LFG!
The joke’s been meme-d, shared and made a mainstay in our social media feeds: #Adulting is hard, and we’re all still struggling to keep up. But no man is an island, and we’ve all been sharing our own tips, tricks and hacks for getting through this confusing period in our lives. Today’s session is on deciding whether or not we’re ready to make that big financial commitment—and how we can collectively make it easier.
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Let’s say you’ve gotten past the first few #Adulting hurdles of your life. You’re able to pay your own bills, occasionally shop, share a drink with friends and maybe even treat your parents to a meal or two. Life’s good, but there’s something that you’ve had your eye on for a while. What’s more, it’s almost within your financial capacity.
Here’s the thing: you never want to blow off your savings for any one thing regardless of how much you have saved. To see your bank account drop in exchange for something—no matter how long you’ve wanted it—is scary. So instead of making your way to the bank and withdrawing X amount or handing your debit card to the cashier with bated breath, make the easier (and more responsible) choice.
But first: Think things through
Before actually making the purchase, you must first learn to think like an adult. Are you buying something that you really need, and you’ll use for years to come? Is it classic, is it practical, will it eventually return the investment you made on it?
Maybe it’s not the perfect time to purchase a trendy luxury bag; not when the style won’t stand the test of time. Maybe now isn’t when you should be getting the new gaming console; not when you barely touch your current one. Maybe you don’t actually need a new smartphone; yours works just fine (but maybe delete your photos to free up some space, okay?).
But maybe you do have to replace the mattress you inherited 10 years ago. Maybe you should splurge on a new laptop or tablet that will work for you both professionally and personally. Maybe it’s time you treat one of your loved ones to something they’ve been eyeing.
And now, the good news: You can pay in installments
Paying in installments is a privilege that not everyone had access to—at least, not until now. You can buy now and pay later for items worth up to P125,000 with GGives, GCash’s new feature that gives you the flexibility you need.
Whatever it is you’ve had your eye on, as long as the store has a Scan to Pay QR code or GCash as an online payment option, you’ll have the option to pay the full amount in three, six, nine or 12 months. All you need to do is have a high enough GScore.
If you didn’t already know, GScore reflects your active use of GCash products—from maintaining balance in your e-wallet to paying bills. The more you use the app features, the higher your GScore becomes. And to find out your individual GScore, just tap on your profile on the GCash app, tap GScore and you’re good know exactly where you stand.
Here’s the other great thing about GGives: you might be paying it off for a while, but at least you’ll know where your money’s going; and you know the amount you’ll be paying every time.
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#Adulting’s hard; that won’t change. But at least we have a few friends that will make it easier to carry the burdens.
For more information on GGives, check out your GCash app or the official GCash website. GCash is available to all Philippine mobile networks and can be used wherever you are in the world as long as you have a Philippine network sim. Through GGives and GCash, more Filipinos can afford to live the lives they deserve without getting into too much debt.
Art Matthew Ian Fetalver
