STRATEGY 7: ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN

(A book review on ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN by: Eduardo O. Roberto, Jr.)

A friend of mine just reflexively cuddled me to a Christian bookstore, if I'd be excused from commercial stipulation; the name of the book store is Philippine Christian Book Store (PCBS).

There is no intention of buying anything on or off the shelves, considering my pocket money cannot get even with expenses of the consecutive days before the next cut-off. So I just enjoyed myself and keep teasing my eyes with those hefty pages on the shelf. Kumbaga, binubusog ko na lang mga mata ko sa mga magagandang librong nakapatong sa mga estante.

Then out of nowhere, my friend's hand dangle a mile to show in front of my face this little not too thickly semi-pocket book titled Ang Pera Na Hindi Bitin. So I checked it out. Know what, mas tiningnan ko pa yung likod kaysa front cover ng book – kasi andun yung price eh. It doesn't make sense kung subrang ganda nung book and the contents itself – after knowing that wala ka naman palang pambili.

I found out it was only fifty pesos – as in P50.00. Saka ko na lang inalam yung title - “Ang Pera Na Hindi Bitin” by Eduardo O. Roberto, Jr. So, I tried to inspect my pocket left and right, up and down – I always ware 6 pocket-pants for convenience for all my other necessary accessories plus the odd fact that I don't have a wallet for 28 years now. I always have my money on my pockets – bills or penny.

I bought the book, nevertheless. It's out of my budget, but hey! Binili ko sya. Parang gusto pang kumapit ng 50 pesos sa bulsa ko, hirap akong dukutin. Well, sabi nila it pays to learn and it pays to be informed. Obviously, we spent thousands pesos on television, internet and prints to be informed. Now here's one book that will bring you to the bottom (base) of investing without drowning your pocket and mental faculty as well.

I finished the book in just one night. The book contains some sort of 106 pages cover to cover, regular fonts, double to 1.5 spacing, and directs to point money making and saving tips. If you can read this book and if you are a regular employee, borrower, lender or somebody aspiring to ease the sting of poverty and financial conundrum in your life, then you'd feel like you’re the one who have written this book. Nakakarelate, kumbaga. Laging kapos sa pera. Laging nakakautang at hirap magbayad ng utang. Kung nagpapautang man, hirap maningil ng utang.

O, by the way sa mga nagpapautang, ito lang tandaan nyo, sariling moto ko to “madaling magpautang, mahirap maningil ng utang.” Kahit kaibigan mo, nagiging kaaway pa minsan.

Right were I'm reading the book I still have my own debt na from time to time binabayaran ko pa. That's one of my greatest financial pursuits as of now – after that, I shall have my investments!

On the first few pages of the the book it contains a humor cartoon between a man who withdraws an amount more than what he saves. So the ATM machine scolded him, “Hoy! Ang kapal ng mukha mo! Bakit ka magwi-withdraw ng P500 eh wala pang P100 ang pondo mo.”

Sometimes, of my four years of being employed, sinubukan ko na ring gawin to baka nga naman magkamaling mag despense yung ATM machine, di ba? Pero, huh asa pa! And all those years of employment lagi din akong kapus, lalo na pag malapit na yung sahuran.

What does the book really tells us. It's all about being short of your budget and how will you overcome those shortcomings.

The book offers 7 Strategies on how you could simply budget your income and even multiply it – Biblical and practical.


INTRODUCTION

You must have experienced having worked all day in and out, years after years but at the end of the day you have realized there's nothing left on your savings. And what adds insult to injury is that you accumulate debts instead of income – hey wait you have been working a lot! Now, you've realized your finances have turn upside-down. This is difficult!

The author himself summed-up all his struggles from borrowing amount for business that failed and nosedived on the ground to the business where he was cheated till he succumbed to the quagmires of debts. In other words, hindi lang nalugi, nagkanda utang pa.

The author sticks off his nose from those debts by learning the lessons from those failures. He learned from his Bible studies what he calls “financial stewardship.” All of the things that we have are just temporary and are subject to our management. In fact none of those can we bring when we die.

Spiritually, God cares by the way we manage money. Some of us may not be spiritually ready for big deals and much more some of us are not yet ready emotionally and mentally about handling much money.

Akala kasi natin problema lang ang walang pera o kunting pera, helo! Problema din kaya ang maraming pera.

Learn the lessons na lang sa mga taong biglang nanalo ng milyones sa lotto, then after several years balik ulit sa dating buhay. That is why importante yung sinabi ng author, “financial stewardship.” Yung tamang pangangalaga sa pera, at magagawa mo lang yun kung spiritually and mentally ready ka sa paghawak ng pera. Kagaya na lang ng parable of the talents sa Bible, pinagkatiwalaan tayo it's either itago natin ng itago o padamihin, pangalagaan at i-share.

For Lottery disgrace story: HERE

This book as accorded by the author is not gonna make you superbly rich, unless you make it there, this book intends only to teach you the basics of money saving and investing – para 'wag laging bitin sa pera.

Secondly, this book intends to teach about contentment which one of the prime factor of happy life not only financially but totally.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11)

Money and possession are the most coveted topic in the Bible. According to the author, there are 500 verses on prayer, 500 verses on faith and over 2,000 verses on money and possessions. Which goes to say that perhaps God is using money to test man’s worth and trustworthiness for heaven? It is stated in the Gospel of Luke 16:10 – 12 “Those who can be trusted with small things can be trusted with the big ones...” and vice versa.

Dami ko nang nasabi, let us cater on the first strategy now. Game!


STRATEGY 1 – SAVE

The golden rule when it comes to investing and taking good care of your money. You cannot lift a finger on any investment if you don't have savings – worst, have debts rather than savings.

Ang pag-iipon daw kasi mahirap pag hindi ka sanay. Minsan mana-mana din yan. Kung tinuruan ka ng nanay at tatay mo na mag-ipon at sila din ay nag-iipon, then most probably hindi mahirap sayo ang mag-ipon ngayon. It's just a matter of pasanayan. Once it became a habit then it's easy as chewing your breakfast.

Here's the strategy of how you're going to do it. Ito rin kadalasan yung sinasabi at tinuturo ng mga napupuntahan kung seminars saka mga financial advisers:

• Give 10% nung kinikita mo. I guess, this works all the time. What I mean is give to the Lord 10% of it. Robert Kiyosaki (author ng ligbrong Rich Dad, Poor Dad), one of the greatest investor and financial adviser in the world do this, Bo Sanchez here in the Philippines and the author himself.

• Save 20% nung kinikita mo. Whatever earnings you have, no exception. Kumikita ka man as employee or kumikita ka as fish ball vendor, it doesn't matter. This is one way of saying “pay first yourself.” Dati di ko maintindihan to. Akala ko, night out or night life ka muna, pakain ka naman or gimik ka muna – pay yourself eh. Save first pala ang ibig sabihin nun!

Kung gusto mo ring palakihin from 20% hanggang 50% percent, then so much the better. Depende sa diskarte. Pero, believe it, this basic instruction really works.

• Obviously, yung 70% percent yun na yung pangkalahatan. Gimik, pambayad sa mga bills at iba pang gastusin. Nasa sayo na ang pag-prioritize ng lahat. Pero, “first things first muna.”

• Isa pang suggestion. Try to tally all your expenses. After a month check mo baka kasi may kailangan ka pang bawasin dyan na di naman kasama sa dapat pagkagastusan. Parang blood pressure check lang to. Baka tumataba yung mga pinagkakagastusan mo, yung kita mo lumiliit.


STRATEGY 2 - GIVE

The process of giving is just like the process of saving. Pasanayan ang pagbigay, sa una mabigat. It needs to be a habit then when it becomes a virtue it would be easier than ever. Mapapansin mo you're giving without expecting something in return. It's one way of saying, “Lord, thank you for all the blessings.” If you can say it verbally, then why not do it actually.

“Give and give until it hurts, give and give until it hurts no more.” Yan ang sabi ni Mother Theresa of Calcuta, India.

How much will you give. As discussed above, 10% percent yun. Sa bible first fruits tawag dun. Ibig sabihin yung pinakaunang putol, pinakasariwa at pinakamataba.

Bakit first fruits pa? Bakit pinakamaganda pa sa lahat ng ani?

Obviously, alangan bigyan mo ang Diyos ng bulok! Sa bible sinabi nya sya ang may ari ng lahat. Kumbaga, kung ako yung may-ari ng kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuan mo, bakit ako tatanggap ng bara-barang trabaho. Ako yung may-ari ng company – I want it the best!

You don't have to worry God is a God who never lied and breaks promises. Ito yung pinangako nya sa mga taong nagbibigay.

“'Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the Lord All-Powerful. I will open the windows of heaven for your and pour out all the blessings yo need.” (Malachi 3:10)

At ito pa. “Magbigay kayo at kayo'y bibigyan. Hustong takal, siksik, liglig, at umaapaw and ibibigay sa inyo. Sapagkat ang panukat na ginamit sa iba ay sya ring gagamintin sa inyo.” (Lucas 6:38)

Last hirit sa strategy na ito. If you have started the habit of giving, please prepare your “storehouse” - yourself – for the graces that will be poured out to you. Kailangang ihanda mo rin ang sarili mo dahil ibubuhos sayo pabalik ang mga biyaya, siksik, liglig at umaapaw!


STRATEGY 3 – GET OUT OF DEBTS AND STOP BORROWING

Debt is one of the parasites of your income. Minsan hindi mo pa natatanggap yung sahod mo, maypaglalagyan na. Nakakafrustrate di ba? Based on my experience. Napapansin ko pag palapit na yung sahuran, paubos na rin ang pundo ko.

Minsan dito tayo magaling, mangutang.

Nagpapautang ako for one time. Ang bilis ipahiram ng pera, pero ang hirap kunin pabalik. As much as possible avoid lending money if you can't be too sure sa pinapautang mo or masyado kang mahiyaing maningil, lalo na kung yung perang pinapahiram mo ay di sayo.

Sa may mga utang sa credit card. Actually, instead na takbuhan nyo yung utang nyo – nadiscover ko lang puede naman palang kausapin ang mga creditors mo; that you have to pay them in an installment, kahit wala munang tubo, surprisingly, pumapayag sila. Logically, kaysa naman di sila mabayaran at all, di ba!

Pero payo pa nga ng author ng librong to, “cut your plastics” into two kung talagang naging temptation sayo yung credit card mo at nagkanda baon-baon ka na sa utang dahil dyan.

Yung may mga utang na planong bayaran sa pamamagitan din ng utang. Try borrowing dun sa may mas mababang interest para mabayaran yung utang na mas mataas ang interest.

Pinaka-importante lang tagala mawala yung mga utang mo. Because you cannot move on financially habang may utang ka pa – believe me!

Lastly, karadagang points, simply lang:

• Have a steady income before getting a housing loan. Obvious ba? Di na kailanggan imemorize yan.

• Do not consign loans! Ito yung kadalasang nangyayari sa mga katrabaho ko. Nagiging co-maker ng utang ng kapwa empleyado. At pag nag-resign, kawawa! Iwasang panagutan ang utang ng iba.

• Don't loan just to impress! In other words wag magpasikat.


STRATEGY 4 – LIVE SIMPLY

Maging matipid!

Ang sabi ko maging matipid – hindi maging kuripot! Minsan kasi may mga mamahaling bagay na nandyan sa atin pero di naman natin kailangan. At bare essentials yung kailangan lang naman talaga ng tao ay pagkain, tirahan at damit. We call it needs. Others that are corollaries to it are wants; mamahaling relo, alahas, handbags, sasakyan at kung ano-ano pa.

Minsan nga yung tinapay pagkain na yan, puede mo nang kainin walang problema dun, pero bakit mo pa kailangang palamanan?

Pabayaan nyo sila kung napagkakamalan nilang kakuriputan ang pagiging matipid mo, after all ikaw din naman ang kinakapus hindi sila.

To make you believe in the power of simplicity to help you prosper, we have examples of the richest men on earth. Si Warren Buffet, na naging isa sa pinakamayang tao sa mundo, drives a pick-up truck and still use and live in a house he used to live about 50 years now. Carlos Slim Helu, still lives on the same house for 40 years now. Sumama rin sa patipiran sila Ingvar Kamprad, a furniture magnate, na sumasakay pa rin sa bus at economy class yung flights. Si Heny dito sa Pinas, nakikipagtawaran pa rin kung namimili.

Sa totoo lang mas madaling gastusin ang pera kaysa ipunin, yun nga lang depende sa pinagkakagastusan mo. Si Warren Buffet na mismo nagsabi, “if you spend for what you don't need, later you will sell things that you need.”

Tama!

Minsan naisasangla na pati mga kawali at kaldero para pandagdag matrikula ng mga anak. Bibili ng mamahaling gamit, tapus wala pang isang taon isasangla na o ibebenta kasi kailangan na ng pera - obviously mas mababa na yung bentahan - wala pang bawi.

Ito pa importante sa lahat, don't let your possessions possess you. It is sad when having is more important that being. Mas importante pa ngayon ang pera kaysa maging tao – mali naman yun. Kaya nga sa pambungad ko, it is important na bago ka humawak ng pera maging tao ka muna. Kay Eduardo Roberto, Jr. – financial stewardship tawag nya.

Karagdagang points pa po:

• Separate your spendings from your emotions. Ok din naman to. Pero point ko lang, you can use money to shake-off stress. Pero minsan ginugusto na nating ma-stress para laging gumimik – nakakawala ng stress eh – not good naman yun. O kaya minsa ayaw natin malait na kuripot or killjoy kaya napipilitang manlibre.

• Pray before you pay. I believe in this. There Is a caring Somebody working for our needs. May mga bagay na outside of our own sight yet works with or for us. May Puwersang dumidinig sa lahat ng panalangin natin. I can attest to this many times simula ng bata pa ako hanggang sa ngayon.


STRATEGY 5 – MAGSIPAG, MAGNEGOSYO

Nothing beats this principle. Though, I only have to add something here, “whatever you do, do it the right way.” Kasi kahit anong sipag mo pag mali-mali yung kamada mo, di ka rin aasenso, mapapagud ka lang. Gaya ng ginagawa natin ngayon. Sipag alone do not work. Dito ko ipapasok yung term na, “financial education” or “financial literacy.” Kailangan lang naman para umasenso o di kaya'y maging “financially free” ka ay tamang kumbinasyon. Sipag at edukasyon.

Di ka pa naman siguro nakakita ng ibon na lumilipad pero isa lang yung pakpak nya. In other words, kailangan nya ng dalawang pakpak para makalipad ng mataas. Sa pag-unlad financially, ganun din. Kailangan mo ng sipag at talino. Hindi pueding sipag lang, o di kaya'y talino lang.

Sabi nga sa The Secret, “thoughts become things.” Ibig sabihin, hindi maging bagay yang iniisip mo o talino mo kung wala ka naman sa gawa.

Sa mga empleyado, wag mahiyang humingi kung sa tingin mo deserving ka naman sa paghingi mo. You will never know kung tataasan ko o hindi unless na humingi ka. Sabi nga sa Matthew 7:7 “ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find...”

Kung hindi ka man tinaasan, magiging masipag pa rin. Remember, hindi ka lang nagtatrabaho para sa umento or magpa-impress, kundi nagtatrabaho ka rin para matoto. Someday makikita mo, some company will be pirating you to them – and that will be the loss of your company not yours.

Karagdagang puntos ulit:

• Maging Enterprising. Sabi nga nila wala naman talagang yumayaman o naging finacially free sa pagiging empleyado. Siguro nga tama. Kasi as I have observed, karamihan ng umaangat ay talagang may hawak na negosyo. Kahit anong negosyo. Si Joey Conception, may ari ng www.gonegosyo.net ay naniniwalang ang sagot sa kahirapan ay entrepreneurship.

Now, paano gagawin? magsimula muna sa maliliit na sideline. Napakayaman ng internet sa sideline, maging masipag lang talaga. Si Carl Ocab isang (dating) high school na naging full time blogger na at ngayon kumikita na ng P80, 000.00 a month. Magpost ng iyong mga gustong ibenta sa www.sulit.com.ph, www.ayosdito.ph at marami pa.

Just keep on educating yourself and sharpening your skills. Ito pagnagawa mo to no pressure to saka enjoy ka pa, since you're doing it according to your core gift.

“All hardwork brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23)

• Matutong Magbenta. Gustuhin man natin sa hindi, lahat ng umasenso financially, natutong magbenta. Puwera na lang kung ikaw si Pacquiao. Pero kahit sya bumibili rin ng mga properties para din ibenta. So, no exception to para di ka matutong magbenta. Again, educate yourself on how to do this.

Maraming scams gaya ng pyramiding scams, pero para masiguro i-check ang mga ito sa DSAP (Direct Selling Association of the Philippines). Mga registered sa DSAP: Avon, Amway, Sara Lee, Symmetry, Easy Phamax, Tupperware atpb.

• Minimize Overtime or Overworking. Ito pa rin, walang kapalit at walang bawi yung 8 hours na tulog ng isang tao na nawala dahil sa overtime. Kahit naman itulog mo pa to ng buong araw. I have experienced this nung nasa call center pa ako nagwo-work. Iba ang tulog na tama.

Observe this, overtime ka ngayon. Kinabukasan pagpasok mo, inaantok ka pa rin. So tulog ka pa rin ng tulog – di ba bawi rin – sulit pa yan pag nahuli ka ng boss mo!

At pagnagkasakit ka because of overtime or overworking, yung lahat ng naipon mo, kung meron man, bawi rin ng gamot at hospital yan. So, balance lang talaga.

• Treat your customers as friends not as clients. Mahirap kasi kung tingin mo lang palagi sa mga customers mo mga cliente parang pagkakaperahan mo lang pagali. Hirap tumagal ang ganitong usapan eh. Treat them as friends and being a client is a bonus to you.


STRATEGY 6 – MAG-INVEST

Ito na yung sinasabi, hindi lang basta iniipon ang pera. Pinapalago din ito. Maganda din naman ang nag-iipon, nothing's wrong naman dun, pero pinakamainam sa lahat ang magpdami ng perang naipon.

Pag nag-ipon ka kasi, kumbaga parang math din yan, addition ang nangyayari. Pero pag nag-invest ka, multiplication ang nangyayari sa pera mo. Only that, it includes little to great risk, depende sa klase ng investment.

We just have to remember the two pillars of investments, para sa akin lang to ha, time and money. At sa pag-iinvest walang hinog na oras para mag-invest, right NOW is the time to invest. Right when and where you read this article or wherever it is. The earlier the better, the merrier and the richer you are!

Kahit naman sa investments may scams pa rin. One of them as told by the author is Multitel. Check here.

So, where are yo suppose to invest? Madali lang, as suggested by the author himself:

• Real Estate. Ito talaga maraming yumaman dito pero marami din nalulugi, not unless you educate yourself about this kind of investment (we'll discuss on it at the last strategy).

Invest in properties na puede mong paupahan kagaya ng mga condo units, mga house and lots. Pinakamagada yung foreclosed properties (yung mga properties na nasa pag-aari na ulit ng banko).

Para malaman kung paano mag-invest puede kayong umatend ng seminars, magbasa ng libro o magtanong sa marurunong. Ito puede to: www.thinkrichpinoymanila.blogspot.com.

Wag basta-basta pumasok sa kahit anong business na wala kayong kaalam-alam sa ginagawa nyo – golden rule of entrepreneurship yan. You need head knowledge first, sabayan nyo na rin ng pagmamahal ang ginagawa nyo para wag kayo basta mapapagud kasi kung hindi, para kang nanliligaw sa babae nyan na close lang sayo pero hindi ka naman mahal.

• Mutual Funds. Yung kikitain ng pera nyo dito nakadepende sa flow ng economy natin, kasi apektado rin ang company na humahawak ng pera mo. Pero safer mag-invest dito kaysa ibang investing mediums. Dito parang alon yung situation mo, pueding tumaas ng tumaas at pueding bumaba ng bumaba. Ang advantage – puede kang kumita hanggang 40% per year. Ang disadvantage lang pueding bumaba ng bumaba yung kita nito, or pueding wala kang kikitain in a year. Pero don't worry napakadalang mangyari nyan. Mas tatamaan ka pa ng kidlat kaysa mangyari to.

One more thing about the bank. During the seminars I attended I discovered na pag nag-invest ka sa kanila, like time deposit, fixed yung income ng pera mo; some sort of 5% percent per year. So, kumbaga alam mo na magiging kita mo after 30 years kung yun ang maturity na gusto mo. While sa mutual fund, you will enjoy the thrill of ups and downs. Sa bank, sila yung kumikita ng malaki hindi ikaw.

For tips on mutual fund try visiting these sites:

www.pinoymoneytalk.com and www.randelltiongson.com. Also try reading MoneySense magazine and Entrepreneur magazine for more knowledge and tips not only on mutual fund but every business interest. For advices try Registered Financial Planners Institute (RFPI).

Pero ito yung mga stable companies na maganda mag-invest: Sunlife Financial, First Metro, Ayala Life Assurance at marami pa. Usually yung minimum investment for mutual fund is P5, 000.00 to P10, 000.00.

• Stock Market. Dito parang co-owner ka na rin ng company kasi part yung pera mo sa naging investing nila. Yung na-invest mo dito puede mong ibenta afterwards pag tumaas na bilihan ng stocks. Ang risk nya pueding mawala investment mo once nag-down yung stocks ng company. More risky to kaysa mutual fund.

Dito sa atin may tinatawag na “Blue Chips” stock (samahan ng malalaking company to dito sa atin gaya ng Ayala Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Jollibee, etc...). Dito, medyo mataas ng required starting amount – around P25, 000.00 to open an account.

Try nyo to Nag-oofer to ng free seminars for investing on stocks: www.citiseconlin.com.ph.

• Small Business, franchise or direct selling, distributorship. Ito na yung sabi kung small business na sinasabi ko. Make this as your playground but play on it seriously, kasi sayang ang pera.

May nai-suggest ang author about Mark So ang nagsulat ng article na “How to Make Extra Money with Zero Capital.” Di ko pa nababasa yung blog nya up until na sinusulat ko to, pero try nyo: www.markso.wordpress.com
As what I have mentioned earlier, puede kayong magsimula sa paliit-liit na distributorship kagaya ng Avon, Amway, Fuller Life (na dating Tupperware pala dito sa atin) and so on. Dito puede kang kumita ng P1, 500 up to P25, 000 a month depende sa deskarte.


STRATEGY 7 – EDUCATE YOURSELF

Whew! Ito na, matatapos na rin tayo.

Siguro kung nagbabasa ka puede mung unahin to saka na yung ibang strategies kasi learning first yung SOP talaga sa kahit anong larangan naman eh.

I suggest you have to buy the book itself. It's worth the pay naman eh. Kumbaga it pays to learn naman talaga.

I think poverty is the offshoot of ignorance. Sometimes, deep within you is a voice saying that there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The problem is that you don't have the road map or in other words the knowledge on how to make it there. That is why education is important, but most of us ignore this crowned jewel of prosperity. More often we say it's expensive, then we try ignorance, only to see ourselves pressing our nose against the sting of poverty. Sometimes, remorse is too late.

So, educate yourselves as much as possible, after all the life you save from the compromise of debts and poverty will be yours.

I suggest you buy the book, kasi marami pang suggestions dun na di ko dito nailangay.

A word from St. Paul to the Romans 13:8 “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law”

May your life be blessed!


The author:
EDUARDO O. ROBERTO, JR.

Books:
ANG PERA NA HINDI BITIN
ANG BUHAY NA HINDI BITIN

Visit to know more about him or buy his books:

Website:
www.ardyroberto.org
www.OFMLit.com

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