Got extra money but expenses have soared

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Finally, I’ve finished writing my second report for the month, the second one that will earn me extra money to help make ends meet. The two reports will bring in an additional 5,500 pesos.

I promised to write four such reports every month and I do hope I will be able to succeed in forcing my brain to think of topics that the bosses will find agreeable – four every month, wow. If I succeed in this, that means an extra income of 11,000 pesos monthly.

But for this month, my bottom line is really bad. A number of expenses that we previously did not plan came up.

One, we spent close to triple that amount we were supposed to spend for the son’s schooling. Second, we didn’t plan on preparing anything special for Noche Buena, but the wife and I decided it’s just too much to drop an important tradition. We’re a bit worried it might be such a letdown not to see food on the dining table for our eyes to feast on Christmas eve. So, okay, let’s throw in 4,000 pesos for groceries.

You know how it is to be an expat worker, particularly being tunay na expat Pinoys. We work hard in a foreign land, depriving ourselves of easy access to family and friends, barkada and SanMig just to make sure Noche Buena is a real feast.

Would you dare scrimp on Noche Buena?