15 Exclusive Ways How To Live Cheaper In The Philippines

In addition, aside from discussing how to live cheaper in the Philippines, we have also included several tips and tricks you can use which will indirectly help you save more money in the Philippines.

Table of Contents

How To Live Cheaper In The Philippines

Become A Member At A Store

One of the great things about living cheaper in the Philippines is that there are plenty of options for those who wish to budget. One of the first ways to live cheaper in the Philippines is to become a member of your local store.

As competition is fierce in the food industry, many businesses encourage their customers to become repeat buyers. As a result, many businesses offer membership discounts and free items which can be taken advantage of to live cheaper in the Philippines.

Buy Condoms In Bulk

I promise you this is not a joke! As crazy as it sounds, purchasing items such as condoms can eat up your budget. So how can you save money when purchasing items in the Philippines?

One common method is to buy in bulk. These can be purchased in bulk from platforms such as Lazada, or if you are looking to save, you can even purchase these items from China.

Buy Second Hand If Possible

We live in a world where most people believe they need to buy original items. Fortunately, this is not the case. For example, if you need a new laptop, you may save thousands by purchasing a refurbished model.

However, if you are looking to live cheaper in the Philippines, you can find many second-hand items at incredibly good prices. Facebook marketplace is a fantastic option for those looking to live cheaper in the Philippines.

Cancel Any Unnecessary Subscriptions

Many businesses in the Philippines and globally now operate on a subscription-based business model. Subscription-based models can work very well as the subscription fee may be so low that many customers do not consider it a big expense. But expenses can soon add up.

A good friend of mine was recently asking me how to live cheaper in the Philippines as he has had some financial difficulties. After looking through his subscriptions (Netflix, gym, TubeBuddy, and others), it was clear to see that he was spending thousands of pesos unnecessarily.

Carpool With Your Partner

Another great option to live cheaply in the Philippines is carpool with your partner or friends. Carpooling is essentially a way to travel to work together to save on travel expenses.

A taxi ride to work may only be as low as 80 pesos. However, in a month, this is 2400 pesos that could be saved. That extra 2400 can be used to increase your savings or to invest.

Choose Vegetable Proteins

Over the years, there have been several arguments by meat-eaters and vegans about the health claims of meat and vegan sourced protein. Some vegans claim there is more protein in meatless proteins, which is scientifically accurate (per gram). Additionally, there has been an explosion of vegan bodybuilders in recent years.

Meat is not always an expensive product (depending on the type and where you are purchasing from); however, in some research, purchasing meatless proteins offers customers a cheaper option while also ensuring they reach their protein requirements.

Cut Down On Sugar

As we know, sugar is delicious; that’s why so many of us love ice cream, chocolates, brownies, and doughnuts. However, one downside of sugar is that it can leave us wanting more, and due to the cost of some sugary foods, this can eat up at our budget.

If you are looking to live cheaper in the Philippines and save pesos, creating a habit of reducing your sugar intake will bring positive health and economic changes.

Don’t Shop When You Are Hungry

Research has shown that we spend more as consumers on average when hungry. As a previous nutritionist, I can confirm that when our bodies are hungry, we desire an energy source which tends to be carbohydrates. Therefore, most of us do not fancy a small salad when we are hungry.

So to avoid this impulse purchasing and spending more money than necessary, avoiding shopping when you are hungry is essential.

Invest In High R.O.I. Areas

OK, you caught me! Of course, investing in a high return of interest area will not allow you to live cheaper in the Philippines, but you will have more disposable income if you invest in the right areas.

Previously we have spoken about investments with monthly returns, investments for foreigners, investments for overseas Filipino workers, and general investments, which I’ve attached above for your reference.

Reduce Stress To Avoid Purchasing Unessential Items

Another interesting study showed the psyche of the human brain. When you’re stressed, you may start avoidance behaviors. This is a way for us to escape from the situation and make ourselves feel better. But for some people purchasing unnecessary items is a way that they escape.

Avoiding situations is not a good thing, but if you are purchasing items for avoidance, this can also be financially damaging. It’s recommended to either reduce stress or create a replacement if you suffer from impulse buying.

Shop Later In The Evening

One of the great things about convenience stores and national supermarkets is that you will often find some fantastic items for sale in the evening, which is great if you are looking to live cheaper in the Philippines.

Many food items have a shelf life. If the items have not been sold at the original price, some grocery stores will reduce prices to sell the items quicker. This tends to happen in the evening, which is why shopping after work or outside of office hours is often a wise idea.

Speak To The Locals First To Find The Best Prices

If you live in Manila, Cebu, or any other city and wish to travel to another location, you may not find the best prices available. So who knows the best prices in the area? It’s the locals.

If you are struggling to find locals, a great option is to use local Facebook groups when traveling as this is a great way how to live cheaper in the Philippines for foreigners and Filipinos.

Start A Food Budget And Stick To It

Once Upon a Time, when I was financially struggling, I knew I needed to cut out my large expenses. Unfortunately, as I eat a lot, my largest expense was food. We cannot cut out food, but we can reduce this. Why is food so important in relation to wealth? For most of us, food is one of the 3 financially significant categories (including transportation and accommodation)

Some I’ve even spoken to who are looking to live in the Philippines cheaper decide to make food budgeting a game. You can even decide to save 50 pesos today to add 50 pesos to your food budget tomorrow. The most important thing is that you can reduce your food budget if you are overspending in this area.

Travel by bicycle or jeepney

As mentioned, transportation is one of the three main significant financial categories. Therefore, if you can reduce this living expense, you can live much cheaper in the Philippines. But how can you reduce your travel expenses in the Philippines?

The easiest way to reduce your travel expenses in the Philippines is to travel by free means such as by bicycle. Alternatively, low-cost transportation options such as Jeepneys can be used. If you are looking to save money on your transportation costs in the Philippines, avoiding private transportation must be a priority.

Utilize Free Marketing

One thing I love about the Philippines is that there is a business opportunity around every corner. But as we know, starting a business in the Philippines is not the easiest task. This can be even more challenging due to the financial barriers. This is why the last tip on living cheaper in the Philippines focuses on business.

There are several options for free marketing in the Philippines; in our recent guide, we spoke about this and market research. But whether you are marketing real estate, marketing rice, or anything else… finding free marketing options can help you save a great deal of cash.

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