Long before she became a Registered Financial Planner, Leonidelisa Abad was no stranger to hard work. In her early twenties, fresh out of college, she juggled three jobs—a call center night shift, client calls for insurance in the morning, and tutoring Korean children in the afternoon—all while contributing to her family’s expenses.
“I worked for three jobs,” she recalls. “So sa madaling araw, I am a call center agent. Right after my shift, I already have my calls prior, so I will see my clients. I learn insurance very early kasi like early twenties. So I see my client, I do my client call, and then later in the afternoon, my time I do tutorials with my kids na Korean kids, English tutor ganyan or whatever subjects they want me to tutor. I think 250 for forty forty five minutes. So that is the only amount that I’m holding because the rest of the money have to send it.”
For Abad, it wasn’t just about earning—it was about meeting responsibilities. As the eldest of four siblings who were all close in age, she felt an unspoken duty to help. “I contribute,” she says. “Kasi my dad and my mom are also working. It’s just that siguro sabay sabay kaming college, apat kasi kami so and then one two and one year lang yung pagitan namin magkapatid. So, you know, and we go to college, all of us in [college] lahat. So masyado siya mabigat.”
Turning Hustle into Financial Discipline
The long hours and constant grind could have easily led to burnout, but Abad saw these experiences as her training ground. Working multiple jobs not only sharpened her time management skills but also taught her to handle money with discipline.
One of the most important lessons came from an early mistake—failing to set aside something for herself. “Siguro, it’s not about you not being generous, but I think you should—me talking to myself, my very young self then—na you should save something for yourself. Save something for yourself.”
That realization became the foundation of her no-debt lifestyle today. Abad and her husband maintain just one credit card, using it strategically to earn grocery vouchers and paying it off in full. “Every, siguro mga quarter or twice a year at most, they give us voucher pang grocery. So save na ako sa two weeks na grocery ko kapag ganon,” she shares.
Building a Business Without Borrowing
Her early years in the financial industry—especially her stint at BPI-Philam—gave her access to knowledge that many people only learn much later. She learned how to evaluate investments, create portfolios, and manage risks.
Even when a pandemic-related venture in kids’ apparel didn’t go as planned, her discipline and debt-averse approach kept her afloat. “We only have one card… and then so I used that, and then that time kailangan ko mag-withdraw ng personal money because it didn’t pan out… And then late ko nga naisip na, sige bawiin ko na lang.”
Her business philosophy is simple: stay in control of your resources. By tracking her inflows and outflows, she makes sure every peso serves a purpose. “When you track your expenses, that’s also when you are concerned about, not just earning. Also, importante pala yung inflow and outflow and most importantly, ano nangyayari in between.”
From Worker to Financial Educator
Abad’s hustle eventually evolved into a mission to help others manage their finances better. As an RFP, she developed her own personal finance module to guide people in achieving their goals without falling into debt.
“You have to write, you have to make your smart goals. Yes pwedeng pwede ka mag-travel but you don’t have to ‘utang’… But you just have to sort your goals, priority muna, ano bang gusto mo.”
She is currently exploring the development of a goal-tracking app to help Filipinos monitor their progress toward financial milestones. “That’s what I’m working with right now, actually… Is it the short term or long term? How much you need? And then what are the possible vehicles that you can use in order for you to reach this goal.”
The Legacy of Hustle and Discipline
Looking back, Abad knows that the grit she built from juggling three jobs shaped her financial independence today. She’s proof that resilience, discipline, and intentional planning can turn a life of financial strain into one of stability—and that success doesn’t always require massive capital or high-paying jobs to start with.
Her journey carries a clear message for young professionals: the habits you form early in your career will define your financial future. Or as Abad’s own life demonstrates—when you work hard, spend wisely, and refuse to rely on debt, financial freedom becomes more than just a dream.
