By Rania Eldebri and Liezel Longboan
Saving and cutting down on expenses is at the top of Filipino mums’ minds at the moment as the UK inflation soars to 10.1%, the highest in 40 years. Although they are in work and are used to budgeting their money, they are being pushed to tighten their budgets even more.
Not eating out, buying pre-loved children’s clothes
“I always live within my means. And I am a wise spender. We only buy things that are necessary although we don’t cut down on food and grocery stuff,” said 31-year-old Jesh Sison, a mother of three aged 9, 2 and five months old. She is a nurse in London who is currently on maternity leave. Her husband, also a nurse, works part-time.
Jesh said that with her maternity pay and her husband’s income, they are able to provide for their basic needs, pay rent on time, and occasionally eat out and have family outings. However, she admits that “We don’t have a lot of savings because I have been on maternity leave for 2 consecutive years which I am honestly grateful for the NHS,” she said.
“The good thing about living in the UK is that you don’t have to worry too much about having an emergency fund because the NHS is free for everyone. Also, my husband and I both work for the NHS as nurses, and honestly the benefits are quite good although the pay could be better.”
I always live within my means. And I am a wise spender. We only buy things that are necessary although we don’t cut down on food and grocery stuff.
Jesh Sison, nurse
Jesh said that she did not have to do “a massive adjustment in terms of cutting down on expenses because I seldom buy stuff for myself to begin with.”
For her children’s clothes, she has been buying from Facebook Marketplace and Vinted where she could get 50 pieces of good quality clothes – some even new with tags – for just £30.
They have also cut down on eating out and ordering take-aways. She cooks at home most of the time to save on money.
“We are lucky to be renting a 2-bedroom flat which is located just as the back of the NHS hospital where we work. We just walk to work so we don’t have travel expenses,” Jesh said.
Jesh said that the only debt they have at the moment is their car. They borrowed money from her mother-in-law so they are not paying any interest.
As to sending money to the Philippines, Jesh sends an allowance every two to three months for her nine-year-old son who is being looked after by her mother. She used to send more frequently but has to limit her remittance now that she is on maternity and doesn’t earn her full pay.
“I am very lucky I have a supportive mom who never pressured me and obliged me to send money although I made sure I regularly do it as I have obligations to my son who I am looking forward to bringing here in the UK by next year,” Jesh said.
Finding free items on Facebook
Sam Galang, 36, works as a compliance and data coordinator in London. Her husband is a healthcare assistant in the NHS. They have one young daughter who goes to nursery. Sam says that their household income mainly goes to food, rent, gas and electricity, water, and nursery fees with very little left for savings or emergency spending.
Their biggest expense at the moment is their son’s nursery fees at around £700 a month.
“We are just trying to constantly figure out how we cut down our costs. Everyday, we always think of different ways on how we could save more,” Sam said.
Despite working full time, Sam feels anxious about the future. “What if this crisis causes me to lose my job? Where will I go? Where will I get the money for my family? It causes a little bit of insecurity for me,” she said.
Sam said that her energy bills have doubled lately so she has started to cut back on some expenses. “We only travel if we need to or if it is necessary,” she said.
She also uses Facebook Marketplace where prices are cheaper for both used and new toys, furniture and appliances.
Editors note: This article was updated on 10 January 2023.
About the author:
Rania Eldebri is a digital content creator with a business degree. She is experienced in using digital and social media management tools and analytics to measure social conversations and engage audiences across social channels. Rania is passionate about all types of media: digital, television and radio. She loves discussing different topics with people from different backgrounds.
