A few days ago, I was scrolling my Instagram feed and my attention was caught with a bio of an Instagram seller. Her bio indicates that she's a stay at home mom, an entrepreneur, and a crafter.
If I had viewed the bio before, I would usually cringe - my usual reaction to self employed individuals. I often think why they've chosen to be self employed when being employed give you the edge for other benefits. The employer pay more than half of your SSS (Social Security System) contributions, they pay half of your PAG-IBIG Fund contributions, they pay half of your Philhealth contributions, they give you insurance while being employed, they provide healthcare benefits, they give 13th month pay (some even reach 15th month pay depending on performance), they give additional bonus, they provide assistance on learning and education, and even more. You will not have to worry with tax computations and filing. The only caveat is that you are tied for an 8 hour or 9 hour or more (when overtime is needed) at work. Of course, you still have to do your best to get the best score in your performance.
My office mate often told me when we were single that when the time comes, she'll just stay at home and takes care of her children. I would nod, but at the back of my mind, I know I will not repeat the same feat as my mother. It wonders me back then, how can she think of that when a single income household was very difficult to manage in terms of finances.
But that was just me.
Before.
Now that I have my 4 year old, I had this longing to stay at home, have flexibility with my time, work in my own pace, become a homemaker, and others things I wanted to do. Maybe it comes with mid life thoughts? Or maybe just too tired (or maybe the correct term is burn out) of working for 14 years today (Hurray, congratulate me!) that I wanted to break the routine? Or maybe just the hormones of PMS kicking in again?
But no, the thoughts had been lingering for sometime now. And I have been making certain plans to make it happen. I've been saving, saving, saving, investing, investing, investing, and learning, learning, learning more on what I should be doing once I am out of my 8 hour shift.
I spoke with a friend the other day and she told me that when she was in between jobs for 2 months, she got bored. Will I suffer the same feeling? Will I survive not working when this is what I know best ever since graduation? Will I look for a job eventually?
My thoughts exactly is I don't know. I haven't been in between jobs for any more than a month. I have been to 3 companies including my present but I haven't experience not thinking about work. I had 2 months maternity leave when I gave birth but I don't consider it as really a time off because I still get to hear news and everything in the office.
My desire to get out of work and become FIRE is big right now. Well, not exactly retire and travel the world. Maybe just a little bit of working on the side if I WANT to but that is the work which I am not oblige to do because there are bills that depends on it. It is IDEAL. It seems like it was impossible to reach by looking at my current status.
But this desire was fueled by people who have made it. They are real life people who made it at an early age and some working on it in the same age as mine. I accidentally click the site of the Frugalwoods and their lifestyle inspires me. And as I continue to read, I came across other bloggers who actually made it.
This made my hunger to being financially independent even more overwhelming.
I am eyeing a different spectacular against the beliefs on money I had been made aware of since childhood. The start was difficult and I am nowhere yet in the middle of the journey, yet, it is good to feel that I have started.
The idea that I have started this path where the topic of money handling is taboo to almost everyone I know of, gives me a little security and peace of mind at the end of the day.
I may have lost friends who do not understand what I wanted to do with my finances, but I gain confidence in myself knowing that I am now able to at least handle what I have been entrusted by the one above.
I do not know why it took me so long to do this, but I am glad I am here now. Still working. With few savings. Few investments. Debt-free. Insured. Learning. Cultivating new skills. Exploring. And grateful.
No comments:
Post a Comment