Money_Guru

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

I know you’ve probably heard or read this line somewhere before. It can be interpreted to fit millions of other situations or problems and can sound cliché - but like solving every other worry we have in our lives, I believe that the first thing we have to do (before anything else!) is to actually want to solve the problem.

If we don’t motivate ourselves to solve our problems, then we won’t get anywhere with them because we haven’t even started with them in the first place.

We’ve all had our worries about life- whether financial, social or emotional- but I’d like to focus on helping you stop worrying and start solving your financial stress.

I’m not some money-making machine and I won’t be giving you specific tips on how to make thousands of pesos in just a few weeks. However, I will try to inspire you, at least. I hope it generally works.

Here’s how I think you should get motivated:

1. Determine where you are now

Identify where you are in your financial state. Are you hanging on the edge by a thread or do you have just enough to live by? Be honest and don’t start denying things. Take a sincere look at yourself and your life.

See if it needs improvement, and see if you need a big change. The sooner you know where you are, the faster you’ll understand how much you want to get out of there!

2. Decide where you want to be

Now that you know where you are in life, sit down and contemplate and seriously decide where you want to be from now on. Give yourself a timeline. Imagine how you want to be in 1 year, 3 years, or even 5 years! Do you still want to worry over the same financial things that you’re worrying about now? I don’t think so.

Enumerate the things you want to stop worrying about and be specific about it, like your electricity bills, water bills, etc. Maybe you want to start your own business? Think about getting a business loan.

3. Distinguish between your wants and needs

This is very important. Now that you know where you are and where you want to be, evaluate your current lifestyle and understand the difference between your own wants and needs.

Start with yourself- because you may have other people depending on you, but the number one person that you should learn to trust the most is yourself! Sort out your own priorities. What is your salary really for? Maybe buying a new cellphone isn’t something necessary at the moment.

Consider getting a salary loan. This will really help you decide how you want to solve your financial worries. Be practical and start thinking with a mindset that you should be controlling your money- not the other way around.

4. Stick to a Budget, Save, Invest!

Having sorted your priorities, make a realistic budget for yourself and track your spending. Start saving what you can, and learn to appreciate the importance of wise investments.

I highly recommend reading KuripotPinay, a very relatable blog and how we can all take small steps to saving money. It has inspired me to want to inspire you.

Get motivated and take the first step! Comment below and let me know your story on getting financially motivated. I would love to know your story.