Perhaps anyone of us who has dreams of leaving the country for better opportunities abroad will experience some kind of anxiety, if not an outright fear – the fear of the unknown, as we prepare to embark on this new journey in life. But as with all things new and terrifying, there are various ways for us to get through challenging situations much easier than we thought them to be. And as with anything new and worth-trying in life, it pays to have with a clear-cut plan to stick to, especially when you’re going to live in a country such as Singapore. In this post we share some basic tips on how OFWs can ensure that the time they spend living abroad and away from their families is truly worth the hardships and sacrifice until the time they decide to finally come back home for good. 
Tips for OFWs to Make the Most of their Life Overseas
You may have already pondered about some of these things when you first made the decision to work abroad, but it’s never a bad thing to be reminded once in a while of your humble plans when you were still trying to figure things out.
1. Save up for your own future.
As obvious as this first point may sound, a majority of our kababayans still fail to realize the importance of saving up just because when they start to earn more, they also resort to spending more. However, this is not how things should be because clearly, that’s not the reason why OFWs would set out to work for many years abroad.
2. Acquire a new skill.
One thing OFWs should learn to appreciate in working abroad is the opportunity and access to transfer of technology in the form of skills training or learning a new trade which can become an added value to their workmanship. Not only will this equip you with a new skill, you can also use this as a new platform (trade) to produce more income as you are still working abroad or even offer this service to earn when you finally decide to come back home.
3. Send money back home with a plan.
Since it’s understandably much easier for anyone to spend the money they earn rather than to save it, there has to be a solid plan or system on how you can ensure your money gets to the people it needs to get to. Also, that being said, it’s important for those who manage your money to properly allocate the budget for the expenses back home to make sure it fully covers the entire period it was intended for, or even save some, if possible.
4. Make smart investments.
With the best interest of our families in mind, all OFWs should invest in a retirement plan and a life insurance plan to safeguard our family’s futures. Another thing, if you’re into planning, and are willing to invest to put up a business, you may want to explore possible business ventures that are “in-demand” back home to lessen your worries and burden of solely providing for your family’s needs through your work, especially in the long haul.
5. Set short- and long-term goals.
This is arguably the most basic yet the most essential thing you need to do and follow through once you’ve decided to work and live overseas. Goals make your everyday work more fulfilling as you see yourself progress towards achieving them despite being far away from family and home. Also, sticking to a goal helps you enforce discipline in whatever you’re doing. For example, if you want to get a house of your own, put up a business, or make an investment for your family.
By sticking religiously to a plan, you can maximize the time you spend away from home and you’ll better understand that your work as an OFW gets more meaningful and personally fulfilling, too. These are just some things that every working individual needs to realize for themselves in order to become successful at everything they do.