ANG UTANG

Hindi ako eksperto sa pananalapi, katunayan ay hindi naman sobra-sobra ang aking pera at wala akong mga ari-arian na nagkakahalaga ng malaki.  Ngunit gusto kong subukan magbigay ng payo tungkol sa pananalapi para kahit papaano ay baka makatulong ako.  Dahil gusto kong maramdaman din ng iba ang pakiramdam kapag wala kang inaala-alang mga utang na kailangan mong bayaran.

Sa mga tulad nating mas nakararaming ordinaryong manggagawa, mahirap gawin ngunit sa aking palagay ay dapat nating iwasan ang mangutang, lalo na yung may tubo.  Dahil sa oras na mangutang na tayo ay bawas na agad ang kikitain mo pa lang na pera.  Kung nahihirapan kang pagkasyahin ang buo mong suweldo, mas lalong mahirap kung mababawasan pa iyon dahil sa bahagi niyon ay mapupunta sa utang.  At ang natirang pera na hindi na magkakasya ay pupunan naman ng bagong utang, paano ngayon makakaahon?  Kung hindi naman daw uutang ay hindi naman makakaraos, pero kung matututunan mong magtiis kung anu ang kaya mo ay malamang hindi ka uutang.

Sa ordinaryong tao, kung hindi ka uutang ay mahirap magkaroon ng bahay at lupa, pangpuhunan sa pangkabuhayan at kahit ang pagpapaaral.  Walang masama dito dahil ang mga ito ay magiging pag-aari natin na maaring magsilbing susi mo upang hindi ka na mangutang at kung ang pamamaraan naman ng pagbabayad ay nakadisenyo ng pangmatagalan at ayon sa ating kakayahan.  Ngunit kung para sa mga luho tulad ng paglalakbay, alahas, mamahaling gamit sa bahay at sa katawan ay iyun ang mga hindi tama.  Dahil wala ka namang makukuha sa mga ito kundi pansamanatalang saya lamang.  Kung talagang hindi na maiiwasan, dapat ay kontrolin mo na lang ang pag-utang.  Huwag umutang ng malaki  o ng mas malaki pa kaysa sa tinatanggap mong suweldo.  Dahil panigurado yun na mahihirapan kang magbayad at lalabas ka ng walang kakayahang magbayad.  Sa simpleng matematika, kung mas malaki ang lalabas kaysa sa papasok na pera, malulugi ka nga talaga.

Iwasan ang credit card.  Kung hindi ka naman nagdadala ng daang libo o milyong pera sa bulsa mo, huwag ka na lang magcredit card.  Ang totoo ay angkop lamang sa mga mayayaman o negosyante ang credit card dahil hindi praktikal ang pagdadala ng maraming pera na banta sa kaligtasan nila.  At pagdating ng singilan ay may kakayahan  sila na bayaran ng buo ang halagang nagamit nila sa halip na gawing hulug-hulugan.  Ang isang ordinaryong manggagawa kasi ay babayaran ng hulugan ang inutang na gamit na aabutan pa ng panibagong gamit na kukuhanin kapag kinailangan ulit – nagkakapatong-patong kung gayon.  Kung hindi talaga maiwasan gumamit ng credit card, huwag mo na lang sagarin ang tinatawag na credit limit.  Ilaan mo na lang sa totoong emergency ang paggamit nito.  Kailangan mo ng malakas na pagtitimpi dahil kapag may dala kang credit card ay nangangahulugan lang iyun na anumang oras ay mayroong kang nakahandang pambili sa anumang magugustuhan mo sa abot ng iyong card.

Huwag umutang o bumili ng para sa walang kabuluhan  Alamin mo sa sarili mo kung kailangan mo o gusto mo lang ang isang bagay na gusto mong bilhin o utangin.  Dahil kapag pinilit mong bilhin ang isang bagay kasehodang ipangutang mo ito ay duon nagsisimulang magulo ang pagkakaayos ng budget mo.  Makuntento kung anu ang kaya mo.  Bakit hindi ka mag-ipon muna para pagdating ng araw ay kaya mong bilhin ang gusto mo kaysa sa utangin iyo?  Kung hindi mo kayang bumili ng hindi uutangin, ibig sabihin ay hindi ka nakakaluwag sa buhay at mahihirapan kang magbayad.  Huwag maakit sa nagagawa ng credit card na ikaw ay nagmumukhang mayaman kapag meron nito.  Huwag mainggit sa kaginhawahang nakikita mong pagpapakita lamang ng card sa halip na magbilang ng pera kapag nasa kahera na.

Sa mga nahihirapang magbayad ng utang, isipin nyo na lang na makakabayad din kayo sa inyong pagsusumikap kahit paunti-unti .  At kapag nakaraos na sa bayarin, sikaping huwag na muling umutang upang ang lahat ng iyong kikitain ay mailalaan mo na sa ipon at gastusin sa halip na mapunta iyon sa pagkakautang.  Masarap ang pakiramdam ng walang utang dahil wala kang alalahanin.  Bukod sa madaling magkwenta ng mga gastos ay masarap damhim ang iyong suweldo ng buong-buo na iyong pinaghirapan.

Alex V. Villamayor

March 14, 2012

SENDING MESSAGE

As self-expression, I would like to cite my thought without intending to get intrude in a dispute that involves my friend and his group.  True, pen and words are sharper than sword, everyone must be careful when using words in writing because we do not know the implication it might imply until our attention were called.  Writing messages need right words and right timing to avoid misinterpretation.

Based from the exchange of words that have surfaced in their electronic mail, my sympathy goes to my friend not because he is an obvious friend but because of I’ve read their conversation.  However I would say my friend had fault at first when he sent an offhand message though according to him it was written with satirical jest but not meant to offend or embarrass anyone.  He added that he made the message in good faith and had no intention of tarnishing anyone’s reputation but rather uplift the concern of the group.  Nevertheless, the message was still divisive and inappropriate as joke that should not have written in the first place. 

It all started here:  believing that he was within the boundaries of his right to share opinion as member of their group and as their group’s norm practice and important concern, my friend had sent message requesting an update be provided to every member, be it paying member or not.  That last phrase on the short message has earned lot of negative criticism and judgmental reaction.  And what’s depressing here is that in his just one statement, tens offensive responses are in his group wherein the pinnacle of it is lambasting one’s personality that can dwells personal character which are out on the real issue.

Although my friend started the mess which he is admitting, however other persons have even spread the mess by using harsh, unfair and insulting words that my beleaguered friend has experienced and maligned his personality.  I understand the lament of other people about the negative impression of the message but the fire-back of other people is so harsh, hurtful and damaging, and I don’t think it is worth to slam someone’s personality.  Reading the thread of their messages, I found the more derogatory, blatant, harmful and inappropriate words were written not from my friend.

Remarks like saying to surmise the thought of “seemed to be good has turned unpleasant” is quite unfair.  Much more to say that “once garbage always be a garbage” is very cruel and judgmental.  Even saying “stand whatever said be it right or wrong” is an autocratic and prejudiced, you can be authoritative but not dictatorial – it’s unbecoming of the stature.  Now, reading all those hurtful slurs on the course of their conversation, I think the nastiness of my friend during his earlier message is quite bearable than the screaming of the overconfident, diplomacy claimant and judgmental that seems to appear more illustrious or towering, conceited, arrogant, rude and irresponsible. I would say there is thin line between of being straightforward and grumpy.

If only those people will know what my friend is going through, I’m sure they will understand him.  But since their mutual knowledge is not on personal level, no one will really know what caused him to write the message.  But for me, it will not get worse if everyone will just focus on the real issue and it would be proper and appropriate if all replies will be relative to the issue.

In a nutshell, politeness is everyone’s responsibility when sending message through e-mail.  You have to consider the reaction of the recipient.  In this fast-paced time where words can be easily and quickly transmitted, one must be careful in writing messages because once the harm has done, it will leave reminding mark on the relationship.

By Alex V. Villamayor

March 20, 2012