The Importance of Having Ready Cash
And Investment
By Apolinario Villalobos
The issue on economy affects all creatures on earth. Even stationary living creations such as trees and oceans are affected by it. If forests, for instance, get depleted due to unscrupulous logging, and fishes in the oceans get killed by pollution due to the waste from factories, they eventually affect the economy of the world, because they are sources of man’s livelihood.
The cash has become an important commodity on earth that, even for the retired and the future retirees, the degree of a comfortable life later on, depends on it. Fortunate are those who have invested in revenue-generating ventures, or at least, have saved enough, so that, by the time they cease working, they have something with which to augment their monthly pension.
In another case, wives who depend on the monthly remittance of their working husbands should not be too reliant on their 15/30 wage even if the take home is much more than the average. For instance, just because their husbands earn more than 50 thousand pesos which is the usual basis for a very comfortable life, the wives should bear in mind that anything can happen, such as sickness in the family, closure of their husband’s workplace, disaster such as fire, etc. In other words, they should always set aside something for the “rainy days”.
The wives should help their husbands by thinking of ways on how to generate additional income from the “extras” derived from their wage. Unfortunately, some wives equate the “extras” with travel, jewelries, casino, unnecessary parties, etc. to the point that they have become “addicted” to them, as the habit has become deeply imbedded in their consciousness. Weekends see the whole family going to malls for lunch and shopping; birthdays “require” lavish preparation; budget for casino is discreetly set aside for at least two-day gambling spree in a week; and of course, there is always a share for the weekly visit to derma clinic and beauty parlor, etc.
One story is about a wife who receives an allotment of about 40 thousand pesos from her husband who works as a seafarer. She was so comfortable with the allotment and with the thought that it will always be that way until her husband who just arrived met an accident while driving his car from a party. Unfortunately, it was found out that the husband’s employment documents were spurious so that he got nothing from the insurance company and the government agency that takes care of the OFWs. The operation and long hospitalization of her husband practically depleted the family’s fund. Their two children stopped going to school, they sold their house, and with the meager amount left from the sale after paying their debts, the whole family went home to the husband’s province.
On the other hand, I know of some friends who have prepared for their future by buying parcels of land to be developed into small orchards. As their retirement was approaching, they filled their lands with saplings of local fruits. Today, they are literally enjoying the fruit of their investment. Other friends followed their example and did the same, making them excited as they look forward to their retirement so that they can work in their orchard.
Saving cash and investing on affordable ventures are securities for the future. The monthly pension should not always be relied on, as some retirees have been shocked when they found out that their monthly ROI (return of investment) from SSS or GSIS is not even enough to cover their maintenance drugs and regular medical check -up.
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