Starting life anew as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) may seem overwhelming for some, especially for those who’re facing this challenge for the first time in their life. But as with all things new and frightening, there are various ways for you to make things better. And it sure helps if you face every new chapter of your life with a working plan at hand, especially when you’re going to live in a country like Japan.
In this post we share some basic tips on how OFWs can ensure that the time they spent living abroad and away from their families is worth the effort and sacrifice until the time they get to finally come back home for good.
Tips for OFWs to Maximise their Life Overseas
You may have already thought about some of these things when you first made a decision to work overseas, but it’s not a bad thing to be reminded every now and then of your humble plans when you were still beginning.
1. Start saving up.
As obvious as this first point seems, many OFWs – if not a majority of them still fail to find the importance of saving only because when they start to earn more, they also resort to spending more. However, this should not be the case because that’s not part of the goals that OFWs would have for working many years overseas.
2. Learn a new trade or skill.
Even if you’re already working at a job that you like or have eventually gotten used to, you shouldn’t keep yourself from acquiring new skills through classes available in your area or learning a new trade that could prove useful for your work advancement or as a fall back to sustain yourself and your family should you decide to retire and settle back home for good.
3. Ensure your money goes to your family on time.
Since it’s undoubtedly easier for anyone to spend the money they earn rather than to save it, there has to be clear-cut plan or system on how you can ensure that your money gets to the people you allocate it for. Also, that being said, it’s important for those who manage your money to organize the expenses back home to make sure it fully covers the period it was intended for, or even to save some of it, if possible.
4. Build your investment portfolio.
With our families first in mind, OFWs should invest in a retirement plan and a life insurance plan to protect our family’s futures. Secondly, if you’re business-minded, you may want to explore possible business ventures available back home to lessen your worries and burden of solely providing for your family’s needs through your work, especially in the long run.
5. Follow through on your short and long-term goals.
This is probably the most basic yet the most important thing you need to do and follow through once you’ve landed a job abroad. Goals make your everyday work more fulfilling as you see your progress despite being far away from home. Also, sticking to a goal helps you exercise discipline in whatever you’re doing. Say – if you want to buy a house, start a business, or make an investment for your family.
By keeping to a plan, you can maximize the time you spend away from home and you’ll find your work as an OFW more meaningful and personally fulfilling. These are just some of the things that every working individual needs to realize for themselves in order to become successful in everything they do.