In this era of advanced information technology, known as the digital age, news anywhere is highly accessible. We could not escape the waves of information through media such as internet, cable televisions, videos and social media, radios, newspapers and magazines. Advertisement of high-tech cars, appliances, cellular phones, and electronic gadgets among other things give everyone a thrill to have one, promising easy and comfortable living. However, life is not easy, it is a journey of opportunities and challenges, right decisions and hardships before enjoying the comforts of living.

Behind the eases of the modern world, poverty still exists, a reality that technology could never face-out. While the few relishes the promises of the digital world, the greater number of the populace suffers from its rapid changes. Poverty, the other face of modernization, is the distance created between the basics and the complex ways of living. As a result, numerous crimes emanate from experiencing difficulties in life.

Poverty does not just affect those who directly experiencing it. Indeed, it affects the entire community, from the family as the fundamental component of the society up to the multi-level social crowds.  These situations fervently poke the human spirit of compassion. Poverty is not only a local and national issue, it is a global concern. Because of these, the meaning of poverty has broadened significantly through the years.  

The challenges of the times have always corresponding responses. Helping, a compassionate word that might balance poverty issues. Altruism and philanthropic spirit flow through mission stewards to different individuals and localities, regions and even in the larger community of nations. Most government leaders prioritized poverty mitigation programs in their political agenda. Significant numbers of studies were done, a lot of local and international advocates and organizations are working together on poverty alleviation. Still, a lot of hard works have to be exerted by each government to connect the gap between the rich and the poor.

Poverty is a vague topic to cope with. Generally, when common people talks about poverty, most of them are basically thinking of the material dearth or paucity. Though, most definitions of poverty were highly explained based on the types, factors, effects, levels, and causes among other things.  Placing this in the perspective of those who are experiencing it, it is as plain as the gap in the provisions of daily sustenance.

Focusing on the basics of poverty, its simplest concept is the deprivation of basic needs for existence such as food, clothing and shelter. According to Abraham Maslow, these are the physiological needs, the primary concerns for human survival. Nowadays, as countless junk foods are on the market and perhaps the only affordable to underprivileged groups, proper nutrition and health care must be included. Too, commercialism and consumerism stretch the costs of these basic needs unaffordable to the masses.

Inaccessible education and the shortage of decent jobs to earn a living, are another underlying costs of poverty. Equal distribution of available resources, like land, for every family, a parcel of it to till and nurture for a living and make an abode of their own, would mitigate impoverishment. Brought by local migration, for search of better opportunities, homelessness becomes a serious problem in highly urbanized areas. Creation of local jobs, while one would not be away from the family must be given utmost consideration, a move to strengthen and keep each family intact. Unequal distribution of available resources and being slaves of multi-national businesses in one’s own country depict the greed of powerful few, the absence of human compassion and project an excruciating facts of life. For these stated truths, it is the basic duty of the government to ensure that its citizenry is justly treated and have better working-living condition. Likewise, it is a crucial obligation of government leaders to create opportunities where quality and competitive education, decent jobs and health care are accessible to all.

Otherwise, given all the chances to earn a living, in numerous ways, poverty is becoming a way of life to many. One way or the other, financial mismanagement caused one’s poverty.  However, the basics of managing the hard-earned money could be exemplified in the tri-angles of money: the top angle, how to earn or the income; the angle on the right, how to save or the savings; and, the angle on the left, how to spend or the expenses. If mindfully practiced, this approach could benefit you to have debt-free living.

Consider your earnings through employment, for sure you have a fix income.  Less all deductions from the gross, you have the net income. Now, make sure to save part of it, 20% or at least 10%. Put it to savings account and consider that it was spent for something. The difference from the net income less savings would be the budget till your next salary day. Never spend over your budget! Otherwise, it would accumulate financial deficits. If you need to buy things, plan ahead and save for those. Albeit, important unforeseen expenditures have to be recognized. The savings would protect you from borrowing money to anyone or any financial institutions that would drown you with high interest rates. One more thing, never acquire credit cards if you are an impulsive consumer, it would drag you to bankruptcy. Be practical, invest your saved fund in low-risk valuable financial products. Seek advice from a bank advisor or someone reliable and experienced regarding your chosen venture.

Are you fond of shopping and spending spree? Spend money wisely by spending on needs and not by paying for wants, not by following the market trends and social demands, and not by getting into the influence of neighbors or peers. There are ways of saving resources like using recycled stuffs, buy during drop-off pricing, and use water and electricity economically among other things. During sale events, buy the things fairly needed. Even the price is cheap or the market prices dropped, do not buy if not needed, it is unwise spending. Besides, maximizing the use of household and personal stuffs is an applied way of saving.

Instead of planning sumptuous parties, consider celebrating important occasions similar to birthdays and anniversaries, as simple family lunch or dinner. Observance of cultural festivities like fiestas, weddings, milestone blow-outs and other partying could be celebrated in a frugal and simple ways yet memorable. Commonly, people celebrates these events even at the expense of borrowing money or loaning to show-off to friends and relatives. Spirit of unity, camaraderie, connections and strengthening relationships matter most in these occasions. Having a thought on a cozy restaurant bill, it might be as much as a week provisions for food. Neither one meal in fast food resto nor a plain snacks in a coffee shop covers a day’s budget for food.  

Moreover, acquiring newest appliances is impractical and costly. Similarly, spending on latest cellphones and electronic gadgets is a waste of money. Imagine, all members of the family have each one a cellphone. Cellphone loads and accessories, buying online games and latest applications, and etcetera are additional expenses.

Money is hard to earn but easy to spend. Your monthly income could be spent in just a day or just for an hour. Living a decent life, is living on the bases of what one needs and by spending within one’s means. Beyond this, is an assessment of what one’s needs, wants or luxuries are. Influence of people in the social strata wobbles many to level up to the hasty trend of commerce and consumerism.

When starting a family, number of children that the couple would like to have must be planned base on capability to provide the family needs. Also, proper financial management, the values of frugality, wise spending, and saving practices start from the family. Money matters must be part of a stern disciplinary practice in parenting.

Whilst indolence, tolerated dependency and irresponsibility are poverty practices. Smoking, drinking, cockfighting, playing cards, lotteries, playing in casinos are common vices cutting greater fractions of one’s income. Calculating the total amount incurred for those activities, more than 50% of the earnings possibly goes to it. Those vices, other methods of gambling, and games of chances are avoidable expenses. Non-purpose loans of all kinds and unnecessary spending are forms of financial jolts.

In my standpoint, poverty becomes a gigantic opportunity for business individuals, politicians and the elite class of the society. Poverty is an undeniable political business whereas public reliance on them could effortlessly manipulate the poor like puppets. Perceptively, the vulnerability of the marginalized sector could be easily utilized by them in their vested peculiar interests to become richer and to remain in power.

Optimistically, poverty must be viewed as a great opportunity and a resilient motivator to discover our innate potentials to live life to the fullest. Everyone has potentials, nevertheless, to discover and to use them, one must have the determination and strong motivation. The major shield against poverty is one’s positive attitude, strong character and self-esteem fostered in the family.

Poverty experiences create valuable opportunities and teach everyone in the field to be resourceful. Let be inspired by those efficacious persons with disability (PWDs) and successful individuals. At one point, most of them experienced hardships and deprivations in life. Geared by persistence and resourcefulness, they strived to discover their passion and to find their purpose in life.

While given all the chances yet you remain economically impoverish, you have to reassess your lifestyle and vividly draw your goals and outlook in life. If you accepted paucity as your destiny, you opted to be meagre. Losing hope and faith is a spiritual emptiness, the most devastating type of poverty. Get off the trap, free yourself from the bondage of dearth and allow yourself to explore the circumstances that would teach you how to value life through meaningful journey.  

In lieu of the aforesaid facts, do you think you are poor enough or you are wasting your potentials day by day? Again, ask yourself, is poverty my way of life? Then again, reconsider your lifestyle. Poverty is not a hindrance to be successful in life. Candidly, it is a crossroad towards a blissful and worthwhile living, and many had proven that. Certainly, you are the master of your own fate. To be materially poor does not mean that you could not be happy. Material wealth does not gauge one’s own happiness as per many affluent people live in misery. Having money is a blessing but do not allow that money to rule the way you should exist. Above all, being physically, mentally and spiritually healthy, you are richer than anybody else.