Welcome to The Pinay Investor!
My name is Janice Germano Sabitsana and I started my journey into personal finance when I was newly married, with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology (about as opposite from finance as you can get) and working full-time as a product and communications trainer at a BPO company and part-time as a college professor.
My husband and I had enough to get by but we certainly didn’t understand much about money, how to budget and grow it as a couple, and how to bless others with it.
When my daughter was born, I realized what I had always known — I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. I wanted to be there for her, to see her grow and try new things, and to guide her through her mistakes and challenges. But, with my husband’s limited income we weren’t sure how to do it.
Long story short, I began reading, watching YouTube videos, and attending seminars about investing, saving money, and financial planning. The more I learned, the more passionate I became about the topic, and eventually, I decided to start sharing my findings with others through my blog and YouTube channel.
I started my first blog, Pinay Investor, in 2015, with ZERO knowledge about investing and personal finance. 7 years later, I’m still learning new things every day and my goal is to share what I’ve learned (through research and trial-and-error) with other families – particularly moms who may not have anyone else in their life addressing these topics with them.
As time went on and our family grew (I just gave birth to our second child in July 2022), my blog went from finances and frugality to discussing family life and the impact our faith had in understanding and getting through some of life’s most difficult and complex seasons.
My bigger purpose
As a mother, wife and woman, I understand the unique challenges we face when it comes to personal finance. We are often the ones who are tasked with managing the family budget, but we may not feel confident in our abilities or knowledge. On top of that, there can be a lot of pressure to spend money in order to keep up with others or give our loved ones the best of everything.
However, I believe that by understanding both the practical and spiritual aspects of finance, we can overcome these challenges and become financially free.
As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. That includes our time, our talents and our finances. By learning to live within our means, save for the future and give generously, we can bless our families, help others and further the Kingdom of God.
Personal finance is not just about numbers and budgets. It is about living a life of faith and abundance. And through this blog, I hope to help women do just that.
Content
Along with personal finance blog posts, you can also expect random topics about family, faith, and new experiences. If you have any feedback or suggestions about the content created for you here at The Pinay Investor, feel free to email me at janice@thepinayinvestor.com.
I look forward to creating new content to inspire you as we move one step at a time from surviving to thriving.
I really feel that a sense of community is vital for accountability, encouragement, and the insight needed to reach personal and financial goals. I’m hoping we can build a community of readers and contributors to The Pinay Investor to do just that for each other.
Disclaimer
In all that I do, it is my hope and intent that my research is accurate and helpful to those who are on their own financial journey. However, I am not perfect and I strongly encourage everyone to do their own research before making any decisions regarding their finances.
Financial planning is a lifelong journey and I am still learning day by day. I’m sharing everything I know in hopes that it will help someone out there — including myself in the future when I re-read these posts! But like what I said, always remember to DYOR (do your own research). Nothing on this blog should be taken as financial advice.
At the end of the day, this blog and its content are my personal opinion based on my own research and experiences. As life goes on, my opinion may change, which you may notice through inconsistencies between older blog posts and newer content. I hope you find value in what I do!
Media Mentions
By sharing my family’s financial journey, I’ve had the great opportunity to be featured and quoted in some media outlets like The Manila Times, MoneySense magazine, and PhilStar, and other popular websites like The Beat Asia, Female Network, and TripZilla.
Speaking Engagements
I’m also grateful for the opportunity to speak and share some of my knowledge and experiences through various speaking engagements. Here are some of my talks:
St. Luke’s Medical Center: How to Keep your Household Finances in Order (July 2022)
Miriam College Grade 12-McClintock: Budgeting for Low Income Families (March 2022)
UST College of Industrial Engineering: Investing Tips for College Students (May 2021)
Partnerships & Speaking Opportunities
For speaking and partnership inquiries, please email me at janice@thepinayinvestor.com
Connections
I’m also grateful to have had the opportunity to meet some of the people and personalities I look up to in the finance industry.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.