5 Tips to Get You Through Petsa de Peligro

It’s that time of the month again. You open your wallet and think to yourself, “Ang tagal ng sweldo.” Sigh. The dreaded petsa de peligro – those perilous days before payday – have arrived, throwing you into a mild spiral of panic. But with a little creativity (and a lot of discipline), you can survive and even thrive until the end of the month. Here are five smart tips to get you through the crunch.

Cooking when you’re at home can save you a lot of money, so before you even open a food delivery app, take a deep dive into your kitchen. Those cans at the back of your cupboard? That ancient pack of pasta? It’s time they saw the light of day. Treat this like a reality show challenge: What culinary masterpiece can you create with whatever’s already in your pantry and fridge?

You might be surprised by how much you can stretch a few ingredients when you start thinking outside the box. Fried rice with leftover veggies? Classic. Sardine pasta with a squeeze of calamansi? Delicious. DIY rice bowls with egg and soy sauce? Humble but satisfying. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also avoid wasting food – a win for both your wallet and your conscience.

This is the time to examine your finances with the precision of a crime scene investigator. First, open your banking app and take a cold, hard look at your transactions. Any forgotten subscriptions? Sneaky little impulse buys? Random delivery charges? Now’s your chance to correct the course.

List down your essential expenses, such as rent, bills, transportation, and basic groceries, and separate them from the nice-to-haves. Then slash the non-essentials ruthlessly, at least until next sweldo. Continue tracking your daily spending from here on to avoid getting into the same predicament next month. Awareness is your biggest financial weapon, especially when your budget is running on fumes.

A cup of fancy coffee here, a grab-and-go lunch there, and suddenly you’ve spent P1,000 in a day without even noticing. But when you prep your meals and bring your own drinks, that money stays with you. You might also want to consider walking a few blocks instead of taking a GrabCar.

When at the supermarket, shop wisely and buy products that work for you. For example, if you have a recurring dandruff problem, get CLEAR Men Cool Sport Menthol Shampoo, which is great for getting rid of grime and effective at getting rid of flakes. You could also use double-duty products like Dove Men+Care Body, Face & Hair Wash Clean Comfort, which is an all-in-one cleanser that is gentle on the hair and skin.

Sometimes, you just have to do a little extra work to make more money. The good news? The gig economy is real, and your skills are more valuable than you think. Are you good at writing captions? Editing resumes? Proofreading presentations? There’s someone out there willing to pay for those skills.

However, don’t overextend yourself, either. Just one or two small projects a week can make a big difference, especially during trying times. Bonus: You might discover a side hustle you genuinely enjoy, one that can grow even beyond your “emergency income” days.

Living through petsa de peligro can feel bleak. But sometimes, all you can do is shrug and meme your way through the struggle. Text your friends, send them your bank account QR code for laughs, and find comfort in the fact that you’re not alone. This, too, shall pass.

That said, don’t let it become a recurring crisis. Use this time as a gentle nudge to build a small financial buffer, so you’re not living from paycheck to paycheck. Start a small emergency fund to cushion the blow of bills and practice a little more restraint when it comes to impulse buys.

Navigating petsa de peligro is a life skill at this point. But with a little planning, a good sense of humor, and a whole lot of diskarte, you’ll get through it with your dignity and maybe your savings intact.