Road to Financial Literacy

When I was a child, I always tell God that I don't want to be rich someday. I don't want a big house. I don't want to win a lottery even if my parents sometimes bet on a 6/49 draw hoping that we'd be a millionaire someday. Because when I was a kid I have this impression that when you have all these money and big houses there's always something at stake... maybe a broken family or one of my family's life. I love them so much that I'd rather be poor than lose one of them.

I grew up as a happy child. My parents are hard working. My Papa was an OFW and a Seaman. My Mama was (and still) a businesswoman. We were one of the marginalized families who worked hard so that we can eat and go to school. Even when I already enter the workforce and have my own family, I still have that belief in life. I don't want to be rich and I don't want big houses and I don't want lots of cars. Because you can only serve one master and that is not money, but God.

A simple life is all I want.

As my life went through some challenges, my daughter had undergone series of operations, we were really financially down. We were forced to loan from different banks and establishments to pay for the hospital bills, medicines and credit cards and to cope with our everyday expenses. For 8 years of working hard, all we did was to pay for those debts. But I know God was always there to provide for us. He never went on vacation even for a single moment. He guided us how to get by.

At one point, I had this urge that I wanted to help my parents, financially. I have a good job and a good pay. They're getting old. So I wanted them to stop working, relax and enjoy life. I was saddened by the fact that I really can't do that because I have my own financial struggle. I have my kid who needed a medical maintenance. That's the time I realized that I needed to do something about it. But I don't know where to start.

God shed light on me one day and while searching the Internet on how to get out of debt, I stumbled upon a topic that I have to be financially literate so I can be financially free. I realized that I wanted a life free of debts. I wanted a good cash flow so I can help others, my parents, my siblings and other people who needed help, financially.

I came across this good book of Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad Poor Dad (2000). After reading the book, that's the time I realized that I don't want to get old being poor like his poor dad and that I can be financially free and wealthy like his rich dad.

I also came across this book of Bo Sanchez, 8 Secrets Of The Truly Rich: What the Rich Know That the Poor Don’t Know (2007), and realized that it is ok to be rich so that I can help others and that God wanted me to be wealthy so He can use me to help His church spread the Good News and be a blessing to others.

Wow! This changes my life and beliefs. Yeah, maybe I can be rich and still live a life according to God's will. From then on, I started reading about the things that teachers don't teach us in school, financial literacy. So I educated myself by reading forums, articles, blogs and books. There are lots of resources available, we just have to be aware of it.

Let us all be financially literate so we can be financially free. :)