Emergency Family Meeting: Agenda–Price Increase, What to do?
Posted on June 3, 2008
Filed Under LIFE, Parenting and Family | Viewed 417 times
Even the kids have become aware these past few weeks of the looming crisis—the PRICE INCREASE of basic commodities. They have watched how by the week, the prices of diesel and gasoline have increased. They knew because admittedly, at times, the boys would buy gas from their own allowances, especially when they knew that they were going way past the budget of family trips—when they would bring friends to their homes or take longer and more trips to the malls for movies, and gimmicks.
Even for their cell phone loads, they would occassionally pay from their own allowance, especially when they would hear me sigh in exasperation that in the past mobile phones did not even exist. Now, they call mobile phones a necessity. I would always tell them how we survived during our times without mobile phones, DSL connections, Internet, surfing, blogging, chatting and what have you.
They would know, and are able to compare how the same amount of money would buy less groceries, less chips, less cookies, less chocolates, even less quantity of the food they buy. They would watch with dismay news on TV, read the newspapers, and talk among themselves how the buying power of the peso has become lesser, how the dollar increased in value, and how diesel was only P38 last year and P48 this week.
I told them we would have an emergency meeting to discuss the following:
- weekly allowances
- schedule of trips to schools
- car? MRT? taxi? jeepney (will it be an option now?)
- cellphone loads
- junk food, soda (hello Alan Jr and Mommylola), juices, iced tea
- fast foods and comfort foods—burgers, pizzas, pasta
- coffee shop—Starbucks (
hello, Vince), Figaro, Bo’s. Gloria Jeans - Gateway, Serendra, SM Malls, Trinoma, Promenade (hello Chato), Eastwood (hello, Pau)
- air conditioning
- movie houses
- fine dining
- new clothes (hello Mox), make up (hello Mox), shoes (hello Mox), flip flops, accessories
- Rubik’s cube (hello Alan Jr)
- and many more
Here are things that cannot be compromised:
- education—money will be spent on this no matter what
- online time as this also brings food on the table
- health—it is wealth
- family bonding—needs not be expensive
- charity and alms
They will be discussed over a nice meal, or in one of our favorite hang outs on Sunday afternoons, with follow up before prayers when everyone is in a relaxed mood—at least for all of us to be more aware of the national crisis, be sensitive of the family budget, and one way or another help save money and resources in each family member’s own little way.
Oh well, we may be alarmed now, but same as in the past, when prices keep going up, when crises come one after another, when there is shortage of water, rice, food, electricity, when calamities strike, the Filipino, in general, was able to adjust with the situation. HE woud provide anyway. The Filipino is resilient, sometimes the Filipino just doesn’t even care anymore. Life goes on and on and on, and the Filipinos still smile and are happy each passing day.
Will it be the same this time around? What do you think?
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About Me
Dine Racoma is Sexy Mom, a Filipina doing what she likes best—writing, her passion. She writes freelance, does research, advises on new media, and manages a virtual assistance office for home-based jobs. A mother of 7 (what joy!) foremost, a wife, MIL, grandma to 2 pretty girls and an angel in heaven, sister, daughter, friend. Was in the corporate world for 27 years, the first 5 as Executive Secretary to an affiliate of the country’s biggest drug chain, and the last 22 as an international civil servant in an international development bank with HQ in Manila. Traveled extensively to many countries bringing about rich experiences and lessons learned to share with dear Readers. All these—in The D Spot
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eating out for family dinners has been removed from our expenses for the last 4 years. We only eat out on birthdays or anniversaries . Most often, we celebrate at home though so eating out has been totally removed.
no more impromptu out of town trips for us…boohoohoo
and less shopping..only the necessary items na lang.
We all need to tighten our belts and get rid of unnecessary expenses muna. It’ll be difficult for the rest of the year. Let’s hope next year would be better.:)
Well we’re still lucky we only have to worry about going to Star Bucks or Trinoma less often now. Or cutting back on our leisurely activities. Most Filipino families worry about their next meal.
Hi Mommy Dine,
Even here in the States it hurts to see the gas prices go up every day. We have to drive and can’t really use the public transport to the places where we go. Yesterday, it was $3.89/gallon for gas and $4.50/ gallon for diesel.
We cut back eating out also.
agree with jhay. we’re still lucky that cutting back is the only thing we have to worry about. i sometimes have to remind myself that times are hard and i don’t need as much shoes or bags but i also say a little prayer of thanks that my family still gets to eat three square meals a day. the responsible thing to do is to act our part in this crisis (use electricity wisely, no unnecessary car trips, recycle, etc.) all other things equal, less demand = lower price. =)
Cutting back on junk food, eating out, new clothes will definitely help a lot.
I’ve been cutting down on a lot of things as well and I too deem that cellphones are a necessity right now. Besides, I’m using post-paid and I definitely have to control the bill from skyrocketing.
[:
The price of gas/petrol went up here too. Drastically. It was MYR1.92 per liter before but yesterday it was already MY2.50 per liter. Recession’s really coming and I hope everyone is able to face it well and start saving for rainy days. Pero of course, hopefully things can be controlled so it won’t affect the poor and rest of us that much, di ba?
Some analysts said that crude oil prices could reach USD150.00/barrel.
George Soros points a finger at institutional investors “I find commodity-index buying eerily reminiscent of a similar craze for portfolio insurance which led to the stock market crash of 1987.”. U.S. dollar is weak.
Peso/dollar exchange rate is expected to reach PHP45.00 – 46.00/dollar level. Inflation rate is going higher.Phil has scrapped it’s goal of balanced budget this year; will finance the fiscal gap of PHP75 billion thru borrowing at 53-47%.
Add corruption, what then is the scenario?
We only stayed 6 weeks in the Phils pero ramdam din ang price increase lalo sa gasoline.
we already appreciate the comfort of eating at home, and of having just one trip out per day (i sometimes ride with my tito who leaves at 7:30am even if 10am pa call time ko in school).. during rehearsals when we think about what to eat for lunch, everyone says in chorus “yung mura!” it’s true, even kids are having a hard time budgeting.
i just hope that gas prices stop increasing (and double hope that they go down!)
it is depressing watching the gas price goes up every week and the price of the commodities trails not far behind it. am going home and i am not even planning on renting a van like i used to because the buying power of my money has gone way down while my salary stays the same. i will just use tricycle or walk if necessary.
if electric car is available now, i would buy one.
We have been tightening the belts for the last several years, parang wala na yata ititipid pa. Grabe po talaga ano? As I have commented in Cookie’s post, I removed one day of work sked to save on expenses. Parang ironic and I can’t understand but that is how I can at least save, kahit mabawasan ang kita ko kesa mapunta lang sa gastos. Hay…
they pay from their own allowance from you, i pay from my earnings
haha!
Hoy (hey pala!) di na nga ako nag-Starbucks eh. I hope you’d edit that out since you see me doing my part. Unlike my other siblings.
we avoid eating out. the quality of the food is no longer the same most of the time anyway.
hi, dine.
haaay naku, i guess all moms are wracking their heads and counting their fingers (and toes) just to keep within the budget. lalo na ako since my kids are really hearty eaters kaya kailangan parating may food. kahit anong ihain mo—ubos!
in our family, we do the laundry everyday (washing machine) pero now i’m seriously thinking of cutting down to 4x a week. each kid will wash his own clothes once-a-week (so they’ll know especially kevin and brian not to keep on changing t-shirts – - imagine 4-5 t-shirts in one day and not counting the shorts and underwear pa!). then we can cut down on electricity, water, and laundry detergent/softener.
i am also seriously considering to start a backyard vegetable garden (pechay, kamatis, sili, okra, kangkong, alugbati, talong). before we used to bury our wet garbage in the small patch of soil in our yard kaya lang gene started on complaining na matrabaho daw but now i think we will do it again para meron kaming organic compost.
pero we’re still blessed dahil we can still afford to buy the basics (plus once in a while some luxury items). kawawa talaga yung mga walang trabaho or permanent jobs. i always remind my kids that they are very lucky and they should be thankful kasi they don’t need to work in order to eat, samantalang ang daming bata who are much younger than them that are working already for their family’s needs.
bles
Tagal na akong di nagsta-Starbucks. Hahaha. Switched to a cheaper alternative: brewed coffee at home. HAHAHAHA. Pero di nga, mas masaya ako sa Kopi Roti sa mga panahong ito. P50 lang ang kape, tas P40 ang kopi bun.
Tapos yung mga Ice Cream Store tulad nung dun sa Sikatuna, mahigit P3 lang bawat ice drop.
Street food sa UP mahigit P10 lang.
At kesa maglunch sa kung saan saan sa bahay na lang naglalunch.
Tas imbes na magmaneho nagjijeep na lang ako (mas mura pa kesa magbayad ng gas at parking). Hahaha.
Sa load, kesa magload ka ng magload magSULITXT na lang at tumawag sa P0.10 a second.
I’ve been doing my part!
ah, we’re on the same boat…
it’s really tough to budget during these times. on my part, i bade goodbye to cab rides. taking a cab everyday is a cash drain. i saved a lot on transpo expenses. no more gourmet coffees for me, too.
It took this stage of “development” for people to realize there is nothing wrong or degrading when barkadas deciding where to eat would chorus – “doon sa mura!”
The upside of this crisis? It’s helping people go back to the basics – the simplicity of enjoying the company of your friends or loved ones without the expensive “unnecessary” trappings
Batangas barko is still as good a brewed coffee there is, Savory chicken is far more juicy than that multinational fried-chicken-in a bucket franchise refusing to serve our senior citizen – perhaps the younger generation will also learn to appreciate that a good host of local and inexpensive alternatives are just as good, if not better than what flashy billboards say are the “best.”
We can still enjoy without spending too much ! Good move Tita! Making a list is important to really avoid spending too much for some unnecessary things and learn the value of money. I am sure that everyone will be cooperative !
it’s a great way that you involve the whole family to the same cause. everybody’s responsible, everybody gives his or her own contribution.. im sure you will work it out.
hello dine,
ang mahal talaga dyan, mahal na mahal masayado.
my nanay is again in the hospital,
2 weeks lang siya sa bahay, kahapon check-in naman cya.
while talking to my sister, nagulat ako sa mga sabi nya.
ang mahal masayado, hindi ko akalain…..
mahal na mahal,....paano na kung wlang pera ang may sakit?
imagine her room, mas mahal pa sa amin dito, per day….nagulat ako.
wala daw semi-private kasi wlang bakante.
prices dyan, euro din….kahit na sabi nila mataas ang euro ngayon, pag ginagasto dyan, parang peso din.
our gasoline now, 1.59euro per liter….kaya car at the garage and i used only my bike.
pati si bernie, using his bike going to wrk,...mabuti kung summer time, kung winter?
ja, i cut my shopping-outing time, too…..part time job ko for my Nanay…....
thnks for sharing this post…...
Waaaah. I envy people who still have mommies to worry about budgets. I mean, I’m only tag-team budgeting for a two-person household and it’s already hell.
Now that another revenue stream of mine has been cut off… How the heck would I be able to save?
Saludo ako kay Sexy Mom, handling affairs for quite a large happy family!