The age-old question is, what is better – earning more or saving more?
It actually depends on the situation. Some are inclined to always earn more while others prefer to save as much as they can.
I believe in both but I definitely lean more towards earning more.
Here is what I am doing right now.
How I am earning more
After I lost my job, I didn’t have many options. I was earning a little here and there for about a year. I did a little bit of crypto and I made some money there.
I did a bit of writing for small businesses and was even a VA for a while but there wasn’t a lot of money in it.
Then I started getting bigger projects. One was with the United Nations doing a variety of content for their campaigns. Soon after I got a big gig writing for a friend’s website on partying in Bangkok.
Now I have another project with United Nations Environment Program.
With all my small and big projects, I am able to earn the most in my life ever. So I am quite happy about the work that has been coming to me.
I plan to get more work opportunities by networking at events in Bangkok as well as investing more in cryptocurrency.
How I am saving more
The truth is, I’m not really saving much. Never have. I like to spend on travel, music festivals and on experiences in general.
But there is something better than savings and that is investing. I started investing in cryptocurrency after COVID last year. I put away a small amount every month in my bitcoin and a few altcoin portfolios. The downside is that crypto is quite volatile and lately all my investment has been down.
However, I still think it is better than plainly saving in a bank where it doesn’t do anything. I do have a fixed account (required in Thailand if I want to get a credit card). The fixed account has an interest rate of 3%. What I do is use a simple online savings tool or calculator to figure out my savings and financial goals.
Keeping track of my expense
So to answer the question, what is better – earning more or saving more? Well, it is obvious that it has to be a combination of both.
In the end, it all comes down to keeping track of expenses and knowing what you spend most on so you can try to reduce that.
I have started doing that now with an app and excel sheet. If there is a day that I spent too much, I make sure I don’t for the next few days. It’s all about balance.
At the same time, I want to keep earning more. I want to be able to add an extra 1 or 2 thousand baht every few months.
What about you? Tell me in the comments below.