So, here are some reminders on keeping it real and grounded on “adulting” in our day and age:

No, your payroll account is not a savings account. Opening your personal savings account with your preferred bank is one of the first steps on being a responsible adult. Some use the 50-20-30 rule: where 50% of your total monthly earnings goes to your bills, needs, or upkeep; 20% goes straight to your savings or investment; and 30% goes to your wants, this may include milk tea cravings, shopping, hobbies, etc. This setup makes it easier to visualize on how much you allocate your monthly funds to prevent yourself on getting into sticky financial troubles.

Making sure your own monthly bills are paid on time is one of our responsibilities now as an adult. You can do so by keeping your bill’s due date in mind, setting aside the funds for it, and settling them on or the day before. Proper scheduling and budgeting of your monthly earnings would make this a breeze to deal with.

Now that you are starting your own life, one unique part of our Filipino culture is that we tend to give back to our parents. Of course, we’re not talking about paying them off like a student loan program. We are talking about helping with the upkeep of the house (e.g. electricity, water, internet, cable, etc.) There are other ways you could give back, like treating them for lunch or dinner or taking them out on a sweet and simple day out, which would make them feel loved and fulfilled as parents.

The advantages of youth won’t be with you forever. As young and fresh as you are, taking care of your body must be part of your priorities as well. You can do that by starting to choose healthier options on what you eat and what you do. Eating healthier does not mean preventing yourself from indulging on the finer treats in life once in a while; what it means is to make sure that you include some greens and fruits on your palate. Also, having enough exercise and sleep will do visible wonders to your overall physical, mental, and emotional health.

Another thing to consider is how you can secure yourself, your family and your assets. Getting yourself an insurance plan is a great way to make sure you are protected financially, especially for unforeseen events that could happen. If you are unfamiliar about insurance, there are websites, such as ProtectNow.com, which provide a much easier and convenient way to find the ideal insurance plan that you need, for you and your family, for your travels, home and comprehensive insurance for your car. Having some peace of mind that you are secure would make it easier to focus on your current plans and goals to achieve your dream.

“Adulting” can sometimes be difficult in this day and age, especially for young millennials, but if you start doing the basics, you are already one step closer to reaching your goals.