since i was immersed with crunching numbers last week, i finally was able to compute how i am “losing” money by just parking it in our savings account, which is only earning us like what? it’s so negligible that i could cry. a financial analyst told me to put my savings (technically, our savings) in equities so that our money would grow.

so for this year, since i am already a married woman, i should have financial maturity na. so i have to:

1) invest in a mutual fund. probably i’ll choose the product that is invested in the composite index. or i’ll have to see the other products. the key here is to buy and HOLD, as the financial analyst told me.

2) try a brokerage firm so i could invest our money directly in some stocks that i know could be worth it. again, the key is to buy and HOLD, unlike some investors who, in the slightest disturbance or volatility, would panic and take out all their investments. ergo, they buy high, sell at a loss. i tried it once, buying a few thousand stocks of a company that has just gone IPO but after two months i sold my investment (kumita naman ako kahit papaano).

3) buy insurance. or a life/retirement plan. no more gadgets for me.

4) revive our buy and sell business.

we have to be financially wise these days. look at the americans, many of them have no savings so they resort to selling their assets — their house most of the time — when they need money but unfortunately the value of these assets have gone down together with their economy.

phew. good thing i’m not a shopping-type of girl. (mas mahal nga lang luho ko — electronic gadgets!) i have to instill discipline and save every centavo i can.

you should too.