Everybody’s going back to basics. The economic crunch we are experiencing is changing Filipino life as we know it. People are looking for ways to cut expenses. I say try to look at the way people in the province live. Yes, try to appreciate how we Promdis live a healthy lifestyle and at the same time enjoy life. Try to look at the way we do things over here and may be you’ll learn something that will help you in overcoming the economic crisis.

Before reading on, please be warned that a potential side effect of reading this post is wanting to live in the province. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

1. Increasing food prices? Why not grow your own food?

Yup, you read that correctly. Grow your own food. Here in the province most people have a little garden in their backyard. You don’t actually need hectares of land in order to grow vegetables.

Ever heard of urban gardening? I remember seeing a book on urban gardening at the National Bookstore. It’s a pity I didn’t buy it that time for it will surely come in handy today. I forgot the title and the author but I did scan it and I can still remember some of its contents.

• Containers for plants can be made from trash – used containers, tin cans, and even egg trays. Just use
  your imagination and creativity.
• Waste food can be used as planting materials. Learn a little composting and you already have garden soil right at your kitchen.

I found an interesting article at EntrePinoys Atbp on gardening on limited space. It’s worth reading.

photo credit: (Bill and Mavis) - B&M Photography

2. Rising fares? Try walking.

Of course I mean only for short distances. Nobody expects you to walk from Las Piñas to Makati. Taxi rides can cost a lot so if it’s only a few blocks away then walking is possible. Just consider it an exercise to burn those excess calories. You will save on transportation cost and you’ll no longer need to go to the gym, making you save even more.

3. Early to bed and early to rise.

The longer you stay awake, the more electricity you consume. If you sleep early, you’ll turn off the electric appliances early so you’ll only use them in a shorter period. If you wake up early you’ll be able to prepare your baon, and if you’re office or school is just walking distance then you can just walk. You actually save on electricity, food and transportation just by sleeping early and waking up early.

There’s really truth in the saying:
“Early to bed and early to rise.
Makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

4. Choose value over form.

A typical Promdi would not be very concerned over trappings. If he’s hungry he’ll eat where his hunger can be filled and not care what the ambiance would be. Ambiance these days costs more than what you actually came for. Of course we also care if the food is delicious and if it’s prepared in a sanitary manner but most of us won’t pay for an ambiance that we don’t need. Do you think it’s coffee that you are paying for at Starbucks? It’s the name and the ambiance.

I’m not trying to romanticize life in the province. Money in the province is also hard to come by so we want to get the most value from it. Our only advantage is that we do get a lot of things for free which city dwellers have to pay a premium in order to experience. We don’t have to leave our place in order to have fresh air, fresh food, and a beautiful view.

photo credit: Sir Mervs