With the price of essentials climbing like crazy, saving can seem like a difficult concept. So difficult, in fact, that some people would probably rather just get slapped to earn money. There’s a reason the Filipino phrase “sampalin niyo ko ng pera” is popular.

So, paano nga ba masampal ng pera in this economy? One of the best ways is to make your savings “work for you,” which simply means ensuring that the money you’ve set aside isn’t just sitting idle but is actually gaining value over time. So here are some tips to make your savings work for you.

Realize you should’ve started yesterday

Sampalin mo muna yung sarili to remind yourself that yes, you should’ve started properly saving yesterday. Which means do these ASAP! Like right now.

And you can start with Maya Savings, which requires no minimum balance and no maintaining balance, allowing you to begin saving with any amount, big or small.

Track your spending and budget

This sounds like common sense, but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate. Or maybe it does kasi sampal ng realidad ito: you need to track where your money comes from and where it goes. Using an app like Maya can make this easier, since Maya lets you conveniently view and monitor your transactions in one place. You cannot organize what you do not measure, so track!

Alternatively, you can also use a simple spreadsheet to log all your transactions. When you see where your money goes, you’ll often find things you can cut from your spending budget.

Maybe you can even try Maya Personal Goals, which lets you create up to 5 saving goals for things like emergencies, travel, or future plans. Each goal can earn you 4% interest per annum immediately, and every PHP 20,000 added increases the rate, which lets you earn up to 8% p.a. on deposits of up to PHP 100,000.

Move your money into a high-yield savings account

Digital banks can offer significantly higher rates compared to traditional banks (around 0.05% to 0.25% per annum), which allows your emergency fund to grow purely through interest without any extra effort on your part. In fact, Maya Savings lets you earn up to 15% interest per annum. At that point, the real question is: why wouldn’t you park your money there?

Even better, interest is credited daily with Maya Sayings, so you can watch your money grow in real time. Seeing more money come into your account everyday after simply parking it in a high-yield savings account would make you feel more motivated to save even more and work harder even more.

Pay yourself first

Treat your savings like a bill you need to pay. Set up an automatic transfer from your payroll account to your dedicated high-yield savings account like Maya Savings. By moving the money automatically before you have a chance to spend it on anything non-essential, you treat your savings — and yourself — as a non-negotiable.

Practice the one-day waiting rule

Before buying any non-essential item over PHP 1,000, wait at least 24 hours. This waiting period would eliminate impulse buys and give you time to consider how essential that purchase is. Kailangan mong masampal ng tanong na ito: is it really a need or just a want?

You can adjust this waiting period to a week or even a month for bigger purchases, like a new gadget or a new pair of shoes.

Follow financial literacy creators and communities

Like-minded people who value saving often share valuable knowledge, like their high-yield bank recommendations to investment strategies, and you can easily find them as content creators or even in financial literacy communities. This would then help you stay disciplined and focused on wealth-building instead of just spending.

Because when you surround yourself with people who prioritize savings like you do, you’ll find yourself reinforcing positive habits — na para bang sinasampal ka nila ng iba’t ibang paraan para masampal pa ng pera.

Keep lifestyle upgrades in check

As you see your income increase or your savings grow (especially with Maya’s daily interest crediting), you might be tempted to increase your expenses and upgrade your lifestyle. Do your best to resist the urge!

When you keep your expenses steady while your savings grow, your money stays where it should: working for you. That also means a bigger balance earning interest, so you’ll see higher daily interest credited to your Maya Savings as it continues to grow.

If you have extra money, you might even want to try Maya Time Deposit Plus, which allows you to lock in funds for 3, 6, or 12 months, giving you up to 6% p.a. on deposits of up to PHP 1 million per account. With up to 5 accounts available, you can earn as much as PHP 5 million just from saving and letting your money grow.

Invest in upskilling

You might think this is a spend you won’t need, pero sampalin mo ang sarili mo with a reframe: you’re investing in yourself. You’re investing in your earning potential. Yes, you’ll use part of your savings to finish a course or get certified, but these courses and certifications may lead to a salary increase or even a new income source.

At the end of the day, saving money doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need consistent habits and the right tools like Maya Savings to help your money grow.

If you still need more reminders to save up after all those tips, baka kailangan mo lang ma-inspire. Watch this Maya video para ma-motivate kang masampal ng pera in this economy.

Learn more about Maya Savings on their website or download the Maya app now on App Store or Google Play Store.