5 Tips to Help You Get More Out of Your Christmas Bonus

Online shopping. Post-pandemic Piso fare flights. Samgyupsal-while-social-distancing. Face them head on this holiday season.

Halloween is over and we all know what that means – our much-awaited 13th month pay is on its way – just in time for the long Philippine Christmas season. That’s over eight weeks of online shopping, and small family get-togethers. 

As professionals who’ve been part of the working class for at least a year, we’re used to this, even accustomed to the yearly pattern of splurging in November and #PetsaDePeligro in January. Why not shake things up a bit this year and give future you more money to start next year with?

Here are five tips to help you get more out of your Christmas Bonus:

Tip 1: Reward yourself, but practice restraint

You’ve been working all year. You deserve that new phone, or that bag, or even that scheduled post-pandemic trip to Japan or Korea or New York.

GET IT.

But see how we said ‘or’? Just choose one this year so you have more left for these next few tips…

Tip 2: Take advantage of promos and sales

This time of the year, buying at full price is weak. Smart shoppers wait for the right time for deals to go up.

The biggest ones aren’t even hard to remember! There’s still 12.12 and end of season sales to look forward to. Just remember Tip 1 when you #AddToCart

Tip 3: Free yourself from debt

Is there anything more rewarding than seeing ‘Amount Due: 0’ on your credit card bill? Yes, there are. But having the feeling of not owing anyone anything beats the monthly petsa-de-peligro worries. 

Tip 4: Invest in yourself

If you’re willing to spend on the finer things in life, then shouldn’t you also spend to make yourself fine? Enroll in an online masterclass or purchase books that can help you grow in your personal and professional life.

Tip 5: Invest in your future self today

TA-DAH! Yes, one of the best ways to help future you is by already planning today. You don’t need to wait for next year’s performance bonus.

We at Manulife can help you take that first step. You can talk to an adviser to help you plan out your finances for the rest of the year. Gift yourself the benefit of ending the year strong and entering next year wiser.

Want to learn more about how to plan for a better, longer life? 

Talk to a financial advisor today!