From OFW to Going Back Home – The Plan

The tips I’m giving here not only apply to OFWs but also to those who are setting goals – which is basically everyone!

Living in Dubai for more than a decade and owing to the fact that this place is just a transient city for most residents, I have seen many friends and colleagues come and go. It’s the painful reality of being an OFW. Sooner or later almost everyone is bound to leave our host country. 

If you are an OFW and intend to work only for a few years, let me give you some advice on how you can stick to your plan and not over extend your stay. Most OFWs share similar reasons for leaving – want to send the children to college, buy own home, save enough capital to start a business. But how often we got side-tracked and ended up staying in our host country longer than planned? 2 years became 3, then 4 and before we know it we are here far too long after past beyond our our target date and yet that dream house is still a dream. My heart is crying for parents who missed their children’s birthday and graduation; who spends Christmas with friends instead of their kids; who sacrifices 20 or 30 years of their lives living away from their family.

It’s never too late. As I keep on saying, the fact that you are reading this post is already a sign to the Universe that you intend to make changes in your life. And I’m very confident that you will succeed. Majority of OFWs will not even bother to read, watch or learn from others but you are not part of that majority. Instead you belong to The Wealthy Pinay community which proves a lot about your determination.

1. MAKE A PLAN AND STICK TO IT

I am a firm believer of Law of Attraction – that everything is possible if you really focus on it and take action. The Universe will provide whatever you want if you know what you want.

BUT I also believe in action. Wishing to be a millionaire is not achievable if you only wish for it. Same goes for building a new home or setting up a business. First step is to decide what you want, believe you can achieve it, focus on it, think of ways on how you can achieve your goal, take action and you will reap the results of your desire.

How can one take an action if there’s no plan? For example, you came to your host country hoping to save enough money so you can buy a house for your family. You’re just sick and tired of renting and want to have a place to call your own. Good! You know what you want. But how are you going to do it?

That’s what planning is all about. The problem with having no plan is you can get easily distracted with things trying to grab your attention. Someone will offer you a discounted second hand car, your daughter is graduating from elementary and she just deserves an iPad, you should buy that television while on sale – 32-inch for just 8000 pesos, what a steal!

If you are dead-set on having your own home, and you make out a plan, you can easily say no to these distractions because you are focused.

Ok Lyn, what do you mean exactly by plan? Very good question and I’m glad you asked.

Here’s what you need to do.

First, list down the things you would want to achieve. Enumerate them.

  1. Buy a 2-bedroom house in Villa Quintana Subdivision.
  2. Save 2 million pesos to start food business in my hometown.
  3. Secure kids’ college education.

Let’s use goal number 1 as an example. It’s a very good goal. You have figured out what you want and you believe you can achieve this. And the fact that you’re sacrificing being away from your family just to work abroad is a testament that you’re taking action. So you can achieve it easily right? Well, not that easy and fast unless you really focus.

Second thing you need to do is ask yourself, how can I achieve it?

This is where you write the game plan. Continuing with our first goal, how can you buy that 2-bedroom house?  Your list can look something like this:

  • Inquire how much the house costs, the payment plan, when can you move-in, and so on.
  • Save xxx amount for next 1 year for required house deposit.
  • Take a loan from Pag-ibig fund and pay xxx amount monthly for 5 years
  • Save xxx pesos every month to buy furniture and fixtures.

For sure, while making this plan, you will get very excited and motivated and feel that everything is possible. Never lose that spirit. You will achieve it because You deserve it.

Lastly, now that you have a plan on how to achieve that dream, it’s now up to you to stick to it.

Scenario: Your daughter just graduated in elementary and she wants a laptop as a reward. That laptop will cost one month of your saving for the house deposit. Will you still purchase it? That is equivalent to one month staying longer in your host country. If you continue giving-in to the distractions, your 1 month extra stay will be 3 months, then it will become an additional 1 year and before you know it, you haven’t saved enough even for the house deposit. Make a plan and stick to it.

2. INFORM YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS OF ‘THE PLAN’

I know that members of TWP community are very giving. We will sacrifice and won’t complain just to see our family members happy. It’s already ingrained in us and although it’s a very admirable characteristic, this will sabotage our plan of achieving our goal. I understand that you want the best for your family, who doesn’t? But always remember every time you buy that rubber shoes on sale, or that iPhone for your wife or those cute toys that your children would love, ask again this question: “How much is the value of these gifts in terms of my time working abroad?” Then you decide.

Your plan will be a challenge if you don’t let your family join you. They need to know the plan so they can help you achieve it. Ok, your wife is aware that the goal is to buy a house but how can she have an idea of ‘the plan’ if you will not share it to her? Let her get involved with the planning. Build your plan together. You will then both experience the excitement of creating your future home. She will feel important on achieving your goal and can do things that she can control like spending and saving.

It doesn’t matter who handles the savings account but both of you (involve the kids even) should sit down together every month and discuss your plan progress. Was it derailed this month? Were you able to achieve more than your savings target?

By sharing your plan, you’re not only helping yourself but you are also empowering your family (your mom, dad, siblings, kids) that they can contribute to achieve greater things.

3. HAVE A BACK-UP

Life is full of surprises. Your will and perseverance might be tested from time to time. Unexpected events might derail on achieving the plan. That’s why I always recommend having a back-up. And what is that backup? It’s called Emergency Funds and Savings.

The problem of not having an emergency fund is you will always dip your hands in your savings or credit card for unexpected expenses. However dedicated you are on completing your goal, these emergencies will challenge your determination and one way to prevent getting out of track is being prepared. You can focus more on your task if you are secure that there’s an emergency fund to use in case of any issues. I will repeat, it’s achievable and you can do it!

There are thousands if not millions of free articles on the internet discussing emergency funds and savings in detail. Read several of them and find ways on how you can incorporate different techniques to your personality and goals.

4. STAY HEALTHY

What’s the connection between health and not extending your expat life? Well, simple. You are in your host country because of a reason. It could be either one of those things I mentioned earlier (house, education. business, etc.) or you want to grow your career or you just want to experience something different. And how do you think you can achieve all of these if your health is faltering and deteriorates before you can even achieve your goal?

This is one thing I keep on reminding myself. Money is nothing if you don’t have your faith, your family or a good health. Health is something that we can manage and control. For whatever reason, may it be business or pleasure, we tend to abuse our body by not sleeping well, eating too much, eating so little, consuming the wrong kinds of food, smoking, drinking and every wrong stuff in between that affects our health.

How can you enjoy your dream home if you’re already sick and drowning with medication? Worst is getting sick before even having that house.

It might be difficult to start a healthy routine (diet and exercise) at first but as I keep on saying, if we want it then we can achieve it.

*****

There you have it. Hope you get something out of this. Through Him, everything is possible. Keep repeating this mantra to yourself “I can achieve it because I deserve it”. Repeat it continuously until you start believing that you really deserve it.

Live The Life and Business You Have Imagined!

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