How Can Filipinos Become Santa Claus for their Loved Ones This Christmas?

 'With inflation on the rise, Lista’s new Personal Budgeting tool helps people effectively set aside the money they have in line with their goals in life'

 

MANILA - The holidays have always been a busy time for Filipinos. As the Christmas season draws near, for many of us, the rush begins to attend year-ender parties, family reunions, and to go out and buy gifts for ourselves and our loved ones.

With gift-giving and time with family and friends such integral parts of the Christmas season, it’s no surprise that many of us want to go the extra mile to ensure our loved ones get the gifts they’ve always wanted, and that our celebrations are both merry and bright. 

In a recent media event, the fastest-growing financial management app in the Philippines, revealed their findings on the kinds of gifts Filipinos save up for leading up to the holiday season. Motorbikes topped the list at an average target budget of P54,000, followed by new phones at P25,000, travel at P23,000, and Christmas celebration needs at P17,000. 

However, with forecasts pointing to inflation rising through the holidays, will the increasing cost of living dampen festivities and keep us from playing Santa Claus for the people we care about the most? 

Just in time for the Christmas rush, Lista has unveiled a powerful and simple tool to help all Filipinos get their finances in order. The new Personal Budgeting feature housed within the Lista app was created to empower people to become more proactive in reaching both personal financial targets and long-term value investments. 

“Being aware of how we spend is one of the best ways to utilize money. Through Personal Budgeting on Lista, we envision every Filipino to easily gain financial clarity through the help of technology,” said Aaron Villegas, Co-Founder of Lista. “With the holidays coming up, whether you’re planning to buy gifts or a spread for your Christmas celebration, Lista makes it easy to see where your hard-earned money goes, and helps you maximize your budget to help you give more to what’s most important in your life.” 

The Personal Budgeting feature on Lista is easy to use and navigate. Users can set a budgeting cycle from weekly, semi-monthly, or monthly periods. Users then list their expenses and get reports on their spending plus additional insights and tips for better budgeting. 

For users in need of a little more help when it comes to creating a budget, Lista can suggest one guided by the 70-20-10 principle that segregates income into three buckets: Needs (70%), Savings (20%), and Wants (10%). While this method can be ideal for people learning how to manage their income, a user’s budget can also be further personalized and adjusted at any time. 

“Lista was created to help every Filipino raise their quality of life, one step at a time. Beyond the holidays, budgeting is a great way to gain control over your income, which is why we’ve made it easier for Filipinos to create a budget, stick to it, and use it as a tool to gain greater financial freedom,” said Khriztina Lim, Co-Founder of Lista PH. 

After over two years lost to the pandemic, Filipinos are more careful about where their money goes. With expenses sure to rise as the festive season draws near, by managing your budget and finances with Lista, it’s possible to celebrate Christmas the way you want it – ensuring happy holidays for you and the people you care about. Lista is available to download from The App Store and Google Play Store. (Richard Ebona)