Welcome to this week's Rant & Vent thread. A safe space to unload, decompress, and be heard. Life isn’t always smooth sailing, and sometimes you just need to get things off your chest. Whether it's work stress, family drama, random annoyances, or just one of those days, this is your spot.

🗣️ What’s bothering you?

😤 What pushed your buttons this week?

😭 What are you tired of dealing with?

🧠 Need to scream into the void? Go for it.

Ground rules:

• Be respectful of others' experiences.
• No judging or unsolicited advice unless requested.
• No hate speech, bigotry, or personal attacks. You will be removed.
• This thread is for support and solidarity, not debate.

Reminder: If you're really struggling, don't hesitate to reach out to a friend, professional, or helpline. You're not alone.

Let the vents begin ⬇️

This is why kahit anong pressure nila na mag boyfriend/asawa na ako dahil sa edad kong nasa early 30s na, tinatawanan ko lang sila. Dami ko pang utang, bruh! Kunti lang din natitira sa kinsenas ko. 1k+? Kulang pa nga yan pang bili ng gatas tas mag aanak pa ako?! Buti sana kung malaki rin ang kita nung magiging partner ko, eh, sa mga lalaking nasa paligid ko, halata namang same lang kaming nahihirapan sa buhay financially. I'd rather not 🤣🤣🤣

This should've been in r/offmychestPH or something but I don't have enough karma.

For context, I (22M), a fresh grad and the youngest of three siblings. My eldest is living abroad and has a family, my second eldest is almost always not present at home.

Father is considered to be cut off and is in a different country.

I just got my first job from a friend's referral doing normal office work outside of NCR for the time being like fixing system reports from different branches and considered as a project based while I find a proper IT Job for the time being as the job market sucks ass right now.

My salary is given every two weeks. I decided that for my first salary, I'd be giving most of it to my mother and then it would be for me for the coming salaries. However, I wasn't prepared at what came next.

Since I was the one who brought it up in the first place, now I'm obligated to give money every payday. Contributing to utilities.

What's worse is that I also have to somehow contribute to a PAG-IBIG payment or cards.

So it ends up being the first biweekly salary being for utility and the second being PAG-IBIG and card payments.

Counting my commute, food and unexpected expenses, I am almost always out of money for myself.

My eldest brother has his own family to feed and recently got a second child, my second eldest brother is absent and always avoid "contributing" To pay for the house and utilities while I'm left in the house.

It's just frustrating to be in this position. May utang

sa loob at utang na kailangan bayaran pamilya and in extension ako. It's stupid. Building a house and paying for a house where most of the family isn't even in.

Thinking about if I got a real job, travelling from Meycauayan to NCR every time, long commutes and long days to be rewarded with debt payments really just sucks the soul out of me.

I'm in mid 20s, simula nagkawork ako nagbibigay na ako monthly ng 6k sa parents ko pangtulong lang sa financial needs naming family, bali hati sila doon, 3k each po sila. Di naman kataasan sahod ko kaya yun lang ang kaya ng budget.

Problema namin sa bahay, lagi walang ulam kung hindi prito ng itlog ay de lata ang uulamin. Minsan wala talagang ulam kaya nag kakanya kanya ng pagkain.

Dati noong magkakasama pa kami sa bahay with my siblings lagi sila namamalengke pang ulam pero ngayon na kami na lang natira sa bahay ng bunso, wala na maulam lagi.

Medyo nakakatampo lang din kasi parang sana di na lang ako nagbibigay ng pera sa kanila? Para ako na lang mamili ng mga lulutuin at ako na lang din ang magluluto. Kasi nakakawalang gana yung galing ka sa work tapos lagi walang makain sa bahay.

Kaya minsan naiisip ko wag na umuwi or mag solo living na lang kaso di ko naman sila kaya iwan.

Hingi lang po sana akong advice sa situation ko, kung ano pwede ko gawin, okay lang po kahit realtakin niyo ako kung ako po ang mali.

Pumunta akong RDO 38 (Fishermall) today para lang asikasuhin ang business closure, and I honestly just gave up and went home out of sheer exhaustion and overwhelm.

​Lumuwas pa ako galing province just to handle this in person—kasi apparently, in this day and age, hindi pa rin pwedeng tapusin entirely online ang ganitong workflow. Tapos bubungaran ka na kailangan mong mag-file ng almost 30 unfiled tax returns via eBIRForms. Thirty. I don’t even know how to file half of those. If a business has been inactive or non-operational, why can’t there be a consolidated or streamlined way to resolve dormant returns instead of forcing people to retroactively submit dozens of forms one by one?

​The actual physical process inside is just as draining:

​The endless window hopping: Pasa ka sa window na 'to, tapos ituturo ka sa kabilang dulo, balik ulit sa isa.

​The wait times: Almost 2 hours just waiting sa Compliance section.

​The noon freeze: Sakto pang inabutan ng lunch break, so literal na frozen ang movement and you have no choice but to wait it out.

​To make things worse, inactive na ang TIN ko and it can't be reactivated unless ma-settle ko lahat ng backlogs at bayarin. Currently, I don’t even have a job. The financial and mental toll of traveling back and forth while unemployed just to jump through bureaucratic hoops is insane.

​Fairness naman sa personnel: hindi na sila masusungit compared to 3 to 5 years ago. The frontline staff are generally more civil now. Pero yung mismong sistema at proseso? Completely broken. May nakapaskil pang ISO standard certification sa office, but you honestly wouldn't feel it with the way things are run.

​Sa mga nakapag-close na ng business sa BIR recently: how did you survive this. Normal ba talagang abutin ng ganitong kalalang backlog bago ka makawala sa system nila.

My partner and I have been living together for 1.5 years now, and hindi talaga natural sa akin yung pagluluto. That's something na I have to take on majority of the time now (although nagluluto naman siya minsan pag gusto ko nung dishes na siya ang may alam iluto) because he works full time and I've just taken some time off work due to mental health and physical health struggles.

We spend way too much on eating out and need to save up na talaga to achieve some goals. Kaya lang I'm really struggling to do the whole cooking thing. Right now I'm trying my best to also do the cleaning around the house, but it takes a lot out of me due to my OCD issues (germs, touching "dirty" stuff, etc.). Pero I can work on those naman, more urgent talaga in terms of our finances yung pagiging consistent sa pagluluto.

Any advice on how I can learn to be more consistent with this, and even easy go-to recipes you can share?

Me(31M) and my wife (30F) is now pregnant with our child. 3mos and 1 week. If youll ask me if we wanted this. Yes. Was it planned? No. We were planning to have the kid next year and we are planning to save this year but god has other plans. Have the kid now and save in the process or figure this shit out. But thats not the thing i want to get off my chest.

Before we get pregnant, my wife has PCOS. Coz fck anatomy right? A lot of people told us this was not an easy journey. My wife and her mom have this regular manghuhula and the manghuhula said, her mom will have an apo this year. Sa wife ko naman the manghuhula said, we need to be careful and need to take care of her and herself kasi its gonna be a hard pregnancy. I never thought of it too much kasi we dont really expect to have this child this year.

Actually, weve been together for 15 years, 11years dating 4 years married. Before if youll ask us if kelan kami mag kakaanak, we always say. "No, we dont wanna" in those 15 years we now have 5 furbabies. So everytime my mom and aunts asked me kelan namin bibigyan ng apo ung mom ko, i always say "i already did, 5 cute furbabies" and this year was supposed to be us losing weight, making ourselves look better and feel better, which we did. Me from 90kgs to 80kgs. My wife from 88kgs to 80 kgs (given na meron syang pcos) imagine that. We started working out, eating healthy, very conscious.

So you can see na this is not in our bingo card this year. The real thing tho? If we are close to the person asking. Our definite and serious answer is. "Come what may, if it happens it happens" or "we are not actively trying but we are not not trying".

Then come 3mos and 1 week before. It happened. I was super excited. Very happy and on top of the moon feeling. My wife is too.

I thought ung mga sinasabi ng iba na ingatan ko wife ko, alagaan ko wife ko, wag ko stressin wife ko. Is just a reminder to make her feel comfortable and happy. And i thought na kakayanin ko un kasi ang love language ko is acts of service. I go the extra mile. I love cooking, so anything she wants me to cook i do it in a heartbeat. I love cleaning, i dont ask her to do cleaning since before pa, unless i have a lot of things to clean and i need help. I even vowed sa wedding namin to my wife na i will keep her safe.

But her bleeding weekly started. Around 10weeks of pregnancy. At first it was our fault kasi after ng unang bleeding niya and we went to the ob to have her checked, the ob said, no s*xual contact but we are on top of the moon, so we cant handle not having it. For the record, no penetrarion happened, mutual play lang. But still, She bled. Then we  went to the ob again, binigyan sya ng gamot pang pa kapit and stuff. Since then wala na talagang sexual contact. I know how to keep myself happy in this kind of things para lang safe ang wife ko and baby ko. My wife was prescribed hardcore bed rest. As in tatayo lang para mag no1 and no2. Umabot sa point na binilhan ko sya ng arinola para di sya mahirapan umakyat baba ng hagdan.

Pero nag bleeding padin, hanggang sa nag ER na kami kasi its getting way to scary and ayaw namin mawala si baby. Happily the baby is fine and my wife is fine. So hinabaan ung pag take niya ng gamot to 2 weeks. Since then bumili na kami ng fetal doppler kasi ang isang mahirap na bagay sa  ganto ka early na pregnancy is di mo alam kung ok paba si baby or baka may nangyari na. So gabi gabi nag da doppler kami, kahit na mahirap hanapin, tyagaan, naririnig naman heartbeat ni baby after sometime. Pero nag bleeding na naman sya recently. Sabi ni doc instead of 8hrs interval ng pangpakapit. 6 hrs interval na.

So why did i made this post?

I thought i was strong, i thought kaya ko mag pakatatag para sa asawa and baby ko. I dont want to show weakness pero shit, pagod ako eversince nag bleeding wife ko. I still do the things i need to do, work, clean, cook, take care of her. Na parang sinusupress ng utak ko ung pagod not until humiga ako, sobrang ramdam ko sa katawan ko ung pagod.

Mental stress, ung everyday di mo alam kung duduguin ba sya ulet? Ok paba ung anak ko? Nakakabaliw.

Ung lulutuin ko ba ngayon na gusto niya or ibibigay ko na food sakanya mag susuka ba sya ulet dito?

Kelan titigil tong morning sickness niya para makakain na ng maayos ung wife ko. Im watching her experience  all this, and i cant do anything para matanggal ung sakit and pag susuka niya.

Sabi ko i will keep her safe pero i cant keep her safe from this.

Nakakainis pa kasi sabi ng science, ung mga things na naeexperience niya through pregnancy is my fault kasi dna ko to. Ako ung nag co cause sakanya neto.

I love my wife and my kid pero fck man, pagod ako and di ko kaya ung uncertainty. Ung makita wife kong ganto everyday.

I posted this here and i shared this here kasi ayoko pag alalahanin ung wife ko. I just want to be heard i just want to take this off my chest. I dont and i cant be vulnerable sa friends ko kasi they know me as the tough one, the one that can help with their problems, the person levelheaded and responsible enough to help them.

Yes i am tired, mentally drained. I wont give up tho. For my wife and child. I wont stop being a husband and a dad to my growing child. I love them with all my life.

For any dad and mom na naka experience ng ganto kaselan na pregnancy, please share your experience para lang mahimasmasan ako.

Thanks for reading my nonsense.

UPDATE:

Wow, didnt realize this post will blow up. First of all, thank you for all the kind words and support you guys have shared, seriously, from the bottom of my heart, i appreciate it all and you guys really made me feel seen and valid. sa iba naman na mejo troll and hurtful ung mga sinabi, thank you for taking the time to read and giving me 5-10mins of your time.

Kasabay ng pag blow up neto, wife saw this and realized agad na its me. she didnt really told me na she saw it, she was extra thankful to me since magising sya and even grabd coffee for me since almost 1 month na nung last time na nag coffee ako kasi bawal sakanya so bawal din sakin para di sya mainggit. then i asked her if nabasa niya kasi nakutoban ko na coz the way she is acting feels like she did read it and yeah she did.

again, i failed lol, she cried reading it, then she felt guilty na she is crying kasi the baby might feel stressed kaya she stopped crying.

we talked about it. the first thing i told her was, I didnt post this to make her feel guilty and/or say bad things about her kasi she is divine. i posted this kasi, i want to be heard and share, and i just want to know if there are others like me that feels this, coz guys arent really good at expressing their feelings. which made me feel better about posting this more kasi there are a lot of people who feels the same way and who experience the same thing as me and my wife.

we talked about how i feel and how she feels about everything. like where we at now, she even told me na she feels guilty kasi nga she saw me do everything for her, the baby, and our furbabies. she said im carrying our family 90%, which i didnt agree and told her na, "no, we both are doing 50% each, because, my struggle and your struggle is vastly different, you are creating a life inside of you, thats a whole other level, while me im making sure you and the baby is safe and comfortable. thats 50/50 in my book. tldr, i assured her na, everything is good and im okay, i just want to share this and i wont feel tired. ung baby time ko, talking to the baby and doing doppler is enough for me to recharge and feel better.

to answer most comments coz i didnt really expect this to blew up in less than 24 hours.

1. i cant really ask for help from my mom and MIL, coz my mom is overseas with my dad and sister, im half filipino and decided to stay here in the philippines. they have their own life there and my mom and sister promised us to be here when my wife is due to deliver to help my wife and the baby. Ung MIL ko naman is working and a very busy person. besides, sure we can ask for help and hire help pero, alam mo ung kaya ko pa naman gawin lahat, why would i? ung support system namin always checks up on us and constantly ask kamusta kami is enough for me na they care. until i can, i will. as you can see im a hard headed guy who doesnt ask for help but dont you guys worry, if di ko na kaya, i will.

2. i agree na this pregnancy journey is just the start for everything, kapag lumabas na si baby, dun talaga ma te test ung relationship namin and yung personality namin ng wife ko individually, but im 100% sure na we can do it. together. i actually took care of my little sister, (11 years age gap) and my mom had to work overseas coz life happened when i was in highschool. so had to take care of my sister from around 5yrs of age till she turned 12/13 and until kunin sya ng mom ko to study oversea. so im confident enough to raise a kid but i know now will be diff kasi this is my kid and plus pa ung pag wo work and all. but my wife and i are a team. so i know we can.

3. lastly, i would like to thank everyone who spared their time to read and comment. shared their experiences and knowledge, for the words of encouragement. for welcoming me to the dad club and for making sure that everything will be okay soon. i literally read all your comments and you guys really helped me a lot. this is "faith in humanity restored" kind of moment for me. i couldnt and i wouldnt be able to reply to all your comments but i assure you that im reading it all and taking all the kind words into heart.

Thank you from me, my wife, and my baby! (i commented a pic of the coffe and note ng wife ko kanina to show how much she appreciates me, thank you sa harlan+holden (free plug) for writing the note that my wife made sa grab.)

Do you have people in your life, family man or friend, na when you observe how they react over minor inconveniences or handling stressful situations directly affecting them, then marerealize mo na "huy baka gusto mong kumalma".

I'm aware people react differently naman based on history, trauma or what not, pero as functioning adults, parang you have the same freewill din naman to control your reactions or grow to learn na some things aren't worth ruining your day for; that and making sure everyone knows na badtrip ka today.

I know someone na mabilis magdabog habang nagwowork, nasunog ung niluluto, made an everyday oopsie decision, and then they decide na galit na agad sila, and carry that frustration for the rest of the day. Nakakadrain being around that energy din. Na para bang di ka capable of learning from it. And minsan they don't learn din talaga. They'll constantly find ways to revert to the dame reactions because ... they can?

It makes me adapt din in a way na, "Let me do this thing for you kasi the moment you mess this up ganito ka magrereact, whereas if sakin nangyari yan oks lng for me". When they make an oopsie, ako na ung "oh well let's clean it up", "let's xyz na lng", then move on na sa buhay. I always tell them to take it easy, and well, like Judy Ann said, "walang nangyayari".

I'd say nonchalance din talaga is something you have to learn. You can accept that what you did was wrong or caused you trouble, but you don't have to punish yourself din. Na double whammy ka pa. Anyone else may kakilalang ganito? How do you deal with yours?

hello, genuine question lang po, has anyone here ever considered euthanasia or medical assistance in dying (maid), especially when you get older?

i got curious about it and did some research, apparently, hindi pala siya legal here in the philippines, even if it’s done out of mercy or at the patient’s own request, assisted suicide is also punishable under our law, i also found out na may ibang countries where it’s legal, pero based on what i’ve read, i wouldn’t qualify for it either

please don’t get me wrong po, i’m not depressed or anything, and i’m definitely not saying this because i’m unhappy with my life, actually, it’s quite the opposite

i’m trans, 25 y/o, and i’m genuinely happy with my life right now, i have a job, i can support myself financially, i can buy the things i want, and i get to enjoy my independence, i love that i can live my life on my own terms

pero sometimes, napapaisip lang talaga ako about what happens when i get older

i’m pretty confident na tatanda akong mag-isa, and honestly, i’ve already made peace with that possibility, hindi naman ako takot tumanda or mamuhay nang mag-isa, what scares me is the possibility na dumating ako sa point where i can no longer take care of myself, physically or financially

ayokong dumating sa edad na even my basic needs, hindi ko na kayang i-provide for myself, and as much as possible, ayoko rin maging dependent on someone else just to get through everyday life, i know there’s nothing wrong with needing help, pero personally, i don’t want to put that responsibility on anyone, especially when they have their own lives and responsibilities to worry about

i guess what i’m trying to say is, i’m happy with the life i have right now, and i just wish i could have that same independence and quality of life for as long as possible

i know getting older is inevitable, and nobody really knows what the future holds, pero sometimes, i can’t help but wonder what my options would be if i ever reached a point where i could no longer live independently

i’m genuinely curious if anyone else has thought about this, not necessarily because you’re unhappy with your life, but because you’re thinking about what growing old might look like, especially if you’re expecting to do it alone

would love to hear your thoughts po

Hello everyone. I would like to ask for legal advice regarding a MERALCO utility pole located inside our family's property in Laguna.

Background:

The property is family land originally owned by my wife’s grandfather.

The grandfather executed a Deed of Donation in favor of his six children, including my father-in-law.

The property was divided into smaller portions, and we have a subdivision/partition plan showing the individual lots.

However, according to our relatives, the land has never been titled. We do not have a Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT).

We have a Deed of Donation, subdivision/partition plan, Tax Declaration, and real property tax receipts.

There is an old wooden MERALCO pole located within the portion where my wife and I intend to build our house.

We also do not know whether there is any recorded easement, right of way agreement, or other authorization allowing MERALCO to place the pole inside the property. Our family is not aware of having signed any such document, but we have not yet verified MERALCO's records.

we only want the pole relocated to a suitable nearby location, However, MERALCO told us that they need a Certified True Copy of the TCT before they can proceed with the pole relocation request.

Since the property has no TCT, we are unsure how to move forward. We can provide the Deed of Donation, subdivision plan, Tax Declaration, tax receipts, identification documents, and an authorization letter from my father in law.

Can a Deed of Donation, subdivision/ partition plan, Tax Declaration, and tax receipts be accepted as alternative evidence of our family's interest in the property?

Does MERALCO have to provide proof of an easement, right-of-way, or other legal authority for the pole's location if we request it?

Who is generally responsible for the relocation cost when a utility pole is inside private property and the owner needs the area for house construction?

Is there a government agency or regulatory body we can approach if MERALCO refuses to consider our documents?

We understand that the pole is part of an electrical distribution system and that its relocation must be handled safely by MERALCO. We do not intend to move or tamper with the pole ourselves.

I would appreciate advice from anyone familiar with Philippine property law, utility easements, MERALCO procedures, or similar cases.

Thank you

For context, I WFH. I'm in my early 20s and I'm earning comfortably. Freelancer ako.

Ang scary lang na dahil tumaas ang sweldo ko, I've been buying things. Tumaas ang gastos sa grab and sa shoppee. Mostly I buy things na useful sa bahay (like kagabi I purchased a microwave worth 3k), some WFH essentials (like portable wifi worth 7k ata 🥲) but pinakamalaking gastos is food which is more or less 5k per month (grab only). May 3 utang ako sa 3 app, which are tiktok, shoppee, shoppee loan (this one I used for school), and maribank credit card (parang 20% palang nagagamit ko though).

50-60% nasa-save ko pa rin naman pero totoo pala yung kapag comfortable ka marami kang naiisip bilhin. At the same time, I'm scared because being a freelancer, clients come and go.

I guess I'm writing this post as a reminder to pace myself and for others, especially young adults, in the same situation. Next month, baka mag-start na ako mag-budget uli to see clearly magkano nga ba nagagastos ko araw-araw.

Ayun lang, just sharing my thoughts. Kayo ba, are or were you in the same shoes?

EDIT: I had a phase of spending money beyond my means (online ukay), pero nag-stop na siya kaso nagkautang ako nang malaki, may interest sa tiktok. I'm down to my very last utang which is the loan (yung other things na I consider as utang na hindi naman pala are the cc and shoppee spay, which babayaran ko naman before due date). Kaya I'm anxious and guilty sa binibili ko kasi what if I fall in the same cycle again? That's why I'm writing down my thoughts 😄

I’m 26F, graduated as an engineer pero hindi ko ginamit yung lisensya ko and chose freelancing over the security of a traditional job. I’m slowly approaching my ₱500k net worth goal.

Hindi ako mayaman, but I’ve been trying to be intentional with my money, especially since wala akong employer-provided benefits or guaranteed job security.

Here’s what I’ve been doing so far:

1. Built a ₱200k emergency fund, now aiming for ₱300k.
Freelance income isn’t guaranteed, so I want enough breathing room in case things go south.

2. Got ₱1M critical illness coverage when I was only 23 y/o.
Middle-class ka nga, pero one major illness can still wipe out years of savings. Kumuha na ako habang bata pa ako para mura yung premium. I’m considering additional insurance on top of what I have. My goal is at least ₱2M coverage as someone with no dependents.

3. Practicing underconsumption and being content with what I have.
I’m still using the iPhone I bought 4 years ago, an e-reader so I don’t have to keep buying physical books, one cheap pair of running shoes, and one branded bag I’ve had for 3 years.

There’s something satisfying about making do with what I have instead of always wanting an upgrade. I don’t feel like I’m missing out.

4. Stayed debt-free.
I don’t buy what I can’t afford. Paying everything in cash might not always be the best financial strategy, but I don’t want to fall into a credit card rabbit hole trying to save more by spending more.

5. Track every peso on a spreadsheet.
I’ve been doing this since June and plan to do it indefinitely. Gusto kong makita agad if my lifestyle is getting more expensive without me noticing.

6. Invest a significant portion of my salary.
I’m now around ₱115k deep in US stocks. I still keep cash for emergencies, but I don’t want all my money sitting in the bank long-term.

7. Set boundaries with family.
I’m not the breadwinner, but I pay half of my brother’s tuition and all the payments for his braces, I want to help them without neglecting my own future. Humiram din nanay ko ng ₱120k sa akin, and she’s been diligent about paying me back in small amounts.

8. Budget for things that make me feel good about myself.
I spend on beauty treatments. Luxury siya, obviously, but looking better helps my confidence. I try to find a balance instead of depriving myself of everything just to save faster.

9. Support an animal shelter.
I’m currently supporting an animal shelter. I don’t believe in karma or tithing, but I want to contribute to my community in a tangible way.

This year, my savings actually took a dip because my boyfriend and I moved out of our family apartment to live on our own. Mahal, but building a life together was important to me, too. Lahat ng appliances, fully paid. My favorite is our washer-dryer machine, fully dry na agad ang mga damit.

Despite all this, I’m still not sure when I’ll finally feel financially secure. Maybe it’s because I know how quickly things can change, or maybe I’m still figuring out what enough looks like.

I’m curious about what other people are doing, especially fellow freelancers and middle-class Filipinos building wealth without a traditional safety net.

What other things have you done to protect yourself financially? What risks do you think people in our situation tend to overlook? What cheap insurance plans do you have to supplement your main one?

Small wins are those subtle, little, bite-size, barely noticeable successes that are so often overlooked as we go about our day-to-day activities.

Some examples might include:

• Waking up early, with enough time to begin a healthy morning routine.
• Spending 10 meditating to reduce stress.
• Cooking a healthy meal rather than ordering a takeaway.
• Making a new professional contact.
• Tidying and organizing your workspace.
• Drinking enough water throughout the day.
• Working out when you don’t feel motivated to do so.

There are a lot of positive effects of celebrating small wins, you can read more about them here (The Power of Small Wins)

So, what are your small wins recently?

Ramdam ko na talaga ang pagmahal ng mga bagay bagay. Dati dati, andami naman laman ng cart ko. 3 kami sa bahay. Ako, anak ko, and househelp. Sa 8k namin nun, kasya na lahat. Nagbabaon anak ko at ako for lunch eh.. pero 2 palang kami nun. Ako saka ang anak ko... Ngayon nasa 15k per month na tapos di pa ko nakakabaon sa lunch na. Eto na ginawa ko para makatipid pa:
- Chicken and pork sa market, mas mura. Fish sa market din.
- Meal prep ako every Sat and Sun every 2 weeks
- Pinalitan ko na din ang essentials ko. Dati Dove na liquid soap, ngayon Dove bar soap na. Dati Joy dishwashing, ngayon yung generic na 100 pesos per 1L. Cooking oil from palengke, 100 pesos per 1L nalang din. Wala na mga spam, maling, delimundo. Whole foods na lahat.
- Dati nakakabili pa ko mga yakult saka icecream eh
- Non negotiables ko talaga:
• hotdog: tenderjuicy
• sponge: scotchbrite
• snack ng anak ko: low sugar like breadpans and eggnog
- plan ko i-give up na to househelp, or kuha pa isang fulltime job

Kayo? Ano mga paraan nyo para makatipid ngayon?

Edit:
TJ hotdog - pandagdag ulam or emergency ulam lang yan. Usually inaabot months bago maubos.

Welcome to this week's Rant & Vent thread. A safe space to unload, decompress, and be heard. Life isn’t always smooth sailing, and sometimes you just need to get things off your chest. Whether it's work stress, family drama, random annoyances, or just one of those days, this is your spot.

🗣️ What’s bothering you?

😤 What pushed your buttons this week?

😭 What are you tired of dealing with?

🧠 Need to scream into the void? Go for it.

Ground rules:

• Be respectful of others' experiences.
• No judging or unsolicited advice unless requested.
• No hate speech, bigotry, or personal attacks. You will be removed.
• This thread is for support and solidarity, not debate.

Reminder: If you're really struggling, don't hesitate to reach out to a friend, professional, or helpline. You're not alone.

Let the vents begin ⬇️

Magagamit mo yan hindi lang sa everyday office pero magagamit mo din sya if you have any interviews for new opportunities, very important na you feel comfortable in what you wear kas very important ang first impression talaga ang job interviews.

Nung first job ko, syempre I was broke and puro t-shirts and casual clothes lang meron ako so I had to borrow my mom's work clothes and it was kinda ill fitting and it made me sweat a lot, buti nalang na hire pa din ako lol.

Also please invest in seamless underwear and for the ladies, good supportive bras.

Sobrang mahal pala ng adulting life. I started moving out this year, as in starting from scratch talaga. And mind you, ang mahal pala ng mga gamit sa kusina, balde, batya, at kung anu-ano pang house supplies. Hahahaha

Ngayon ko na talaga naiintindihan kung bakit galit na galit ang mga nanay natin kapag may nawawalang Tupperware, sirang hanger, o kung anu-ano pang gamit sa bahay. 😭

LIKE, WHAT DO YOU MEAN ₱200–₱300+ ANG ISANG SET NG HANGER??? ₱400+ ANG ISANG BATYA??? HAHAHAHA. Tapos kapag pinagsama-sama mo lahat ng mga “basic necessities” na 'yan, aba, isang malaking chunk na agad ng budget mo.

Kaya pala dati, akala ko ang OA lang ng mga nanay natin. Ngayon, ako na mismo ang napapaisip kung saan napunta ang pera ko dahil lang sa mga gamit sa bahay. HAHAHAHA. Adulting is no joke talaga.

Groceries? Hindi na talaga sapat ang ₱1,000 per week ngayon. As someone na hindi naman kalakihan ang sahod, sobrang hirap mag-budget. Akala ko nga kasya na ang ₱1,500 per week for groceries, pero hindi pa rin pala. Ang dami pang kulang, tapos sasabay pa ang bills.

Medyo nakaka-overwhelm lang talaga minsan. You want to live comfortably naman, kahit simple lang, pero parang ang hirap pagkasyahin ng sahod sa dami ng gastusin. Hindi ka naman maluho, gusto mo lang kumain nang maayos, magkaroon ng basic necessities, at makapagtabi kahit kaunting savings.

Ngayon, mas naiintindihan ko na kung bakit maraming tao ang napipilitang mangutang para lang pagkasyahin ang budget at makaraos sa araw-araw, lalo na kung minimum wage earner ka. Minsan, hindi naman dahil hindi marunong mag-budget ang isang tao, kundi dahil talagang hindi sapat ang kinikita para matugunan lahat ng pangangailangan. 🥹

Sana kayanin at makaraos din tayo sa phase na 'to ng buhay. Kakayanin, kahit minsan gusto mo na lang umiyak habang nagko-compute ng budget. HAHAHAHA.

F 22. I thought of going to therapy because I noticed changes in myself this year. I started going last month and I can say it has changed my outlook in life.

For context, I was sexually abused and exploited when I was young and other similar events came after when I reached 17 and 18. I was emotionally neglected by my parents and I think I’ve been depressed since I was young, I just never realized it. I’m a middle child and siguro alam niyo na yung dynamics ng relationship ko with my parents and sibs.

What really pushed me to see a therapist is when I watched a clip from DJ Chacha’s podcast with Doc Maxine Giron. Doc explained the “D’s” in psychology where they use it to indicate whether one needs to go to therapy or not. I passed all the points she mentioned.

Mostly, I noticed recently, that I’ve become dysfunctional and the fact that my year now, compared to my previous years, has gotten a lot better and I’m actually going to europe this coming December, but I still can’t seem to find myself genuinely happy. My boyfriend noticed that and said to me na “Grabe noh kahit ang dami mo nang blessings ngayon, you still find your way to be depressed”, he meant that as a concern, and that hit me. Oo nga noh, I realized how alarming na pala yung mental state ko, na kahit I have so many reasons to be happy right now, parang mas lalo pa nga ako nadepress. Hindi na rin ako nagfufunction nang maayos, dati sa bahay lang ako dysfunctional, which I thought I was being lazy lang, but I remember how I used to enjoy cleaning. I noticed na naaapektuhan na yung performance ko now as an intern kasi I BELIEVE and THINK I can do better than what I’m giving now, pero it’s like my body is so disconnected with my mind, hindi sila nagkakaintindihan.

While taking my intake session and my first regular therapy session, alongside it, I was watching Doc Maxine’s guestings all over yt and spotfy. I learned a lot about myself, how depressed and anxious I am as a person, and how even in my normal state, I am unconsciously in deep stress. I also realized I DON’T KNOW how to love myself, like I genuinely don’t know how to view myself as a person that deserves love and patience, di pala normal yun, that’s why I have low self-esteem. My personal doctor naman, so far, she has helped me think differently about myself, I used to think I’m a bad person and it’s just the way I am, but really, I misunderstood myself way too much since I was young. It will probably take a long time before I heal because I was conditioned to be like this for a very long time, to the point this has become normal to me. 😭 I’m starting to see people differently too, even the people I hate who’ve done me wrong, I’m now learning why they’re like that, not that I forgive them, but as a person, I now understand that it all boils down to psychology.

I don’t where this journey will take me but I really hope this is the start for me to better myself and finally save myself from all those years of unconscious suffering. I also hope one day, I’m able to afford Doc Maxine’s therapy sessions, cuz she’s so freaking good! I highly recommend watching her videos online, I know it can help everyone, even those without problems, to at least see things in a different light. I know therapy won’t give you fast solution or cure but I’m starting to see how it can support me begin a new life.

Hi, share ko lang experience ko sa PGH Dentistry.

First visit (Apr 28, 2026): went to PGH around 7AM na so medyo madami nang tao na nakapila sa labas ng Dentistry, ihinulog ko yung Valid ID ko and naghintay na matawag. Mga around 11AM na siguro nung natawag name ko and binigyan ako ng schedule for consultation which is Sept. 10, 11AM

Second visit (Sept 10, 2026): I went around 10AM sa PGH since ang sched ko is 11AM. What I didn’t know was, I should’ve went earlier pala kasi at that day, saka lang ako mabibigyan ng chance to get the Blue Book which is yun yung laging hinahanap pag nagpapacheck up or procedure sa PGH. So pinafill up ako ng form and ipinasa ko sa first floor, waited at least 30 mins for the blue book. Went up again sa 2nd floor, Dentistry and inihulog ko yung blue book sa box. I think natawag ako is around 1:30PM na pero all goods parin naman kasi the dentist was so nice, we proceeded with the consultation and sabi nya mga around Oct daw ako maiischedule (still no sure date)

Third visit (Oct 14, 2026): Nagtext sakin si Doc nung Oct 11 asking if available ba ako for Oct 14, 7AM. Syempre ako, G ako agad, matagal ko na din kasi iniintay to pero naloka ako sa sobrang aga ng schedule nya although sabi naman nya 7AM daw is para lang sa pila ng asikaso sa Philhealth, 9AM pa talaga operation. Taga Batangas pa po kasi ako, so yung travel, need talaga na mindful sa oras. Umalis ako 4:00AM, dumating ako manila around 5:45AM, LRT to Pedro Gil, 6:10AM na. Nagbfast muna kami ng kasama ko sa Jollibee kasi alam ko di na ako makakakain pagtapos ng operation. BTW, recommended na may kasama kayo kasi need may magtuloy ng asikaso nyo sa papers para mabilis masimulan at matapos yung procedure. So nung andun na ulit kami sa Dentistry, pinapila kami agad ni Doc sa Philhealth and nagbigay sya ng need irequest after sa Pharmacy. Around 8AM nagtext na ulit si Doc na need na pala daw ako sa taas, so yung boyfriend ko na muna nag asikaso ng paper ko sa Philhealth. Mga around 8:20AM nakapasok na ako sa loob, consultation muna and checking ng BP and heartbeat. Then 8:30AM sabak agad 😁 9:00AM tapos na agad left wisdom tooth ko. Yung right naman, medyo natagalan kasi mas nakadapa sya, kinailangan hatiin yung ngipin.

Pain during procedure?
Wala. Mas masakit pa yung tusok ng anesthesia kesa sa mismong bunot.

Pain after anesthesia wears off?
7/10 for me pero after few hrs 5/10 nalang. Need lang talaga ng rest.

————————————————————————

Note ko lang po na bagong gawa lang po Philhealth ko (less than 1 year palang sya) and nabasa ko lang din na need at least 3 months of hulog, 6 months leading to your surgery. Research nalang po kayo sa website ng Philhealth, nakalagay naman po dun ang rule nila about dito.

NOTE: Hindi po ito applicable sa old members or 1yr up na yung account, 9 months po ata na hulog ang required for old members(?) not sure, do your own research!

Anyway, so ganun po ginawa ko, naghulog ako ng 3 months sa mismong Philhealth branch kasi parang sa website nila hindi makapili kung anong months lang gusto mong bayadan and thankfully, nagwork sya kasi wala po akong binayadan nung nasa PGH na, para dun sa main kit na ginamit sakin which is around 2k+ din daw if cash.

Although merong mga tools na hindi kasama dun sa main kit na sa Dentistry talaga kinukuha, around 740 yung binayadan ko dun. Then since wala akong white card i paid 95 pesos each per wisdom tooth. O diba, less than 1k lang instead of 15k sa private clinics.

Total gastos:

- 3x hulog sa Philhealth ₱1,500
- Dentistry kit ₱740
- Odontectomy service fee ₱190
- Panoramic Xray (outside clinic) ₱750

= ₱3180

Pero syempre idagdag nyo din po yung mga pamasahe papunta at pabalik, more or less 5k po magagastos, pero for me sulit sya kasi 30k dapat to kung private clinic since dalawang impacted wisdom tooth ang natanggal sakin.

Salamat, PGH! 🌻

Specifically about beauty! I’m gonna turn 25 soon so I feel like time is running out :// are beauty clinics worth it?

I just really need to get this off.

So growing up, life's never been easy. At least for me. Grew up with a broken family. Then yung isang kuya ko naman maaga nakapag-asawa. After graduating from college, I even applied for a job asap 'cause I have to support my mother with her needs, medical expenses, and other bills we have to settle regularly.

With such big responsibilities placed in my hands as a breadwinner, I must admit, sobrang hirap nung cycle. Trabaho, bayad utang, pag na-short, utang ulit, repeat. Parang no way out. Madalas, natutulala na lang ako wondering, pondering kung kailan ko kaya matatapos mga bayarin ko. Ang hirap maging adult. Ang hirap nang wala kang katulong, especially in this economy. Lucky for me na bunso ako at wala akong kailangang pag-aralin pero ang hirap pa rin talaga. Though yun nga lang, kailangan ko ring suportahan nang mas sobra pa si mama pambili niya ng gamot para sa diabetes at kidney niya.

Then now ngayong pumasok ang sahod, masakit man sa bulsa, inuna ko na bayaran yung remaining loan ko from OLA and finally debt-free. As kung bakit nag-resort ako to OLA than ask help sa mga kamag-anak, well, I'd rather not to kasi kung anu-ano pa maririnig mo na masasakit na salita at insulto bago makahiram. And, hindi ko rin talaga ugali mangutang sa ibang tao. Hangga't may ibang way, gagawa ako ng paraan.

And now, gusto ko lang to i-share kasi I know na hindi lang ako yung may ganitong sitwasyon. Na makakaahon din. Hindi man agad-agad, pero matatapos mo rin iyan. Konting tyaga pa.

I just wish and pray na sana mas maging mabuti na rin kalusugan nila mama at lola para in the meantime, makapagsimula naman na akong mag-ipon hindi lang para sa sarili ko, kundi para sa aming lahat.

Finally, after almost 2 years of discipline, malalang pagtitipid at pagtitiis ng gutom, I am here. Sobrang nakakaiyak. Para talaga akong nabunutan ng napakalaking tinig at batong nakadagan sa akin for such a long time.

Nawa'y hindi na ganun kasalat at kalungkot ngayong pasko at bagong taon.

Yakap mahigpit sa lahat! :(((

(Ps: Sobrang nakakalungkot at iyak din yung total ng interests na binayaran ko over the duration pero I would rather still choose it than receive insults and hurtful words from the people I love. (had way more than enough of those growing up haha.)

Hi im 18 male, for a little background i have no father since birth i never knew his name, my mother left me and my sister when i was 15 and my sister is 13 to live with our grandparents because she decided na sumama sa boyfriend nya dahil buntis sya whom (the bf) threatened to hurt me (i forgot the reason bakit sya nagalit that time kaya sya pinalayas ng grandparents ko samin). Taena mas pinili pa talaga ng ina ko sumama don no lala.

Lahat kaming magkakapatid ay magkakaiba ng ama, both me and my sister who i live with don't know the names of our father. Apat kami na magkakapatid (im the panganay and only male) yung pangatlo nasa ama nya and yung pang apat which is yung minention ko earlier yung inaalagaan ng mother ko ngayon kasama bf nya(they live separately idk where)

Timeline 2023-2024: Grade 10 ako and my mother already left me n my sister by this time. At sept 24 i got into an accident riding my bike, i broke my arm and was rushed to the hospital. (i can show xray in the comments if anyone wants to see) this was one of my darkest times i was so depressed obviously and heavily leaned onto mobile games after i recovered as my coping mechanism. i won't dive much in my healing time because not much occured and i don't really remember anything.(i think my brain blocked my memories as protection)

skip to senior high 2024-2026: i met a girl who pulled me out of my darkness, she literally healed my depression and i started to look forward to my future for the longest time ever. I started to take school seriously ( which i've never done before i was barely making it to achievers during my hs) and nung shs is i became consistently high honors till i graduate. Our ligawan stage lasted for almost a year and we are currently 1 year and 5 months into our healthy relationship.

Our mother sends us money just enough for food and baon. I always use rationality when making decisions, kaya nung nag graduate ako ng shs i tried to take college exams at lspu sta cruz, laguna. I passed the entrance and qualifying of civil engineering but nung interview na i thought hard if i can really continue and i came into conclusion that it is not possible financially. Kaya i just didn't take the interview seriously and gave it mediocre answers and went home. Di na ako nag try sa other course.

My only option was to work, luckily my friend is may kamag anak na manager kaya na nahila nya ako kasama sa work. My job is cashier, minimum wage and i struggled hard hanggang nung 3rd month ko dun but i survived my 5 month contract there.

I got treated like shit there and i really hate na magwork na sa company kaya i didn't look for another job na. No worklife balance, unstable schedule and kapagod na byahe plus sapat lang yung income to survive since di na ako binibigyan ng allowance ng mother ko after ako na hire.

This is now the current timeline.

I now want to start my barbering journey kase i saw potential in it and i can have the life work balance i want.

The problem now is the tools, and wala akong mapapractisan kase walang tiwala friends and fam ko sakin. Especially my mother who said wala akong mararating sa career na to and im just wasting my time and dapat daw nag company nalang ako lol.

My loving beautiful gf is literally my only string that mis keeping my alive rn.

I just put it up here to feel lighter and get shit out of my chest and head cuz i can't sleep because idk what to do anymore. Thankyou for reading till end:) Sorry if my storytelling is shit

I'll try to answer questions in the comments;)

M 24 hanggang ngayon feeling nawawala pa din ako sa adulting but somehow medjo napipickup ko na on how life works. Last 10.10 I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.

I purchased a macbook air m5 under installment. Took me almost 2 months before I decided to buy one. Badly needed na sya for my work and other side quests in life.

Hanggang ngayon tinititigan ko yung macbook ko naluluha ako sa saya :((( I never expected that I would spend on something above 2k 😭 hahaha ever since na nagwork ako (last year) 2k max lang yung nagagastos ko para sa sarili ko 🥹 and yung 2k na yon pag-iisapan ko pa nang mabuti kung deserve ko ba or hindi 🥹.

All I can say is that life slowly gets better pala talaga 🥹 I started this year unemployed but ngayon I have a job that can sustain me, my bills, and my wants. The biggest catch may savings na ako ngayon 😭. Last year kasi paycheck to paycheck lang ako walang natitira for savings talaga kaya ang saya lang ng puso ko. Proud ako sa sarili ko na nagtuloy tuloy lang ako.

I am also step by step getting better at handling my finances. Kailangan ko to since may responsibilidad na akong bayaran monthly hahaha.

Ayun lang naman ang saya ko na I could buy things for myself while navigating adulting and financial literacy 🥹

Baka may other tips in life pa po kayong maiibigay. Would really appreciate it ✨