Where our Money Go

One of the blessings of being married in my 20's is having developed the skills to see the "beauty" of money in a mature way.

1. Pay an Honest Tithe
Marvin Ashton said, "successful financial management in every LDS home begins with the payment of an honest tithe." It is our goal to be honest with out tithes. We've been doing this before we got married so it never is a problem at all.  We just pay out tithes online. Thanks to BPI for making it possible with ease. No matter how meager we earn, we make sure we put this first.

2. Use a Budget
Even before I got married, I already keep track of my expenses. It requires diligence to really take note of daily expenses to the very cent. It takes 100% discipline to stay on your budget. As in!

Money management when mastered is an accomplishment. Spending patterns is way different when you are single compare to when you you are married. But because I was able to see things in a wider perspective, seriously I was able to save more when I got married. Plus there's a husband who is your partner in money matters.

I usually get hold of the money so I also create a budget plan for certain categories like food, home investment, retirement fund, savings, transportation and  apartment rent. The secret is really to just stick to your budget no matter how enticing advertisements are.

There's evaluation time at the end of the months so we can see where our money go.

Monday Run!

Time to get those feet on the ground. 

"Health is weallth"

TRUST

Goal for this year is to finish reading the Old Testament! I'm in Proverbs now. Proverbs 3:5-6 is really well known. It always reminds me to trust in the Lord's timing and to acknowledge his presence in my life. He is the ultimate source of my strength.

Good things happen to those who put him first.

This is a photo of my own scriptures. I love marking a lot when I study. I have the gospel library app in my phone but I still prefer to read the scriptures that  I can touch and mark. Call me old school, but I still prefer reading books than ebooks.

So, whoever who may come across this today, remember you are loved and you matter to Him. Just keep on trusting!

Sewing is Fun!

I enrolled in advance dressmaking class this summer! Say hello to my new buddy, Singer!  She has his place in one of the corners of our rented home.

The Big Day!

Girls really look forward to have their dream wedding. One time I've read a blog post regarding the cost of getting married in the Philippines. What??? I find it overwhelming to spend a lot for weddings alone considering there are some finances that lie ahead. I've been married nearly 16 months and the expenses is way different between single and married life.  Even if you can afford all the cost, I think it's still wise to spend a "just right" amount.

Of course weddings are meant to be beautiful. In fact it's possible to have a great but cost effective wedding. The list really goes on and on if you are preparing for the big day. So planning is really a must. Cut the cost as much as you can like what we did. Haha! If you have a budget of let's say 100,000 just be sure you still have that same amount in your bank. Just my own opinion though.

Allow me to share "how resourceful" we are. :P Everything can just be so simple yet you'll love it. You may not believe it, but we only spent three weeks preparation. At some point you have to break with traditions and have the wedding your way.

What is the goal of money for you?

My FB wall is recently flooded with posts of people going crazy over iPhone6. I think there's nothing wrong wanting things if you can really afford it. By saying so, what I mean is that you don't have to go through debt just to have it or gamble your savings until you are left with none just to have it. If you have savings and emergency funds and still have extra money go grab it. But don't save every penny you have just to stay with the fad. In my case even if I can afford it, I will still not buy one. Haha!

Cookies&Cream

Because  home made ice cream can easily be made like 1-2-3. And of course it's cheaper compared to the ones bought from the supermarket. I was able to make two containers of ice cream by spending more than a hundred only.