The summer season is what many people may see as a perfect opportunity to seat back, relax, and enjoy the warm, sleepy weather at the comfort of their homes. For others, it is also a perfect opportunity to getaway towards a tropical island, among the cool breeze and the sandy beaches. For the most part, that is true, as most would love to take a few days or weeks off from their current jobs. However, this is only achievable if one has enough budget or finances to actually be able to book a flight or avail a vacation package. The thing about vacations is that, filing for one would already provide two main assumptions; that you have already planned everything out ahead of time and that you already have the appropriate amounts to set that plan in motion. If you’ve already submitted your “leave forms” without any solid plan ahead of you then that may just very well be a wasted opportunity. In such case, not only do you have a lack of plan for the summer, but you also have a lack of budget to go with it.
With that in mind, you may be wondering how you’d best get by this summer while trying to fit your budget, even before the warm season ends. Well, look no further than some of our valuable tips. While some of these may prove more efficient than the others, you have the option to choose which tip would best work for you. Remember, you only have a tight budget to work with, so make the most out of it. You might even make a few extras along the way.
1. Control and be responsible with your expenses.
This is one of the most basic tip that anyone with a tight budget should be focusing on. People need the usual necessities in order to survive, food, water, medicine (if ever they feel sick), cellphone load, etc. However, these necessities (if left unchecked) may still be subject to abuse. Food, for example, may be overbought, resulting to many of your supplies going to waste. It isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have an extra loaf of bread on your shelf, because surely you might need a midnight snack. However, buying too many raw products would leave you with too much spoils thus, wasting a lot from your budget. If you happen to live on your own, purchase groceries which would last you for at least one to two weeks, but estimating that it would never be less or more than what you already need. Preserve water as well. Leave no tap running, unless you’d want to have staggering water bills at the end of the month. You may also want to watch your medicine or first aid kit purchases, as medicines have expiration dates. It’s great to have a handful of pain killers and fever capsules, but buying three bottles of these capsules would be too much. Manage your limited finances in a way that your purchases are just in the right amounts and that you’d never waste any of your available resources.
2. Plan out your own summer business.
The thing about having limited finances is that it would at least inspire you to think of some way to double it. The summer season is a perfect opportunity for you to be able to come up with your own small time business. Think of all the possibilities! For the average Filipino, a “Halo-Halo” store would be the most obvious answer. Either that or you’d prefer to sell popsicles or blocks of ice wrapped in plastic. The thing is, you are presented with the opportunity to make a living out of the small budget and summer heat that lies before you. Some locales would usually require a business permit in order for you to start your own small time venture, but even that is as simple as filling up forms, paying the appropriate fee, and presenting other documents which may show that your location is safe for the business.
3. Stay at home.
Limited budget would always result to limited activities. If you do not have the cash to go on a luxury cruise, then better just stay at home. You wouldn’t have any other choice, either way, as travel would cost money, and we aren’t even touching on the accommodation fees per scheduled vacation. Now, it may seem like a drag at first but sometimes fun comes from the most unexpected places. Staying at home also has its perks, for one, you can sit the whole day, relax, only to stand every meal time, turn on the TV after washing the dishes, then proceed to watch reruns of your favorite shows. If you aren’t fond of TV shows, then perhaps you can make the most out of your internet connection, watch countless livestreams of foreign shows or movies. The thing is, you are your only worst enemy, not boredom, and you are the only thing limiting you from having some fun, so do not let limitation of funds get you down.
4. Sell off some pre-loved items.
This is like hitting two birds with one stone. Have the energy to clean out any unnecessary or pre-loved items from your home and sell them off in a garage sale. You’d not only be decluttering your own space, but you would also be able to make a few amounts out of the sale. This is somewhat similar to the second pointer, with the slight difference of not having to get a permit for your garage sale, and having your pre-loved items to sell off instead of popsicles. Now, if you don’t feel like having a garage sale but would still prefer to offer your items in exchange for cash, then you might want to visit a pawnshop. Jewelries are your best friends when it comes to situations such as this, and the higher the appraisal of your pre-loved jewelry, the higher the amount that you’d get in return. Cash in exchange for your old accessories would always be a better deal than doing nothing at all for the summer.
With all of that being said, you may be looking for a pawn shop that would provide you with the most secure, reliable, and honest service and highest appraisal rates possible. No worries, as Cebuana Lhuillier has got your back. With their Pawning Service you can never go short in any amount (especially with a tight budget), as they accept an array of items, from jewelry to gadgets, as collaterals. They also lead the pawning industry by offering safety and the highest appraisal rate in the industry in its more than 2,500 branches nationwide. Visit your nearest Cebuana Lhuillier branch now – we assure a fast, easy and secure transaction.