Take it or Leave it!
ADVICE NI TITA LITS Isabelita Manalastas-Watanabe
My Dear Tita Lits readers: I committed to make a part 2 of the Pag-IBIG benefits offered to OFWs – the first one, on loans, during the 2022 summer issue of Jeepney Press.
It means, you first pre-determine how much you intend to spend for the month, make total is less than your total earnings. Then of course, you will be able to generative positive savings!
Well, be in for another (pleasant) surprise.
Alisin muna sa list of expenses mo, things that you do not absolutely need – new shoes, new dress, new bag, and such other material goods. You will be able to survive without these, or if you are really gung-up on acquiring such “luxuries”, you can probably just postpone for a while, after you have achieved your savings goal.
In Japan, we do no earn interest for our savings – we even have to pay a fee to make deposits to our bank accounts!
What is your minimum savings goal to be able to take advantage of good interest returns on your Pag-IBIG savings?
Pag-IBIG offers very good interest earnings for saving money through them. But first, YOU MUST HAVE SAVINGS, right?
For as low as PHP500 monthly savings, or even PHP1,000 monthly (kayang-kaya nating mga Japan OFWs ito!), you can already earn good dividend payments.
I remember getting feedback from many readers on their surprise upon reading my opening line: OWN A HOUSE FOR ONLY JPY10,700 - 12,000?
I have a different definition on how to save your money. It is not the usual: Savings = Earnings – Expenses. I say: Expenses – Earnings = Savings.
20
Php1,000, a much bigger accumulated savings of or 5 years, you will be entitled to Php70,444.70. Medyo mabigat na iyong 3rd option - PHP1 million one-time savings. Pero baka naman marami sa atin ang pwedeng buksan ang ating mga baul kung saan natin itinatago ang savings natin and then decide to earn by placing these in MP2* Savings Plan of Pag-IBIG: Maraming siguradong magtatanong, SAFE bang ilagay ang pera sa Pag-IBIG? Ang dami kasi nating naririnig na mga anomalya sa ibang mga government offices, at siyempre, pawis at dugo ang puhunan nating mga overseas workers para makapagtabi ng kahit kaunting halaga, in the hope na kumita and pera natin, at hindi mawalang parang bula!
For example, for monthly MP2 savings of only Php500 (isang lunch lang iyan sa Tokyo), with compounded dividend payment option, your accumulated MP2 savings at the end of the 5th year will be Php35,222.35.
While I cannot personally guarantee na walang magiging problema, ginagarantiyahan ng ating gobyerno ang dividend rate Pag-IBIG savings. In 2021, ang government-guaranteed dividend rate was 5.50%. Not bad at all, di-ba?
For monthly MP2 savings of
*Modified Pag-IBIG2. MP2
July - August 2022
