Dec 022017
 

Are you experiencing financial stress lately?

Good news! Why is it good news?

You’re not alone. It’s okay to admit that there are still times you struggle with how to use your money wisely.

Here are a few realities you may be experiencing yourself:

  1. You want to work within your budget but you are also struggling with impulse buying. Worse, no one is giving you tips on how to fight it.
  2. You promised yourself you will start saving and to be fair, you did start to put aside money. But you just couldn’t say no to a random weekend getaway your friends invited you to.
  3. You are spending more than what you are earning.
  4. Your credit card bills are mounting.
  5. You no longer have enough money to spend to last you until the next payday.

Read Related Story:
5 Powerful Money Lessons We Can Learn from Chinoy Tycoons, Sy, Gokongwei and Tan

Here’s even better news! YOU can do something about it. Nobody else can fix your financial problems for you other than you. I can teach you all the disciplines needed in order to achieve financial freedom, but YOU have to make a decision to actually follow it.

Here are my thoughts on how you can start to spend your money wisely:

TIP 1: MAKE A LIST OF YOUR PRIORITIES.

Identify important areas where your money should go first. Think of basic needs and obligations first before your wants.

TIP 2: CREATE A BUDGET.

A budget will act as a guide, a compass that will help you allot certain amounts for specific financial obligations.

TIP 3: WORK AROUND YOUR BUDGET.

The secret to increasing your savings and budget for later R&R is to stick to your budget at ALL times. Spending outside of the budget is a big NO-NO!

TIP 4: AVOID IMPULSE BUYING.

Don’t feel bad when everyone you see in the mall is flocking in a store with huge “Sale” signs all over it. Sure, you will get tempted. But trust me, it is better to look away and wait until you have enough to actually buy something you need, or want, even if there is no sale.

TIP 5: SAVE.

Be deliberate in your commitment to put aside money. You are going to thank your younger self later in life for committing to this discipline.

THINK. REFLECT. APPLY.

What do you usually spend your money on?
Do you spend your money on important things?
What are your priority expenses that you need to stick to?

To avoid further financial stress, please check out my latest book DIARY OF A PULUBI http://bit.ly/2yPVcDf

(Chinkee Tan is a top Filipino motivational speaker, wealth and life coach whose goal is to inform, educate, motivate, and disturb. His vision is to help people become financially-literate and debt-free. For more info about Chinkee Tan, please visit his fan page at FB, Twitter and Instagram. Also follow VIBER PUBLIC CHAT GROUP search chinkee tan, and VISIONCHINKEE on You Tube for more news and encouragements.

Nov 092017
 
3 Learning Habits of Successful People

Chinkee Tan Have you ever tried doing a new business or switching to a new career? You are interested in putting your money into something that has the potential of increasing your income and making your future stable. Chances are, you will feel uncomfortable and awkward. There are so many risks and challenges that come with it. It’s normal to have self-doubt when going into something new. But before you take that leap of faith, remember a valuable habit that most highly successful people nurture – CONTINUOUS LEARNING. This is not just learning about the business but also learning how to make yourself better as an employee or an entrepreneur. Here are three steps you can take in order to build the habit of continuous learning. STEP 1: ASSIGN A TIME IN YOUR DAILY ROUTINE FOR LEARNING Choose the most convenient time for you in your normal routine to really sit down and learn something new. Chinese businessman John Gokongwei Jr., owner of Universal Robina Corporation and the brains behind Cebu Pacific and Sun Cellular to mention a few, revealed in an interview that he reads for at least two hours a day. He reads all the available newspapers in the country everyday and several magazines as well. STEP 2: DON’T HESITATE TO INVEST ON LEARNING MATERIALS Consider your learning investments as one of your most VALUABLE ASSETS. Don’t be stingy. The first person to benefit from the things you learn is absolutely YOU. STEP 3: GET READY TO UNLEARN Read More …

Nov 032017
 
Focus is a Crucial Key to Success

Chinkee Tan Are you easily distracted? Are you the type who sets goals but never really meet them? Well, if you are, you are not alone. This is a personal observation over the years, people get easily distracted. Have you ever said, “I have always wanted to have a business of my own, but I feel that I am too busy and are doing so many things at the same time?” If you want to get started, you just need to decide what you want to do first. No one has ever achieved anything great because of multi-tasking. You can never become great because you are a jack of all trades master of none. If you want to become successful in life, you got to choose what you want to do and learn the discipline of FOCUS. FOCUS on a single business opportunity when you are just starting. When you have succeeded in your first business, then you can move on to another venture. You cannot replicate what does not work. Forbes Magazine’s second richest man in the world in 2016, after earning $12 billion that year, never took his eyes off his goal. He always focused his eyes on the prize, to achieve financial freedom. Because of his focus and dedication, he made the necessary sacrifices. He is known to be THRIFTY. He lives in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska that he bought in the 1950s even before he made his billions. Just like any ordinary person, he Read More …

Oct 252017
 

Discouragement. Frustration. Hopelessness. Regret. These are just some of the toxic emotions that many entrepreneurs encounter in the course of growing their business. “I don’t think I can do this anymore.” Read Related Story: Grow Your Investment by Growing Your Patience “There’s nothing more I can do to save this business.” “I should not have done this business in the first place.” These are some of the things entrepreneurs tell themselves when they go through toxic emotions. When your business is not going well, is your default trying to find excuses or somebody to blame? Or worse, do you often blame yourself for how things turn out in your business? Reality check! Toxic emotions are sometimes brought about by your NEGATIVE perception of things. Sadly, toxic emotions are also signs of how badly you perceive yourself. Read Related Story: Do You Know of Any Angry Birds? Guess what! Numerous successful entrepreneurs went through MANY FAILURES before they finally got it right. So, you are not alone if you feel like you’re making mistakes and failing one after the other. What is important is you have the presence of mind to REJECT toxic emotions. REJECT negative thoughts in your mind. Renew your mind and be the boss of your emotions – both the good and toxic ones. Winston Churchill, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for two terms, once said, “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” NEVER KILL YOUR ENTHUSIASM. There are at least Read More …

Sep 182017
 
Do You Know of Any Angry Birds?

Chinkee Tan Do you know someone who is always mad? You talk to them and their face always has a big frown. They are so hard to communicate with because they are often emotional and irritated. These people feel like they are always right. They are never wrong. They don’t compromise during discussions and would turn to anger and be being hot-headed just so they can get what they want. When they are at fault, they will do everything to turn the situation into their favor, or just put the blame on someone else. So stressful! So, what can we do with these angry birds? STAY AWAY FROM NEGATIVE PEOPLE Believe me. These negative people will always be around you. If you can avoid them, then do everything you can to stay away from them. You won’t get anything good from being with them. Remember what they say, “if you surround yourself with angry people you will become an angry bird one day.” What if this angry person is your co-worker? You classmate? Your loved one? Your spouse? If you cannot avoid them, then this is what you need to do… NEVER GIVE IN TO THEIR ANGER RAMPAGE Don’t give in to an angry person’s rage. The reason they get so angry is that they are so full of hate and rage. Do not fall into the trap of having a shouting or a grudge match with these people. It is just like being brought into a wrestling match in Read More …

Aug 062017
 
Never Punish Yourself for Your Mistakes

Chinkee Tan Have you done something you deeply regret? Bought something in a sale but never use it at all? Went into a business deal and lost money instead of making money. Someone borrowed money but never paid you back. It may have happened many years ago but you still could not seem to forget it. If you are going through this process, you are experiencing SELF-BLAME. When you are in this mode, you feel that you are a loser. You cannot think straight and you’ve been robbed of your self-confidence. What makes matters worse is that everyone around you seems to be reminding you about this mistake. Before you punish yourself even more, just like to remind you that, “Everyone makes mistakes. Don’t punish yourself for your misgivings.” Name me one person who succeeded in life without making a mistake. It is never about the mistake, it is what you do about it? Do you want to be able to move on? If you are having a hard time, maybe it's because you still haven’t forgiven yourself. Do you know that the hardest thing in this life is to forgive oneself? If you’re having a hard time, I’m the one asking you – PLEASE GIVE YOURSELF ANOTHER CHANCE. If you are able to forgive others, why don’t you forgive yourself? Why are you TOO HARD on yourself? It’s okay to have high standards in life, but if you fall short of your own expectations, give yourself room to grow and Read More …

Jul 212017
 
Is Busyness The Key to Success?

Chinkee Tan One of the most frequently asked questions I received from my speaking engagement is, “How can I become successful in life?” This is a fact: people who are goal-oriented, determined, persevering, skilled, and focused are the ones who achieve the goals they have set for themselves. We all know that these intangibles are essentials if one is to accomplish a certain task, may it be big or small, long-term or short-term. We all get it. These people are so determined and so focused that sometimes we ask ourselves “Don’t these people get a breather?” or “Where do they get all that energy? Wherever they got it, I want one too!” I can tell you with authority because I am speaking based on my personal experience. When I work, it is as if there is no tomorrow! However, although all the “go go go!” and “hoorahs!” are needed to achieve success, it is also important to understand that busyness can be damaging in certain circumstances. While being goal-oriented and being preoccupied almost 24/7 is noteworthy, we should also pause and ask ourselves: when did busyness become a core value? Some people feel that busyness is the new cool. If you have so much in your plate and your schedule is always full with different activities and work-related agendas, we feel that we are actually, and always getting somewhere. But before we praise ourselves for being so preoccupied with so many things, let us stop and ask ourselves a few Read More …

Jun 302017
 
How to Know If You Have a True Friend?

Chinkee Tan Let’s say you were suddenly promoted, or you have a new gadget, or perhaps something really good happened to you. Then from out of the blue, here comes this person who is suddenly full of praises for you, “Wow, man you’re so lucky! Don’t forget to share your blessings with me, okay! After all, you and I go a long way!” Or maybe you have been in these situations: “Hi, I want to offer you these really great products. I’m sure you can afford my terms. C’mon, let’s have coffee.” “I’m so embarrassed. We haven’t seen each other in a while, but I really need some money. I don’t know who else to turn to for help.” “Wow, you’re a manager now. Imagine, you were just a rank and file officer? Maybe you can squeeze in an opening for me?” Bottom line is, you haven’t seen each other or even talked to each other in a very, very long time…hey, you’re not even sure if you ever became friends but you clearly remember when he would belittle your skills in front of others and won’t even lift a finger to help you in your times of need. This is what you call a “user friendly people”. People like them are like “mushrooms”, they sudden show up when they have something to gain from you, but when they don’t need you anymore then they quickly disappear. What are the signs that a person is a fair-weathered friend?   PRESENT Read More …

Jun 252017
 
How to Deal with an Abusive Spouse (Physical or Verbal)

Chinkee Tan Is your spouse physically hurting you? Or telling you hurtful things? Do you feel abused physically or even verbally by your spouse? Being married for 17 years, after numerous counselling, I just need to write this because I have witnessed many women who have been physically abused yet choose to live in silence and fear. Likewise, I have witnessed many men who have become so resigned about their relationship with their own wives because of verbal abuse. ACCEPT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM Unless you accept the fact that you are in a situation wherein you need help, you will not be able to see any positive change in your situation. Stop being in denial. Don’t cover up or even justify what your wife or husband is doing. Start accepting that you are in a problematic situation. Accepting your situation for what it is – is not easy. Oftentimes, you have probably wanted to just ignore your situation. But until you are able to do the first step – which is admit that you have a problem – you won’t be able to improve your relationship with your spouse. Okay, so now that you have accepted that you do have a problem in your situation, now what? ATTEND COUNSELLING Now that you have admitted that you need help, it’s now time to decide to get help. The presence of physical or verbal abuse in a relationship warrants help. Yes, it’s good for you, as a couple, to talk Read More …

May 302017
 
Never Ever Invest Out of Fear

Chinkee Tan One of the most frequently asked questions in my sessions is “Where can I invest my money?” If there is only one advice I can offer you, it is to never invest out of FEAR. Never ever make an investment decision based on fear. This only reflects the lack of information. If you are educated and informed, you will never be afraid. You will have confidence since you know what you’re doing. This is especially true for most of the retirees who don’t know what to do with the money that they’ve saved over the years. Out of fear that it may slowly deplete and run out, they will look for a business or an investment where they can put their money, and grow it. They think that this is the only solution to their problems. Either they are driven by great excitement or by great fear. In short, they fall into the scam because of their uninformed decisions and unreliable emotions.    When it comes to investments, don’t let your decisions be driven by emotions, fear, insecurity, or even great excitement. ASK BEFORE DECIDING TO INVEST Be wise. Before you give in and join any business or any endeavour, make sure that you’ve asked and sought advice from wise people. DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY BY SWEET TALK Don’t fall for those sweet talkers. Believe me, people are willing to promise you the stars just to get your money. And then, once they do get your money, you Read More …