. That sense of control and discipline makes me feel confident.

Neglecting to save money when you have the capability to do so is like neglecting to plan for the future. I don't think God wants us to be people who does not care about our future. Remember the parable of a builder who built his house on the sand? Did the bible says that people without vision will perish?

Simple Financial Lessons From A Freelancer

I've been a freelancer for almost 2 years now. And so far, I never experience the strike of boredom nor the urge to go back to the corporate world. While I am far from being content and stability is a question, I am happy and comfortable of where I am right now.

Being a freelancer is quite different from a 9am-to-6pm employee. Freelancers work entirely at their own time. Nevertheless, that doesn't equate to time-freedom. The only liberty we really have is how we work and where we want to work. Needless to say, like everything else in life, hard-work is necessary.

In less than two years in my freelancing career, I felt I've learned so much than working in the corporate. Not only about the job and the projects I've handled but also about time management and, most importantly, personal finance.

For over a decade, I worked relying on the 15-30 paycheck. When I shifted to a freelance career, I now have the option when, how, and how much I am going to be paid.

I didn't started easy. I have to tell you, it was truly a rough road. But my experience made me better as a freelancer and as an individual.

I've short-listed some financial lessons I've learned as a freelancer:

• Time is money. Every minute that I spend on unimportant things is literally time wasted.
• Since time is money, money is indeed valuable because I work hard for it. So, I use and spend it wisely. 
• My time is precious because I see it with monetary value. Hence, I try to spend my time reasonably.
• It takes hard-earned money to buy and enjoy delicious meal. Thus, I make sure to finish my food and make sure not to waste it. 
• I earn more if I work more. The saying "reap what you sow" is indeed true.
• Well-managed personal finance is very important. The freelance business can be unpredictable sometimes. Having enough savings help me survive at times that there are less projects or no incoming money.
• Managing your personal finance requires awareness of the money that is coming in and going out.
• Allot budget for typical monthly expenses (electric bill, water bill, internet bill, phone/communication, etc). It gives you less headache when you received the actual bill.
• I spend time for resting and spend money for a little pampering or simple enjoyment. A happy and well-rested body and mind is more productive and can work longer.

I live with these lessons by heart. These are something I learned from experience, and I hope you've learned something from them too.

RH Bill: What's In It For You?

Source: PinoyExchange

We've heard the clamor about the RH bill. Many religious sector especially the Catholic Church are very active in promoting their stand and views about the issue. So many dissenting opinions everywhere. And sometimes, it just made me think that they wasted too much money in debate and bickering. This is the problem of too much democracy--everybody just wanted to say something that they never realize they have spent too much time and money and ignore what is really expedient. And as the days go by, more mothers are giving birth--some of these poor mothers are throwing their babies in the garbage dead or abandoning their hungry and cold infant along the streets. We see that a lot on TV and read it on the papers.

What prod those mothers to heartlessly leave their children? Obviously, in the current state of the Philippines where there is a very clear and big gap between the poor and the rich, poverty is one of the main reason. So sickening!


Country's population

For such a small country, the Philippines has 95.8 million people as of January 2012. It was expected that we would hit a 97.6 million mark this year. By 2014, the population may increase to 101.2 million. Do we consider ourselves lucky to have this kind of number?

A large population in a small country can be compared to a big family in a very small space. A big family, say 5-10 members, living in one single space are less relaxed with less food to eat, less opportunities for better education and a bleak future. There may be food; however, because the family has more mouths to feed, each member would receive a meager share insufficient to feed their hungry stomach. Not only that, children don't get enough attention, love and care from their parents because they are too many of them. 

The problem with having a country with a big population is higher demand of food, higher crime rate, too much pollution, and not enough job opportunities for everyone. 

If we are not just too many, then everything wouldn't be in the state of chaos.  

What is RH Bill?

The Reproductive Health Bill, known as the RH Bill, are Philippine bills aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care. The bills have become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals:

• House Bill No. 4244 or An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Policy on Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health, and Population and Development, and For Other Purposes introduced by Albay 1st district Representative Edcel Lagman, and 
• Senate Bill No. 2378 or An Act Providing For a National Policy on Reproductive Health and Population and Development introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.

(Source: Reproductive Health Bill)

House Bill No. 4244 shall be known as the "The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Act of 2011".

Part of the Declaration of Policy states: " The State recognizes and guarantees the exercise of the universal basic human right to reproductive health by all persons, particularly of parents, couples and women, consistent with their religious convictions, cultural beliefs and the demands of responsible parenthood. Toward this end, there shall be no discrimination against any person on grounds of sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, disabilities, political affiliation and ethnicity."

Furthermore, it states: " The state likewise guarantees universal access to medically safe, legal, affordable, effective and quality reproductive health care services, methods, devices, supplies and relevant information and education thereon even as it prioritizes the needs of women and children, and among other underprivileged sectors."

(Source: House Bill - House of Representatives)


The bill doesn't coerce women or couple to use a method nor does it states that it impose a certain number of child per family. At the end, it is still a personal choice.

The passing or rejection of the RH Bill mean so much to the future of this country. As a citizen of this republic, we are going to reap what is going to be decided in the senate. So, pray that the people in charge of passing the law realize how big their responsibilities are to our future and to the future of our children.


As a Christian

I am a self-confessed bible believe and follower. However, I am also entitled to my opinion. I am a pro-RH bill. What helped me decide are these biblical truths:

1. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." 

(Genesis 1:28, NIV Version)

God told us to be fruitful and to increase in number. He also said to subdue it. Subdue means to control, subjugate, conquer, suppress, discipline, etc. Therefore, controlling the population is one of God's instruction to men.

2. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

(1 Co 7:2-5, NIV Version)

The bible encourage every man and woman to have their own wife and husband so they can do the sexual act with liberty and without the guilt of fornication. The husband and wife has duties to fulfill to each other. I don't see any abstinence in here except for the reason of prayer when they have to briefly deprive themselves by mutual consent.

3. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

(1 Co 7:7-9, NIV Version)

The bible clearly understand how difficult to suppress the desires of the flesh. Hence, Paul advice to the unmarried and widows that if they could no longer contain themselves, they should marry.

With all of these, I leave it up to you to think, understand and judge.