How do you spend your first paycheck? A finance expert weighs in

When one begins to start earning their own money, one of the most daunting tasks is learning how to manage it. Senior Financial Advisor, Certified Associate Financial Planner, and content creator Antonette Aquino shares tips on how to build good financial habits for yourself as early as your first job, or if you’ve been working several years and want to improve on your money management:

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1. Prioritize spending on needs and avoid splurging on things that will not bring you value in the future. Aquino also says that we can treat ourselves once in a while to enjoy the fruits of our hard work…for as long as it doesn’t jeopardize our future.

2. Pay yourself first. Before paying for bills, commit to setting a percentage of your income to savings and investments. This includes putting money into your investment accounts and buying insurance. Make sure to do this consistently!
3. Use the bucketing method to separate your finances. For people who are still trying to get the hang of saving, Aquino recommends trying out the bucketing method which allows you to have a clearer view of your spending and saving habits when all your funds are separated. Instead of having all of your money in one savings account, It is best to have four kinds of accounts: 

• Operating Fund – Allocate money for recurring expenses such as quarterly, monthly, or annual bills in this account.
• Emergency Fund – Allocate 20% of your income to this account for unforeseen expenses such as a medical emergency or a job loss.
• Financial Freedom Fund – This account is for the achievement of life goals and dreams, which include retiring early or going back to school. 
• Happy Account – This account is for all of your leisurely expenses like travel.

4. When you earn more, don’t immediately upgrade your lifestyle. If you continuously level up your belongings and lifestyle every time you earn more money, you will never be able to hit your targets. Remind yourself to live below your means until you’ve begun to hit them.

5. The longer you put off investing, the harder you’ll need to work to get to the same level of financial freedom as someone who starts investing earlier. If you start saving and investing as soon as you start earning, you will reap the benefits of financial freedom sooner rather than later. 

6. The importance of saving money is simple: It allows you to enjoy greater security in your life. If you have cash set aside for emergencies, you have a fallback should something unexpected happen. Once you’re in the habit of saving, you’ll forget there was ever a time when you didn’t save. In this area of life, the habits you build will make all the difference. 

Start your financial journey with GSave

For those who want to begin their journey to financial stability, look no further. GSave, the first-ever savings account which you can open and maintain on your GCash app, has now built the GSave Marketplace — helping you control your money conveniently through safe and secure digital banking. 

The GSave Marketplace lets users select a bank partner depending on their needs. Whether it’s interest rate or account accessibility, GCash provides trusted bank partners for you, including CIMB Bank and BPI. 

With CIMB Bank, your money can grow at 2.6% interest per year – one of the highest rates in the country. Meanwhile, with BPI, users can now open a BPI MySaveUp account through the GCash App, allowing them to easily view their balance, deposit and withdraw at their own convenience. BPI account holders will also be issued an ATM card for their account, so they can access their funds via BPI branches and ATMs nationwide. 

Following through with its promise to provide a hassle-free experience to its customers, all you have to do to start your banking journey with GSave is a valid ID to verify your GCash account. Through GSave Marketplace, users can rely on and easily access where users can choose from a variety of saving products. 

Get started on your savings today with GSave! 

To know more about the service, visit https://help.gcash.com/hc/en-us/sections/360004696233-GSave