In as little as a decade or two ago, discussions about money were often met with discomfort. To some, it felt rude asking about another person’s finances, and boastful to discuss their own; while for others, talking about money and investment possibilities seemed moot because of the mindset that there’s not much left to save or invest after bills and taxes anyway.
Fortunately, times have changed, and more Filipinos–particularly the younger generation–have shown a willingness to not only discuss financial matters but learn and share as much as they can about growing wealth and attaining financial independence. Among those leading the way in this online era is Charmaine de Leon who, through Ready 2 Adult PH, shares her experiences and expertise about personal finance, entrepreneurship, and being a young adult.
Publishing content on an official website and channels like Youtube and Facebook, Ready to Adult PH was born mostly out of there not being as many people online talking finance and adulting in a local setting. According to the architect-turned-entrepreneur and finance director:
“Most of the adulting content that I consumed were all in the US context and I wanted to have that go-to creator for all things adulting and so I made one. I think the appeal is that I’m young, we often hear people saying to worry about these things ‘later’ and the fact that I’m talking about how we should think about these things in our 20s is…new?”
Meeting #InvestmentGoals in a pandemic
Like the rest of the world, “Charm” had seen abrupt changes in her life as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Among the immediate lessons she learned and observed with others is how investing has become more important and how our living spaces are as significant as ever.
“Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, people are valuing the importance of investing more and preserving their hard-earned money.”
“A lot has changed. For one, my career has focused on content creation–which resulted in me moving to and valuing the importance of having my own room/my own space so I can film, work from home, sleep and wake up when I want to. Currently, it’s my desk in the middle of my room (that is my favorite spot in the house). I’ve become more productive and it’s allowing me to produce more content for my YouTube channel.”
Despite the numerous challenges brought on by the health crisis, investment opportunities still presented themselves, which in Charm’s experience led to another significant one to date.
Currently, I still live in our family home. But the property me and my fiancé got, a studio condo, is a property we plan to live in for just a couple of years before renting it out. Some things we considered are the location (of course), the amenities and accessibility to commercial spaces and services, and also it had to be pet friendly. We got it ‘for assume’ or ‘pasalo’ during the pandemic and we got it way below, what was then the market rate.
For those looking to reach their investment goals by way of buying a home under current circumstances, Charm advises that doing the needed research remains important, as well as investing with a purpose.
“The prices vary quite a bit during the pandemic because of a lot of ‘sacrifice sales’, so make sure you do your research well to make sure you’re getting a good deal. And don’t invest in something just because you see others do it. Make sure that you are investing in what’s right for you, your risk appetite, and your goals.”
#ReadyToAdultPH at home
Listening to Charm discuss investing and financial health, anyone would become curious as to what was the defining moment that welcomed her into adulthood and drives her in her current path. While she does exceptionally well in her work, the big realization for her isn’t as unprecedented and is actually one that is quite common among all of us.
“Bills. Bills. And more bills. That’s when you know you’re ‘adulting’ when you have to pay for yourself already.”
Indeed, financial health is a great reason to ‘adult’, and since it can be overwhelming for both young and older people alike, many can benefit from following Charm’s lead, if at the very least when spending time at home during this era of limited travel.
“I’m super laidback at home, I love to watch YT videos and work.”
When asked about which between a house or condo Charm prefers, her answer, not surprisingly, was quite practical and, well, adult.
“I love both, actually. It depends on your needs like convenience, amenities, security, accessibility, etc, and also your goals like having a family, having to work in the city, having pets, plants, etc.”
“Personally, I would love to live in a condo in my youth and later on transfer to a house.”
To learn more about investments and personal finances from Charm de Leon, visit the Ready to Adult PH website and YouTube account, or like and follow Ready to Adult PH on Facebook and Instagram.
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