You’ll never look at ginabot the same way ever again. With the limited amount of white onion sprinkled on the spicy vinegar used for a dip, it is quite difficult to enjoy the ultimate street food favorite like before.
For an agricultural country, it is quite devastating to see the prices of onions soar so high that government authorities have now resorted to importing up to 22,000 tons of the said spice until the third month of this year! As early as the first week of this year, both red and white onions in the Philippines were sold at an astounding price of P600 per kilogram.
And as if that’s not enough, just this week, one of Cebu’s cheapest sources of protein—eggs—is now around eight to nine pesos apiece. That’s six pesos higher than its price in the same period of 2022!
Save Money. Here’s How You Fight Inflation
Apart from onions and eggs, Cebuanos have long complained about the shortage of sugar—and its growing price. As Senator Grace Poe puts it: “At this rate, we might end up investigating everything in the kitchen.”
While government officials figure out how to address these concerns, you may be wondering how to make ends meet (or even save). Well, you’re on the right page. Here we’ve gathered some of the tricks you can play to combat inflation and save money.
Before you venture into whatever kind of financial plan, make sure to check your budget. Learn to audit your budget periodically as you plot out your goals for 2023. Tracking your budget through spreadsheets or budgeting apps can help you set limits on the different categories.
It makes no difference whether you come from a low-income or high-income family. It all boils down to your lifestyle and how to maximize the amount of money that flows. To be guided, check out this easy-to-use Budget Planning Calculator.
While it is not much of a practice among Cebuanos, with the cost of living right now, meal planning can be a great way to save money. Truth be told, unplanned meals (food delivery orders or lunch out) actually eat up a big part of your budget. Hence, try to explore recipes online—there are tons on TikTok and reels—and see what ingredients you can stock up on and utilize for the meal that you will prepare the whole week.
It is always tempting to use your credit card, especially if there’s something that you like but can’t afford at the moment. If you want to save money and fight inflation, you have to always pay your bills on time.
When used wisely, credit cards are helpful—and even beneficial. But if you use it to purchase things that are not worth investing in and do not promise a return on investment, you may end up struggling to pay your debts. To avoid the stress, feel free to use this helpful Credit Card Payment Calculator to see how much of your current credit card payment is being applied to the principal balance and how much is pure interest—and if it’s truly worth it.
Heard of Maya, Seabank, and Tonik? If not, then you’re totally missing out on so many earnings from your savings! Digital banks have been gaining popularity these days because of the high-interest rates they provide on savings accounts.
Compared to traditional banks, these digital banks offer up to 6% annual interest on your savings. Try calculating your savings with its interest rate at calculator.me and you’ll be surprised at what you are missing!
Whether you admit it or not, your salary is barely enough to satisfy your needs and wants. With the price of basic commodities continuously increasing, it’s about time to consider adding other income sources, like accepting side hustles, starting your own business (selling eggs and onions!), providing paid services to others, or investing in stocks.
In a Nutshell: How to Fight Inflation
With our budget under pressure right now, it is important that we examine deeply our income sources, the amount of effort we put into them, and the time we spent to earn what the company thought would compensate for our labor. As the price of basic needs increases, let us learn to track our expenses, segregate wants from needs, and make the most of whatever resources are made available to us.Best of all, let us learn to invest in ourselves. Let us be open to pieces of financial advice. They don’t hurt—if anything, they might even increase our future earning power. Stay informed, fellow Sugbuanon!
