Life is pretty hard for me. When I studied in college, my parents sent just enough money allowance for a month. If I wanted something, I couldn’t buy it immediately especially if the item is expensive. I was born in a religious and frugal family.
That was why I created this website to document my learning from my readings and experiences.
- https://www.affordablecebu.com/
My mother also enjoyed reading and learning something new. Maybe I learned from her habit. Until now, my mother always sleep late at night because of this habit.
In school, aside from the canteen (hehehe), one of my most favorite places was the library. If I was not in the classroom or in the canteen, I could be found nowhere else other than the library. I loved books and I consumed a lot of time reading my favorite books.
Due to my fond of reading, my perspective and ambition in life increased. If I wanted to achieve something, I must always think and work for it.
You might not believe this, that I was the one carrying the Styrofoam box containing fruit salad cups. And I sold them directly to many small-business owners and to the people walking in the streets of Colon.
I started to make fruit salad after school time at 5:00pm. I sold and delivered it at 7:00pm. Then I usually went home at 9:00pm. It would only take two hours to sell 75 cups of fruit salad.
Failure at the Start
It was not easy to start. I did some failures. One day, I sold some spoiled fruit salad. One of my customers complained while eating my fruit salad.
In school, aside from the canteen (hehehe), one of my most favorite places was the library. If I was not in the classroom or in the canteen, I could be found nowhere else other than the library. I loved books and I consumed a lot of time reading my favorite books.
Due to my fond of reading, my perspective and ambition in life increased. If I wanted to achieve something, I must always think and work for it.
One day, I was thinking of having a laptop computer. I was enticed to buy a laptop when I saw a laptop worth 16,000 pesos (almost 360 US dollars) in a pawnshop.
I wanted to buy a laptop but I couldn’t afford it. I needed it badly for my thesis/research writing. But I had no money. When I approached my parents to buy me a laptop, they ignored me. They refused because they also didn’t have enough money.
The Intensity of Getting What I Want
I was so aggressive to have a laptop. My desire to have it was so intense that I couldn’t sleep well in a few days. I also had bad feelings to my parents due the rejection of my demand to buy me a laptop.
The Way to Achieve What I Want
You know what I thought? I thought of other ways how could I buy the laptop. Then I figured out that I should sell something to earn money in order to buy a laptop.
The Intensity of Getting What I Want
I was so aggressive to have a laptop. My desire to have it was so intense that I couldn’t sleep well in a few days. I also had bad feelings to my parents due the rejection of my demand to buy me a laptop.
The Way to Achieve What I Want
You know what I thought? I thought of other ways how could I buy the laptop. Then I figured out that I should sell something to earn money in order to buy a laptop.
Finally I thought of selling fruit salad in Colon Street, Cebu, Philippines. Colon was known to be the oldest and busiest street in Cebu, Philippines.
This was my target place where I was going to sell my self-made fruit salad. I planned to sell fruit salad part time. I could study and at the same time I could earn money through selling.
Fruit Salad (photo: filipinopinoyrecipes.blogspot.com)
Start-up Struggle
I canvassed for the supplies needed in making fruit salad. I needed supplies such as plastic cups, spoons, cellophanes, a huge Styrofoam box (the container of my fruit salad).
Fruit Salad (photo: filipinopinoyrecipes.blogspot.com)
Start-up Struggle
I canvassed for the supplies needed in making fruit salad. I needed supplies such as plastic cups, spoons, cellophanes, a huge Styrofoam box (the container of my fruit salad).
I got them from Manalili, Carbon and Plaridel streets in Cebu. I also needed fruit cocktails, sugar and milk which I bought regularly in Save More supermarket in Emall.
I also bought coconut fruits from Carbon. Now all my needed supplies were complete.
At first, I experimented with my own mix and flavor of the fruit salad. After several trials, I decided to create the final formula of my fruit salad. It tasted so good especially if frozen.
At first, I experimented with my own mix and flavor of the fruit salad. After several trials, I decided to create the final formula of my fruit salad. It tasted so good especially if frozen.
The fruit salad was contained in a small plastic cup. All cups were then contained in a big Styrofoam box.
The maximum capacity of fruit salad cups that can be contained in the Styrofoam box was 75 to 80 pieces including the ice to cover and froze the fruit salads.
This box was such a heavy weight for me to carry and deliver to the Colon street.
Colon Street, Cebu, Philippines - This is where I sold and delivered my fruit salad. Heavy foot traffic had a great advantage of selling.
Then I calculated the capital money including some miscellaneous costs in making the fruit salad. Then I added a profit margin of 70%. Then, I divided the total cost (total cost includes mark-up) by the total number of cups that a one can of fruit cocktail can produce. Look at the formula below:
(Total Cost + Mark-Up) ÷ Total Number of Produced Cups in 1 Can of Fruit Cocktail = Price of 1 Cup of Fruit Salad
The price of a cup of fruit salad was estimated to be the most affordable fruit salad in Colon street.
Colon Street, Cebu, Philippines - This is where I sold and delivered my fruit salad. Heavy foot traffic had a great advantage of selling.
Then I calculated the capital money including some miscellaneous costs in making the fruit salad. Then I added a profit margin of 70%. Then, I divided the total cost (total cost includes mark-up) by the total number of cups that a one can of fruit cocktail can produce. Look at the formula below:
(Total Cost + Mark-Up) ÷ Total Number of Produced Cups in 1 Can of Fruit Cocktail = Price of 1 Cup of Fruit Salad
The price of a cup of fruit salad was estimated to be the most affordable fruit salad in Colon street.
You might not believe this, that I was the one carrying the Styrofoam box containing fruit salad cups. And I sold them directly to many small-business owners and to the people walking in the streets of Colon.
I started to make fruit salad after school time at 5:00pm. I sold and delivered it at 7:00pm. Then I usually went home at 9:00pm. It would only take two hours to sell 75 cups of fruit salad.
Failure at the Start
It was not easy to start. I did some failures. One day, I sold some spoiled fruit salad. One of my customers complained while eating my fruit salad.
Then I hurriedly went home to ease my shame.
I was unaware of at that time than when I stored the fruit salad with no ice inside the ice box, it would spoil after several hours. But that happened only once.
I strengthened my persistence to continue selling fruit salad despite what happened. I developed and continued to improve the flavor of my fruit salad.
I strengthened my persistence to continue selling fruit salad despite what happened. I developed and continued to improve the flavor of my fruit salad.
I constantly searched for more affordable supplies out there. Every night I enjoyed counting the profits of my labor and recording the sales in a notebook.
Until my money grew over 10,000 pesos, I opened a passbook savings account in a bank. After 10 months of selling fruit salad, my money reached to 16,000 pesos. I could now afford to buy my desired goal – to buy a laptop.
How My Hard Work Accomplished my Goal
Every people like you have goals in life. You might not read this article until the end if you’re not interested in accomplishing something.
Until my money grew over 10,000 pesos, I opened a passbook savings account in a bank. After 10 months of selling fruit salad, my money reached to 16,000 pesos. I could now afford to buy my desired goal – to buy a laptop.
How My Hard Work Accomplished my Goal
Every people like you have goals in life. You might not read this article until the end if you’re not interested in accomplishing something.
Whatever it is, you can accomplish it if you think of it hard and work for it so hard. In other words, you can achieve anything if you intensify your goals.
Just merely wishing something is not enough. It’s like wanting to buy a car but never finding ways of how to acquire it.
Just merely wishing something is not enough. It’s like wanting to buy a car but never finding ways of how to acquire it.
Hard work, persistence and personal development are key ingredients in accomplishing your goals in life.
Do you have similar story? Can you share it with us in the comment below?
Do you have similar story? Can you share it with us in the comment below?