Five Financial Tips For Junior Professional in Jakarta

Working in Jakarta might help you earn more compare to other cities in Indonesia. Here are some tips to help you save more from your earning

Photo by: @priscilladupreez on Unsplash

1. Make your budget and spend accordingly.
   In the first year of my corporate life, I did not really budget my spending. I did not realize the importance of this thing but spend my money on a few pricey stuffs and foods. Later, after budgeting my allowance, I can cut 1–2 million each month and start to build my wealth. It is even better when the pandemic happened where I did not have to spend money on coffee with friends.
2. Quality over quantity
   I was that kind of stingy person when talking about garments. In my first year, I bought several cheap clothes to save budget. It turns out that it did not last quite long. So, I keep buying more and more, without realizing that I have quite a lot in my wardrobe. However, it did not looks good on me. So, I change my mind and start investing in better quality garments that last longer than what I have before.
3. Invest
   I don't understand about investment in my first year. The last thing I remember was only sending a lot of money to my family. Until one day, I realize that there are a lot of people loitering in front of Indonesia stock exchange building, and I am interested to find out what they are doing and I found that investment is an important thing that will help me build my wealth.
4. Invest in skill in the first place.
   As a junior professional, I realized that I gave my time in exchange for the money I received from my employer. Hence, I was infatuated with looking for jobs to do. However, I did not manage to get a lot because I didn’t have something to sell. After 2 years of looking for an answer, I realize that improving my skill and create a niche market is the key. So, don't be stingy to spend on your learning.
5. Find the right job
   Job market is a tricky place. You might find a lot of people glorifying a “bonafide” company. It might be the big-4, management consulting, or startup. However, not all the positions in that company get paid above average. If you spend more time researching details in job market (it could be competitor, position, and grade, etc) sometimes you will find a quite significant margin with similar requirements. For example: an entry-level accountant in FMCG might be paid 6 million a month, while an accountant in an oil and mining company could be paid 7 million a month.
   The amount of your monthly income might affect the potency of your saving. So, find the right one.