It’s been 12 years since I left the corporate life and embraced this lifestyle. Truth be told, all I really wanted then was to sleep eight hours every night, spend more time with my parents, travel and see more of the world, and create content. Looking back, I’d like to think I was successful in achieving that.

People often romanticize freelance life because of the flexibility – and to be fair, there really is freedom in it. I love being able to build my schedule around my own energy. 

But one of the realities of freelancing is that finding clients wasn’t actually the hardest part – it’s living in between payouts. One month can feel abundant – multiple projects, brand campaigns, and opportunities happening all at once. Then suddenly, the next months feel quiet. This is where I learned what I now think of as moneymaxxing – it is optimizing how money moves through your life. 

Bills, insurance premiums, and other expenses continue to arrive regardless of whether a payout has cleared or not. Add the little adventures and travels on the side, there were moments when I had to dip into my savings just to cover these expenses.

How I Learned to Moneymaxx My Earnings

Recently, I told a friend that I feel like I’m only just “adulting” now. I think part of it comes from the privilege of not having major responsibilities yet and still living in my parents’ house. The goal shifted for me – not just to earn more, but to make my money last longer between payouts. In other words, to moneymaxx in a way that still lets me travel, book flights, and live fully without financial panic in the quiet months.

I built set-up months – not upgrade months

During months when I had good income, I made it a point to save rather than upgrade my lifestyle. That’s one of the simplest forms of moneymaxxing for me. I tend to live simply and don’t easily chase trends. Being aware of your “money dial” also makes a big difference 

I became more mindful of small spending and big purchases

While I naturally live a minimalist lifestyle and mostly spend on things and experiences that truly bring value to my life, moneymaxxing means being more intentional with small expenses and smarter with big purchases. 

That meant:

• paying my credit card and utilities on time to avoid charges and interests
• reviewing my subscriptions regularly
• limiting unnecessary food deliveries
• treating indulgences more as rewards instead of habits
• reusing what I already have
• investing more on high quality items that can last me for years (e.g. clothes, gadgets)

Treating indulgences more as rewards instead of habits because everyday small spends add up

Investing on experiences, and only buying high-quality items that I can re-use and repeat

I diversified my income streams

Having other sources of income so I don’t rely on just one stream helps me during months when I don’t have projects. Although I wish I were more aggressive when it comes to investing, I’m also grateful to my past self for saving money and building skills. I would say, moneymaxxing also means continuously equipping myself with financial skills to navigate an ever-changing economic landscape. 

How I Moneymaxx with Maya

Maya has been one of my financial tools throughout this freelancing journey because it helps me stay flexible, prepared, and more in control of my finances. I use it to save money, pay for my bills, and transfer client payments from PayPal to Maya. The app is equipped with more tools to help me moneymaxx my money while enjoying more with less.

I use Maya app to save money, pay for my bills, and transfer payments from PayPal to Maya

I use Maya Savings to grow my money while keeping it accessible, with interest rates that can go up to 15% p.a. just by using Maya for your everyday purchases.

I also appreciate the practical rewards from my Maya Black Credit Card, like earning miles that I can use for future travels, gas vouchers, dining, and more. 

I can even borrow up to Php 250,000 through Maya Personal Loan for big purchases or once-in-a-lifetime experiences like travels.

I can easily access Maya Loan via the app

In addition, I can access travel and health insurance via the Maya app for as low as Php 99.

My freelancing journey taught me that financial freedom is not just about owning my time, but it’s also about learning how to manage uncertainty with intention. Through moneymaxxing, I learned to move differently with money. It’s not just about earning more, but about making each payout work harder – stretching its value across slower seasons, building a cushion for uncertainty, and creating systems that support the life I want even when work is inconsistent. It truly gives me more freedom, more flexibility, and more peace during the in-between months.