Life & Perspective
Personal essays by Juno dela Cruz on money, work, burnout, and what it means to be Filipino right now. Published daily on BantayDaily.
Spending Money You Haven’t Earned Yet Is the Quiet Debt Trap Nobody Talks About
The salary notification arrives and, for a second, it feels like relief. Then you open your banking app and watch it disappear — not into…
Lifestyle Inflation: Why Your Raise Feels Like Nothing
There was a moment, somewhere between a salary increase and a new phone I didn’t need. When…
I Paid My Credit Card in Full Every Month and Here’s What Actually Happened
Walang drama, walang collectors — just the quiet relief of a zero balance and what it quietly changed.…
I Started Waking Up at 6AM Because My Partner Changed Shifts. Now I Don’t Know How I Lived Before.
Ang daming oras na nawala lang pala, and I only noticed when someone else’s alarm went off before…
I Booked a Flight Abroad During Seat Sale and Felt Both Proud and Guilty at the Same Time
Nag-invest ako sa experience. Pero bakit parang may multa? I searched flights twice in two days — once…
When Credit Card Rewards Start Costing More Than They Give
Some days I swipe to earn miles. Other days I swipe because the bill is due and I…
I Spend Four Hours Commuting Every Day. I’m Not the Only One Getting Heavier.
The National Nutrition Council says 4 out of 10 of us are now obese or overweight. I looked…
I Drive to Manila Twice a Month and Still Can’t Decide If I’m Saving Money or Just Pretending To
Two places, two weeks each, one salary that has to stretch across toll fees, parking, gas, and the…