These OFW returnees turn Php50,000 into P1,000,000 in less than a year

Many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) don’t think about the amount of money they can save for their future. It’s a sort of investment when they finally decided to settle back home.

This is where our ultimate strategy comes in. Questions such as ‘how much money do we wish to save,’ ’till when and how’ are all part of it. And no matter how the rhythm of life quickly changes, if we want to come home for good soon, we have to stick to our game plan to make it work.

Let’s face it: We’ll all grow old. And looking for a new job in the Philippines could be hard for us when that time comes. So venturing into other possible opportunities while we can still earn abroad could the wisest decision you’ll ever come up with.

How? There is a way to have a prosperous post-repatriation life. Learn some important tips in turning your life in the Philippines successful.

“I used what I learned abroad”

Girlie Salome used to work as a domestic helper for a family in Abu Dhabi. She said that during her stay there, her female employer loved to cook with her and she used her skills in cooking to set up her own small restaurant in San Pablo, Laguna when she finally decided to come home for good in 2016. She only started with a capital of P50,000 but her resto has now expanded into a catering service that earns less than P150,000 per month.

“We were inspired by Filipino restos in Karama”

Josef and Lilian Marquez, the proud owners of Caffé Nativo in Tagaytay, met and started their life together in Dubai a couple of years back. But since it was such a struggle for them to raise a child in the UAE given that they both have to work to settle their bills and expenses, they decided to temporarily set aside their respective careers here and settle back home in 2015. Although they had a lot of plans, it never crossed their minds that they would go back to their first love—serving espresso and latte to customers. But this time, at their own coffee shop in the breezy place of Tagaytay. They shared in the article that Filipinos who run their own small restaurants in the busy district of Karama inspired them to set up their own business.
The first couple of years, they said, was tough. But success will never be elusive to those who are willing to give it a shot with their hard-earned money in Dubai. Today, their cafe is not just a place for those who want to sip a cup of hot coffee, it has also become a go-to stopover for tourists thanks to their tasteful food and cozy Instagrammable place.

“I started a small business”

Myrna Diograsias, 57 years old, also worked as a domestic helper in Abu Dhabi for more than 20 years, but she returned to the Philippines two years ago. Since her house in Bicol is just across the Bicol University, she took that opportunity to set up a general merchandise, selling mostly school supplies. And she didn’t go wrong with her decision to invest some of her savings, P70,000, because it turned out to be a success. Her merchandise now supplies seven other schools in her hometown.

“I turned my passion into money”

John Dimayacyac chose to seek opportunities in a foreign land after college. He landed a job as a hotel receptionist in Dubai but decided to return to the Philippines for good after 6 years. He admitted that he experienced a bit of crisis in terms of finding a new job when he returned home. And by practicing his degree in college, he used turned into photography. Using the money he saved in Dubai, he bought a DSLR and camera lenses. Now he travels in different parts of the Philippines, and abroad as well, takes good photos and timelapses, and then sells them on photo hosting websites like istock.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

This is a huge financial risk so if you are planning on copying what these former OFWs did, make sure that you know what you are doing, and your new venture is your real passion.
Also, remember that there is no such thing as easy money. If you will try these options out, a Php50,000 capital will not be enough; it has to be paired with hard work and determination.