Money Matters.

I realized while editing my old posts, yes I edited everything to put tags, I've never written anything about expenses or money or anything about it at all. I've actually saved a url of a blog of this girl who was giving advise on how to save money since she's on credit card debt, a lot of credit card debt actually. I can't find it anymore but I read it for a while because she had an interesting story, a girl who can't stop maxing out her cards :p It's like shopaholic, the girl who gives advise on money can't actually manage her spending. This time it's a Filipino who writes a blog and gives tips, advises on how to manage finances while being on credit card debt.

Anyway aside from the fact that money is the root of evil, I'd disagree on it being the root of all evil because that's being presumptuous. But I do agree that it can cause havoc on relationships and marriages.

For 2008, I actually started taking down my expenses vigorously. I got that idea from my friend Lance. I save it on my phone then later on update an excel file (once a week or 2x a month) which is actually bordering OC-ness already. It's actually helpful because the savings is computed already and I can check how much I'm left to spend for the month. Plus the chart at a glance can already show me the percentage of what I spent. This one's for June, and shopping took a big percentage of my spending because it was the Zara and Mango sale! :D Who can resist that? But for most months the shopping represent 0% in my spending. I usually shop one time big time. I edited the percentage part on the chart and some of the breakdown of my spending, so not to reveal that much info on my cash out :p A lot of money go to food actually, for most of the time. I love good food, then the next one's fare/gas/parking. I rarely bring a car, with rocketing high gas prices and all, who'd be encouraged to bring one. The note worthies in my list, grocery for my toiletries, snacks etc, then I have my bookstore category for my book spending, who knows if I don't monitor it I might actually end up buying a lot of books. Then last worth mentioning, coffee. I know it sounds funny but I actually have a pact with myself that I won't spend that much on Starbucks. I drink coffee everyday and for most days I settle with the brewed coffee in the pantry. It's just a matter of having the good beans, then I'm happy with brewed coffee from the pantry :)

If you don't know me well, you'd think I spend a lot but if you really really know me, I'm kuripot, and I'd actually search the stall in a mall for the cheapest bottled water. Waffle Time tops the list, from P12 it's now P15. I bring baon to work, even sandwich for merienda. I've always wanted to buy a laptop, but I really just can't force myself to get one because I think it would be spending too much on one thing. I've never bought a anything more than P15,000. Digicam, Cellphone, Ipod Nano, all of these bought for less than 15k! I shop in Zara and Mango only when they're on sale, I book my Boracay trips only when Cebu Pac is on sale.

Okay, I think I'm negating the kuripot part, so I'll stop now :D I still have my shopping preferences and my trips but I try to spend my money wisely, and that's all that matters :)