on the Verge of

I've been hearing from friends and colleagues how they don't have a credit card until now because they are afraid of having one. The idea of maintaining a credit card is really scary, especially for younger generations. I noticed among my gen Z friends how they prefer to pay cash than credit, without knowing the perks and advantages of using the latter. I got mine out of necessity at work which I primarily used during unexpected situations or purchases where I don't have enough cash. It made my life easier. I paid urgent office expenses using my card, then processed the reimbursement before it is due. It helped me pay the important transactions without having to shell out money from my own pocket! My credit card also allowed me to purchase big ticket items for myself. Instead of paying my phone in cash (which used to cost the same amount as my monthly salary), I can use my card to pay it in affordable monthly installments with reasonable interest rates. I also helped my par...

Years after quitting my last corporate job, I found myself working for the academe. And while the pay was substantially lower, it was a fulfilling work that gave me peace and purpose. It wasn't something I could call work-life balance, but it was meaningful work for me. However, late last year, I was given an opportunity to work remotely for a US company. It would utilize my real estate, project management, and industrial engineering background and provide a reasonable compensation. But it meant giving up my career of being a full time professor and doing full time graveyard consultation work. At first, the learning curve was okay. There were days when it would get stressful, but it was reasonable. And while the graveyard shift was a great sacrifice for me, what I earned was enough to allow me to dream of other investments while being able to provide for my mom as well. But come last month... I was back in the US, this time with my mom, to visit my sister and her family. Although I...