An Advice for OFW before leaving our Country

        Being an OFW, we have a mix emotions once we have to leave our country and have to start work abroad. We feel happy, excited, some are worried and the most of all we feel sad. We feel excited & happy because we will have a chance to give our family the life that we dream for them.  All of us have one common goal, why we choose to work far from them and that is to give them a better life. We feel worried because we don’t know what will be the life awaits us in the country we have to work. Sad because we have to sacrifice a year without our family with us and start living alone. But keep aside this feeling for a while and think first what you need to do before leaving our country.

Photo credit:smartpinoyinvestor

I have listed some of the things that an OFW must do prior to leave our country.

 1. Know the culture and ways of living in the country you have  to work.

     In your Pre-departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) you can ask the person conducting the seminar about the culture, climate, foods, ways of living and any other information about that country. Knowing that information will give you an idea how to adjust yourself to that country and will minimize your worried. You can have also an idea on how you will start your budgeting and saving as well.

2. Know your privileges and rights as a Filipino Overseas Worker (OFW).

     I share with you a video from ANC on the Money regarding the topic about the privileges and rights of the Overseas Filipino Worker. >>Click link here<<

Video Credit: ANC on the Money

3. Open your own Savings Account.

    Having your own savings account is a good idea, because aside from the remittance you give to your family you must also keep a percentage of your income as a saving. Tips, to keep you save in paying the remittance fee, enroll your account into online banking and add the bank account of your love ones if they have. By doing online you can easily transfer money to your love ones without charge of course, this is applied to the same bank.

4. Discuss your salary and how much you will give to your spouse or to your loved ones who will receive your monthly remittance.

    This is important to discuss with your spouse or to someone who will receive your remittance to prevent any misunderstanding. Tell them how much your salary and discuss with them how much you will give. Explain it in a better way “Why” that is only the amount you will give to them, but you must have an idea how much their monthly expenses for food, water bill, electric bill and any expenses for one month. Knowing this you can have a reasonable amount of how much you will give a monthly remittance to them.

5. Know your goal while working abroad.

    Know your goal, why you need to work abroad, write it down so that you can read it and keep reminding you about your goal. Knowing your goal and writing it is like you are riding in a car that you know where you will go and if you find your lost you can check it in your map.

6. Discuss your goal to your spouse or to your love ones  and keep them a part of it to achieve your goal.

    Telling your goal to them will let them understand why you need to work abroad. It gives positive emotion to them that make them to be happy. They will also realize how important they are to you. Letting your family involve in your goal will make them appreciate the essence of your sacrifice. They will also realize their important role to achieve your goal and in the end you will find each other working towards a common goal. Doing alone to achieve your goal is good, but it is much better doing it with a companion specially your spouse.  Remember that "two is better than one". Not only that, you will both get motivated by each other and it gives a positive outcome in your relationship.

     That's it, only few things I can say, so if you have anything in mind or experience about what should an OFW to do before leaving our country feel free to comment. It will give an additional advice and information to our fellow OFW prior to their departure.

     I hope you get some tips on my blog, again Thank you for visiting my blog and see you in my next post. May god bless you!

Read Also:

Saving Tips for OFW

OFW: Todays Modern Heroes!

Why We Should Invest?

About Truly Rich Club

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THE IMPORTANCE OF WRITING DOWN AND TRACKING YOUR EXPENSES

       Do you know the importance of writing down and tracking your daily expenses? Tracking your expenses is actually the first step to start your budgeting and saving as well. Without doing this you're like a person groping in the dark. I’ll give you some reason why doing this is important.  In doing this it helps you a lot whether you do it in weekly or monthly basis. I've been doing this for the past 3 years up to now and believe me it helps me a lot.

Photo Credit:thepeacefulmom

        I remember before when I’m not aware of the importance of it, I have always seen my wife before going to bed, holding a ball pen and with here notebook writing all the expenses we consume during the day.  When I look close to her notebook I was surprised she writes down all the expenses from fares, bills, groceries and even the expenses when we eat in a restaurant. "Tumatawa ako at sinasabi ko" Anu yan? Meron ka pala diary ng mga expenses natin para saan pa yan? Ha ha ha. She just stares at me, smile and she said. “Para alam ko kung saan napupunta suweldo mo at suweldo ko baka dumating ang araw paghanapan mo ako” ha ha ha. She knows the importance of it, but she did not explain to me because she knows that I will not listen.  But after I become aware about financial matters, heard from some financial adviser and read articles about financial literacy. Now I know, the importance of what my wife doing and I’m proud of her.

        It is very important that you list down all your expenses daily from small to bigger amount. You can do it in a modern way by using an excel spread sheet or on a piece of notebook. So here are some reasons why writing down and tracking your expenses is important.

•     You will see where you hard earned money goes.
•     It gives you an idea how much you are spending per month or week.
•     You can easily point out which expenses are just wants or needs.
•     It’s help you to save more by adjusting your expenses.
•     It gives you an idea on how to budget your salary in the next month so that you will not be over expense.
•    You can also use that data to challenge yourself to lessen your expenses for the next month.
•    You can see the progress of your budgeting every month.
•     It gives you control of your finance.
•     It shows your financial habits if it is good or bad. 
•     It gives you a feeling that you control money and not money control you.

       
       So that’s it, from the start you will find annoying and difficult, but if you do it regularly it become your habit. If you have some idea to add on how tracking down your expenses helps you. Please share it with us, feel free to comment so that it will give an additional information to others.

I hope you get some tips on my blog about saving and budgeting and again Thank you for visiting my blog and see you in my next post. May god bless you!

Also Read:

How to Start a Savings?
Money Saving Tips
Why We Should Invest?

Where I Should Put My Investment

Truly Rich Club

P.S.1 Subscribe to my blog to receive my latest post directly to your email Inbox it's free>>Subscribe to My Personal thoughts About Life ..

P.S.2 Do you want to gain Financial wealth & Spiritual abundance at the same time? Join us at the Truly Rich Club now! founded by Bo. Sanchez, its purpose is to "help good people become rich". Because of the guidance I get from the Club, I’m now investing in the Stock Market! I’m inviting you to join the Club too. If you’re interested, click the link here → Truly Rich Club.