There was a time in my life where holding a ten peso bill meant that I can buy a lot of stuff already. I could buy all the food that I want to eat. As a kid, all I ever bought was toys found at the stores outside our school and foods from the canteen. Life was good, I thought my life was not that hard with a 10 peso bill in my hand. So when I ask my classmates how much is his baon daily, he said "20 pesos". I asked another classmate, and she said "50 pesos". From there on, I realized I'm a poor kid.
Note, I was a mere Kinder that time. Imagine having that same allowance 'till 2nd year high school. Yep, I grew up learning to save money so I could buy stuff. I would sacrifice anything just for the sake of having the chance to buy something. Because of that, I learned to walk from school going home because I used my money to buy some cards. I wouldn't eat merienda for days just for the sake I could buy a toy. I wouldn't spend my entire allowance for the week, just so I could play at internet cafes for at least an hour at Friday or Saturday. I wouldn't buy food for the day because I prefer to buy ice cream (which if you could complete 4 sticks that has the letters K-I-M-Y, you win a Gameboy Advance). For the sake of wanting something, I have to go through a little (or mostly a stupid) sacrifice just so I could get what I want.
But it wasn't that much hard because my mother would make me bring lunch or a little snack for merienda. Still, having 10 pesos was still hard. I could remember that I have to sacrifice badly two weeks just so I could buy a monthly issue of K-Zone (75 pesos). Things got better when I transferred to Ateneo. My allowance increased from 10 to 20 pesos. Jeep fair isn't included and I still have my own snack and lunch. I know I'm quite poor compared to my Ateneo classmates, but surprisingly, when it comes to playing video games or eating with them, I still had the money to level with them. Not getting to spend your 100 pesos weekly allowance could save you up a lot for at least a day or two of full money-spending activities.
Nevertheless, I was a poor man, limited to stuff that is only a necessity. I couldn't buy stuff anymore. As much as I save, there aren't enough. And I wasn't a kid that asks money from their parents. No, I learned in a young age that everything I ask from my parents they won't give all the time. It was a turning point actually, I learned to depend on myself in terms of money. College came and finally, 80 pesos everyday seemed to be okay. But still, I needed to compromise stuff so I could just compensate with my low allowance. After four years of balancing expenses due to constant playing of video games, requirements, group projects, and more costly "We will collect money for..." from my classmates, I still survived. But of course, I had a lot of financial problems, and my little "business" was the only thing that saved me. My classmates paid me money to make their assignments and requirements. It was actually quite a good business though, didn't save that much, but let's just say, I have money every freaking all the time.
So here's the thing. All my life, I have always had a very small allowance. And through proper saving and hard work, I always had the money to survive. Hey, I even got to buy stuff already for my own without depending on my parents. So what's the hoolah all about? Up to this day, nothing changed.
Nothing ever change between me and money. Oh yeah, so why the heck do I complain when I just said how I survived that kind of dilemma you asked? Because that is it, nothing changed. I'm sick and tired of still having to face financial problems even though I'm just a simple guy with a very very simple allowance. I always believed with the term "Mo' money, Mo' problems". So, shouldn't I have less problems since I have less money? Well, in this case, no, I guess it doesn't apply. I'm just frustrated because at this moment, I have zero money. Why? My parents borrowed it from me. It's not like I could have said no, because my father really needs the money to but a new LCD for his cellphone that he accidentally broke. Money is needed since its an important stuff, but really, leaving me with a zero account? The money borrowed isn't that big, but it was already plenty of money for me. I feel like I could face the world since I have enough money. But now, I feel like a homeless man. What's worst, my allowance really is just 50 pesos per day. Since my review is only half-day, it has stayed that way. I couldn't squeeze a little money from my allowance because it's so small. The sad thing even is that my mother miscalculated the bills, that she couldn't give me another 50 pesos for this Saturday's class. And the worst and worst part of it all, it might be a while before my parents could replace that money.
But what could really pissed me out more, is the fact that its just really a small amount. That small amount, and they needed to borrow it up from me? My only savings, my only money, they had to borrow it? What could be the most worst money problem you could ever had, and I have it, having no money at all. I could go on and fret about how my parents never pushed their careers to the point where they could have lots and lots of money but I'll stay to keep it to myself. It's just that, I can't help not get mad and be dissapointed with them. We ain't rich, were just simple folks, but you got to be kidding me that we still get financial problems to just small problems. If they had great jobs, this problem could have been just an easy fix, heck, my father would have brought a new phone.
I sometimes wish life was the same when I was still in Kinder. I have a small amount of money, but I couldn't care. I could buy stuff, anything I desire. My simplicity made that small amount of money enough for me. But once you realize the money other people have, the needs that you actually have, the needs you can't have but getting to see others fulfilling theirs, you look at your small amount of money and you realize, you got problems. You actually got lots of them.
Note, I was a mere Kinder that time. Imagine having that same allowance 'till 2nd year high school. Yep, I grew up learning to save money so I could buy stuff. I would sacrifice anything just for the sake of having the chance to buy something. Because of that, I learned to walk from school going home because I used my money to buy some cards. I wouldn't eat merienda for days just for the sake I could buy a toy. I wouldn't spend my entire allowance for the week, just so I could play at internet cafes for at least an hour at Friday or Saturday. I wouldn't buy food for the day because I prefer to buy ice cream (which if you could complete 4 sticks that has the letters K-I-M-Y, you win a Gameboy Advance). For the sake of wanting something, I have to go through a little (or mostly a stupid) sacrifice just so I could get what I want.
But it wasn't that much hard because my mother would make me bring lunch or a little snack for merienda. Still, having 10 pesos was still hard. I could remember that I have to sacrifice badly two weeks just so I could buy a monthly issue of K-Zone (75 pesos). Things got better when I transferred to Ateneo. My allowance increased from 10 to 20 pesos. Jeep fair isn't included and I still have my own snack and lunch. I know I'm quite poor compared to my Ateneo classmates, but surprisingly, when it comes to playing video games or eating with them, I still had the money to level with them. Not getting to spend your 100 pesos weekly allowance could save you up a lot for at least a day or two of full money-spending activities.
Nevertheless, I was a poor man, limited to stuff that is only a necessity. I couldn't buy stuff anymore. As much as I save, there aren't enough. And I wasn't a kid that asks money from their parents. No, I learned in a young age that everything I ask from my parents they won't give all the time. It was a turning point actually, I learned to depend on myself in terms of money. College came and finally, 80 pesos everyday seemed to be okay. But still, I needed to compromise stuff so I could just compensate with my low allowance. After four years of balancing expenses due to constant playing of video games, requirements, group projects, and more costly "We will collect money for..." from my classmates, I still survived. But of course, I had a lot of financial problems, and my little "business" was the only thing that saved me. My classmates paid me money to make their assignments and requirements. It was actually quite a good business though, didn't save that much, but let's just say, I have money every freaking all the time.
So here's the thing. All my life, I have always had a very small allowance. And through proper saving and hard work, I always had the money to survive. Hey, I even got to buy stuff already for my own without depending on my parents. So what's the hoolah all about? Up to this day, nothing changed.
Nothing ever change between me and money. Oh yeah, so why the heck do I complain when I just said how I survived that kind of dilemma you asked? Because that is it, nothing changed. I'm sick and tired of still having to face financial problems even though I'm just a simple guy with a very very simple allowance. I always believed with the term "Mo' money, Mo' problems". So, shouldn't I have less problems since I have less money? Well, in this case, no, I guess it doesn't apply. I'm just frustrated because at this moment, I have zero money. Why? My parents borrowed it from me. It's not like I could have said no, because my father really needs the money to but a new LCD for his cellphone that he accidentally broke. Money is needed since its an important stuff, but really, leaving me with a zero account? The money borrowed isn't that big, but it was already plenty of money for me. I feel like I could face the world since I have enough money. But now, I feel like a homeless man. What's worst, my allowance really is just 50 pesos per day. Since my review is only half-day, it has stayed that way. I couldn't squeeze a little money from my allowance because it's so small. The sad thing even is that my mother miscalculated the bills, that she couldn't give me another 50 pesos for this Saturday's class. And the worst and worst part of it all, it might be a while before my parents could replace that money.
But what could really pissed me out more, is the fact that its just really a small amount. That small amount, and they needed to borrow it up from me? My only savings, my only money, they had to borrow it? What could be the most worst money problem you could ever had, and I have it, having no money at all. I could go on and fret about how my parents never pushed their careers to the point where they could have lots and lots of money but I'll stay to keep it to myself. It's just that, I can't help not get mad and be dissapointed with them. We ain't rich, were just simple folks, but you got to be kidding me that we still get financial problems to just small problems. If they had great jobs, this problem could have been just an easy fix, heck, my father would have brought a new phone.
I sometimes wish life was the same when I was still in Kinder. I have a small amount of money, but I couldn't care. I could buy stuff, anything I desire. My simplicity made that small amount of money enough for me. But once you realize the money other people have, the needs that you actually have, the needs you can't have but getting to see others fulfilling theirs, you look at your small amount of money and you realize, you got problems. You actually got lots of them.
