Financial Blog

It’s been a while since our country has been put on lockdown. While we ease into things and adjust to the new normal, most places are still under quarantine. Social gatherings, sports events, concerts, and schools are still discouraged and suspended indefinitely.

For the lucky ones, this means being able to work from home.  And while heroic health workers fight to contain the pandemic outside, some civilians may also be fighting another battle at home—the fight against boredom.

In this article, we’ll show you how to win this fight. Here are some productive things you can do at home during quarantine:

Learn Something New Online

One of the advantages of being at home during quarantine, although with the worst of circumstances, is finally having peace and quiet. And with this newfound peace and quiet, you can finally tick off some of those online courses you’ve been putting off.

There are a lot of online courses out there for free such as technical courses, business courses, academic courses, and many more. Most of them get you certified right away and you can even put the badges on your LinkedIn.

And it doesn’t have to be work-related. You can learn how to cook, learn a new language, learn how to fix a broken gadget, learn how to invest in stocks, and so on. You can check these sites/apps for free online courses:

• Udemy
• Skillshare
• Coursera
• Duolingo

Exercise

During a pandemic, it’s logical to invest in your health. Now that you all have the time in the world, you have absolutely no excuse to skip exercising. We know that staying in shape may not seem like the easiest thing to do, especially when you are confined to your living spaces.

If you are struggling to motivate yourself, don’t worry because there are a lot of apps and workout videos you can find online. Most of them cater to those at home and to those with no gym equipment at all (it’s a plus if you have). No excuses!

Do Spring Cleaning

Social distancing means you have more time at home. If you’re looking for something to pass the time, then it’s probably the right time to clean your house. Studies show that having a tidier environment improves productivity.

If you don’t know where to begin, look to your right and start there. Once you start cleaning, trust me, it will be hard to stop. Clean out the junk and dust that’s been building up in your room and then your home.

Remember, it is important to be clean and practice good hygiene, especially at home.

Update Your Budget Plan

Treat this quarantine as a reset button for your finances. In many ways, it actually is. But make sure that when you reset, you have a clear strategy for your finances.

This quarantine may be the biggest test for your finances in a long time. Some of us may have taken a big cash hit already, with savings evaporated.

Layout a budget plan for yourself (or update your current one). Seeing clearly exactly where your money is going can help you feel more prepared to meet uncertainties. You’ll also need to consider your bills, food, health items, and medicines. Ask yourself “How can I save more?”

Buy only the necessities! And then, layout your recovery plan after. Here’s our recommended format for the top-level of your plan:

Total Cash Inflow for the next 2 months:

• Bonus
• Salary (if any)
• Savings

Total Cash Outflow for the next 2 months:

• Food
• Medicine
• Bills
• Etc.

Learn About Insurance

During a health crisis like this one, it is important to revisit your life or health insurance (if you have one) and review all its details. See if you are covered in a crisis like this one.

If you don’t have one, this could also be a good time to apply for health insurance. Just remember to read all the fine print however complicated it may seem. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice from a friend or an expert! (it may be complicated)

When it comes to life insurance, FWD is the expert. Check FWD’s products by clicking here.

Support our Health Workers

Health and emergency workers who are in the frontlines call for additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, alcohol, and hand sanitizers. As you may already know, there has been a shortage of these PPEs due to mass panic buying and hoarding.

We can donate our extra face masks, alcohol, tissues, and hand sanitizers to them. If you really can’t leave your house to donate, which is understandable, you can assist them financially.

You can start by visiting our page here: Donate and Help Beat COVID-19 campaign. There, choose your advocacy partner on the list below and follow the step by step donation process or you may click on each advocacy partners’ logo or its corresponding link to direct you to their own donation page.

Let us remain vigilant around us (especially in online/social media) any hoarding and overpriced selling of these essential items.  In tough times like this, we must always remember the “bayanihan” spirit.