The Battle Against Unbearable Debt

How can one win over unbearable debt? This is a big question I keep asking myself when I hear our overseas workers' financial struggles. Even before leaving for work abroad, they are already in deep debt but there's this nagging hope that their problem will soon be over.


Guess what? After working for 3 years, most come back with nothing and the worst part is they are still in debt.


Benjamin Pimentel's article on How overseas Filipinos can win the battle against unbearable utang (debt) clearly explains the reason why many of our OFWs end up deeper in debt compared to their goal  of eliminating debt, which is the very reason why they leave to work overseas.


I would like to cite a portion of his article that I believe is the key to getting out of this unbearable debt:

"OFWs should and must undergo financial literacy to protect and harness their money which is more often lost and squandered," he said.

Let's affirm a key premise here: Overseas Filipinos perform a vital role by sending money back home to help their families. But there¿s also a growing need for families to find better ways to manage funds coming from abroad.

And we're not talking about totally avoiding debt. In many cases, as I've noted, debt is necessary to meet a need.

But there's such a thing as smart debt and dumb debt. Worse, there is unbearable utang - debt that becomes so overwhelming that overseas Filipinos end up wearing themselves out as they find themselves trapped in a vicious cycle.

Charito Basa, an OFW advocate based in Europe, listed four general principles for overseas Filipinos and their families (which actually applies to everyone in this time of crisis):

Have a budget and stick it to it no matter what

There'll be special requests from family and friends that will tempt migrants to deviate from their budget," she says. Be firm. People will eventually understand that they are doing it for the good of everyone."

Save first, before spending (not the other way around)

Set aside a fixed amount for savings. Charito recommends at least 10 percent of one's income. She and Tony Ranque point to the tested formula for sound personal finance management: Income minus Savings equals Expenses.

Saving a portion of your income is a must, not an option," Tony says. If you cannot develop the habit of savings which is founded on discipline, force yourself to save by getting pension plans and other types of pre-need plans."

Have insurance (health, education, retirement, pensions)

When done through reputable companies, insurance plans can guarantee that needs are attended professionally and that funds are available when most needed," says Charito.

Stay away from "get-rich-quick" schemes

This rule also applies to everyone.

My experience tells me that most of our OFWs are not financially literate. This, I believe, is the main reason why they end up poorer that when they first left for work abroad. They just can't find time to educate themselves in money matters because they are too busy running after the money.

The painful reality is when their contract is finished, in a few months, they're broke again or you see them lining up to apply for work abroad again.

So, how can our OFW win over this unbearable debt? Maybe you have a better suggestion we can all use. 

To our debt-free life,

Jimmy

Photo credit

7 Worthy Resolutions To Commit To In 2012

Hi there. I have been away for a while. Japan is now in winter season. Visited our Filipino workers around Takamatsu in Kagawa-ken. It has been a fruitful monitoring. Just by seeing them and being where they work, brings joy and refreshing to these precious people.

Together with the industrious lady welders in Takamatsu

At the highest point in Tsuda, Kagawa-ken

With the lady Chicken Choppers

On my way back home last January 17 on PR 407, I was reading an article on the Philippine Star. This particular article caught my attention because it speaks to retirees, of which I am within its zone!

Took this photo at the Kansai Airport on arrival

But I believe the resolutions mentioned by AP can be applied to younger ones too. The author mentioned Seven (7) resolutions for retirees in 2012.

Although I can go on retirement mode, I made a conscious decision not to retire yet because I feel that my best days are still ahead of me. There's no time to stop doing what I am called to do.

Now, let me give you my take on this article.

First of the resolutions mentioned is the call to get disciplined about money matters. The best way to do this is to set up a formal budget and stick to it. Being thrifty without a plan only goes so far when unexpected expenses arise, especially at an age when health care costs can start to mount. How true this is.

Attack your debt. The top priority is to pay off credit card debt. After the card is zeroed out, use only one card and pay off the balance monthly. If an emergency expense leads to a balance, don't let it linger or it will erode retirement savings. Having only one credit card is a very practical suggestion indeed.

The other resolutions include:
1. Invest in dividends-paying stocks
2. Get your estate plan in order
3. Be more generous
4. Check into long-term care insurance possibilities

The last one is especial to me: Stretch your body and mind. The author says we need to choose daily pursuits that keep you physically, mentally and socially engaged. Physical activity helps us to live longer, feel better, depression free and keeps our mental skills sharp. I take physical exercise as a necessity for my body that's why I play badminton and brisk walk at least three times a week.

I can't help but notice the mental sharpness of Justice Cuevas and Senator Enrile in the current impeachment trial of CJ Corona. They are in their 80s yet they are still sharp as ever. This is also the main reason why I blog!

What about you? Do you feel you can use these resolutions for 2012?

To our debt-free life,
Jimmy

#1 Reason Why I blog

I am a Pastor and a businessman. After working for Fujitsu Philippines for 17 years, I retired in 2000 and went into the ministry.  In 2008, I went back to the marketplace to manage a recruitment agency, UNO Overseas Placement, Inc. We send Filipino skilled workers to Japan under the Technical Intern Training System of the Japan International Training Cooperation Organization (JITCO). Part of the training we give to our Interns is the “Work Ethics and Values Seminar”.

The Work Ethics and Values Seminar was designed to help our Filipino Interns cope with life in Japan and equip them to face their future with both emotional and spiritual substance. The most important aspect of this 3-day seminar is changing the way these interns think. Most of them come from the province and urban areas. As such, ingrained in them is the poverty-mentality.

Seeing them wallow in poverty and in debt even before they leave for Japan, I made it my goal to help them be set free from this evil bondage. To break a bad habit of living in debt is not easy. The initial step towards freedom is to teach them to change the way they think and then increase their literacy about finances. So far, we have made progress. We believe money is not the answer to living a debt-free life. When they learn to manage their finances properly as good stewards of what God has given them and then take on an “investor mentality” as opposed to a “consumer mentality”, the interns begins to see that they can prosper!

I love helping our interns or OFWs change the way they think!

Last week, one of our interns came home after a 3-year contract in Japan. He is now a millionaire! What is his secret? He followed our advise by diligently saving 30,000 Yen a month! Now, his plan is to invest part of it in a food franchise.  Indeed, there is hope for our OFWs.

Last year, I became a member of Truly Rich Club. I am now incorporating the principles that I’ve learned and tested from Truly Rich Club to our interns. It is easy for them to understand financial literacy when they see how it works!

To your debt-free life,

Jimmy

P.S. I became more passionate to see our OFWs set free from poverty-mentality. Late last year, I decided to do online marketing and took Bo’s recommendation to enroll in Jomar Hilario’s Online Mentoring Club. I am now in my 4^th month as a student of Jomar Hilario. I am making progress and one day, I will be sharing with them what I’ve learned.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38307206@N02/3634843977

This blog is part of our lesson. Honestly, it was the monetary returns that motivated me to do blogging. Today, I found the real reason for my blogging: to help my “Kababayans” specially our interns and OFWs, be set free from wallowing in debt.  If I can show them how to be free through my blogs, I would have done a good job. That’s why, now I love blogging!