A Financial Guidepost

On September 2014, I made the crucial decision to invest in the stock market.

Armed with Bo Sanchez's advice from his books, I subscribed to the Truly Rich Club and opened an account with COL Financial.

I've been investing for a year and a month now. Has my life changed? Yes and No.

No, I am not yet a millionaire. I have yet to save a lot of money and create a business to reach a million.

But my life has subtly changed. Many years ago, I had no idea what the stock market was. I had no idea that you could earn an income,aside from your day job. The stock market, for me, seemed like a jungle. It was reserved for those who knew how to handle money (which is true).

And it was scary! I had no one to guide me, except for a popular lay preacher and several financial literacy blogs.

After reading Brian Kim (another great self-help improvement blogger) and Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich", I took the jump.

I only had Php 5,000.00 to lose. I cared for my future. I wanted to create a  difference in my life. I was financially illiterate, until I read about financial literacy and bought every book about it.  Better do something than nothing, right?

So I invested 5,000.00 monthly. Gosh, it would have been a waste. Look at the number of luxury and gadgets I could afford! (but I don't buy a lot. I only need a few things to be happy. A notebook and a pen... and internet connection). The story of the grasshopper and the Ant motivated me, that setting aside a portion of my take home pay would make a difference.

After I made the jump and shared my experience with the stock market: all those color red and green, all the dips and leaps my stocks made, all the joy and frustration when I seemed to lose money...

Eventually, a couple of my officemates heard I was already investing in the stockmarket. They would approach me and ask several questions (who's your broker,what is COL Financial, Is it legit, how much have you earned, have you sold...). Eventually, they would ask me how to send their applications to COL Financial, or what stocks to buy. I never pressured them to subscribe to the truly rich club, nor COL Financial.I just narrated my experience, and what I believed in.

It feels weird. A happy kind of weirdness. 

One officemate thanked me that I shared my experiences. She was contemplating to join the stock market scene too. She thought it was not legit... until I came. 

I can't help but smile. At least, in my own little way, with my simple knowledge, I was able to help. I was able to be a source of inspiration. I was able to be a financial guidepost, all thanks to the books and blogs I read about financial literacy.

***I've realized that this has become a sort of testimony for the Truly Rich Club and COL Financial. I just wanted to express my gratitude somewhere. What better place than in my own blog?