What are some ways Filipino Remote Workers can save money?
Working online jobs in the Philippines is a relative norm these days, and it is unlikely to go away. The benefits that come with remote working are pretty obvious. (The extreme convenience of waking up ten minutes before your shift; Or how you could literally cook sinigang while working, then later join your family for lunch). In this article, I’ll be sharing ten tips that can help you save more money as a remote worker.
10 Surefire Ways Filipino Remote Workers Can Save Money in the Philippines
1. Schedule Your Errands.
One of the biggest wins with remote working is no more daily commutes! Schedule your day out so you can run your errands (weekly groceries, dental appointments, mani-pedi day, etc) all in one trip rather than several ones. This practice saves on either gas or transportation expenses. This will lead to a smaller carbon footprint too, so win-win.
An average Filipino’s spending on commuting ranges from ₱800 to ₱4,000 each month. According to a report by PhilStar, Filipinos save up to ₱340,000 each year under a hybrid work setup. Can you imagine how much more you could save if you were working remotely full-time?
2. Look For Low-Mileage Car Insurance.
Since you will mostly be staying at home, you won’t be using your car (if you have one) regularly. You might want to check if your insurance provider offers a discount on low mileage. If not, it may be time to look for another car insurance that offers this.
3. Cook Your Own Meals and Brew Your Own Coffee
In a traditional work setting in the Philippines, you and your coworkers can easily eat out for lunch + coffee. Quick coffee breaks and snacks add up quickly. This tends to be a slippery slope towards overspending, especially if you don’t keep track of your expenses. Working from home will allow you to prepare and cook your own meals at home. You can also brew your own coffee. Practicing this will allow you to have more control over a relatively (healthy) diet. You can also prepare healthier options for snacks to prevent or get rid of that afternoon slump.
4. Buy Less Clothes
There is no need for you to buy a whole new wardrobe when you work from home (or to get dressed for that matter). Imagine the amount of money you save because you don’t have to purchase new outfits for each day of the week. Also, imagine spending money on clothes you want and enjoy wearing (hello crop top!) as opposed to buying office clothes that need to adhere to office requirements. When working remotely, there is less pressure to look good all the time (hello Zoom filters!)
5. Take Advantage of the Tax Deductibles
If you are a remote worker, you will probably work as an independent contractor. Another way Filipino Remote Workers can save money is by reducing one’s taxable income. How? By claiming business expenses. Some of these expenditures include office supplies like printers and ink cartridges, telephone and internet bills, and software, as long as the subscription is under two years. Your office equipment—laptops, desktop computers, printers, etc.—can be listed as a deductible too.
6. Keep Food Deliveries to a Minimum
Another way Filipino remote workers can save money is through food. One of the most common temptations for many remote workers is ordering takeout instead of making meals themselves. After all, why get up and waste precious time cooking when it’s easier to order via Grab Food or Foodpanda? You don’t even have to stand up to do so. Despite being convenient, using food delivery apps greatly bloats your monthly expenses. Besides the price of the food you ordered, these apps also charge you a fee for their services.
If you want to save money, practice a little self-discipline and reduce your food delivery orders. It’s a good idea to set a weekly take-out food limit of, let’s say, twice a week. Always remind yourself that eating home-cooked meals is also healthier than ordering fast food because you can better control your calorie intake by keeping a close watch on what goes into your food.
7. Watch Your Online Spending
Add to cart but do not check out. It is so easy to shop online especially with Shopee and Lazada deals being just a few clicks away. Keep a tighter leash on your wallet by taking a step back and asking yourself: Do I Really Need this? What is the worst that can happen if I don’t buy this?
8. Support Local
Another way Filipino remote workers can save money is through supporting our own products. When looking for high-quality yet inexpensive products, buying local products is a good idea.Don’t be fooled by the rampant misconception that local goods are inferior. Philippines’ products are often just as good, if not better, than imported ones. Besides supporting our local businesses, local products are usually healthier than imported ones since they don’t have many preservatives.
9. Budget Before You Spend
This one’s a common mistake for both office-based and online workers in the Philippines. When you receive your salary, your first impulse is to treat yourself or your family with it. Set a budget for living / necessary expenses, a budget for fun money and a budget that goes to your savings.
10. Live Somewhere With a Lower Cost of Living
Before remote work, you needed to move to the city to get a decent paying job because there is a general lack of work opportunities outside metro areas. The cost of living is so high in most of these city centers.
Working remotely allows for location freedom. So long as the place you’re staying in has a good internet connection, you can work. This opens up your options to live in places that are cheaper to live in than Manila. (As a bonus, these places tend to be less congested and more peaceful too. Hello beach!!) Consider working someplace like Tagbilaran, Bukidnon, or Bacolod.
A Peso Saved is a Peso Earned.
Start saving money while working in the comfort of your home, head to Remote Staff’s job list today to find various online jobs you can apply to.
Contributor: Rica Jankulovski
As the Co-Founder and General Manager of Remote Staff, Rica Jankulovski has been helping small-to-medium sized companies grow sustainably and steadily by matching them with hard-working, English-speaking Filipino remote talent. Having been born and raised in the Philippines and currently living in Australia, her unique experiences and perspectives on both cultures allow her to constantly empower both her clients and remote talents to make a meaningful difference in work and in life for the past 15 years.
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10 Surefire Ways Filipino Remote Workers Can Save Money in the Philippines