Tagalog Version (Click Here)

When I was younger, I remember playing a role-playing game called Fable 2. Although the story is a bit complex, it’s a typical RPG where you go on quests, fight enemies, and save towns and cities. One thing that had an impact on me is that aside from hunting monsters and completing quests, you can also do “jobs” (minigames) and buy stores and businesses to earn money.

At the start of the game, “gold” (the game’s currency) was difficult to obtain so I couldn’t always buy the best weapons and armor. Later on the game, however, some jobs like bartending and blacksmithing became available. Instead of fighting monsters and continuing the story, I literally spent HOURS on those “jobs” to earn money. After saving up a few thousand gold, I didn’t buy any new weapons and armor. I bought vegetable stands and street stalls which earn a few gold every 10 minutes.

As time passed and those stores earned money, I saved the profits and continued at the blacksmith job to buy even MORE street stands. After a while, I started earning a few hundred to a few thousand gold every 10 minutes in the game. Later on, I was able to buy the big businesses that cost millions each like the tavern and the blacksmiths and they added even MORE to my 10-minute income.

What happened then? I just left the game on for a bit to do my homework, browse the internet, etc. When I returned, the businesses I bought earned thousands of gold which I used to buy the best (and most expensive) weapons and armor available. Hunting monsters and saving cities then became laughably easy.

Why did I tell you that story? Simple. When you learn how to handle money wisely, life will also become much easier. Think about it. You no longer need to worry about sudden emergencies or how to pay the bills because you have enough money for all of them. You’re free from soul-crushing bad debt because you’ve already paid it all and you know how to avoid them. You’re free to pursue better jobs, businesses, and other opportunities because you have more than enough money saved for all of them. Best of all, you no longer need to worry about the 9-5 grind, long commutes, and terrible bosses and you’re free to pursue your life’s goals and dreams because your investments earn a steady cash stream for you and your family. Although money isn’t the most important thing in the world (it’s just a tool you can use to do things), it can certainly help you in life if you use it well.

Doesn’t that sound nice? It’s all possible when you learn to manage money wisely. If you want to learn the basics of personal finance, then keep reading. This will be an excellent start for your journey.

[Read more…]