Holding up two credit cards, Jacques "Jax" Reyes explains the difference between payment card networks Visa and Mastercard in a TikTok video, helping young millennials and Gen Z get smarter with their money by decoding jargon and fine print.
The self-described millennial corporate slave, who commands over half a hundred thousand followers, racks up thousands of views for his videos, sharing tips on digital finance because as he puts it, "Money desn't grow on trees."
"Ang hirap kumita ng pera kaya, of course, we have to maximize our peso value...Bakit mo babayaran ng mas mahal ang isang gamit kung kaya mo bayaran ng mas mura?" Reyes said in one of his videos.
@jacquesjax Visa or mastercard #visa #mastercard #creditcard #fintiktok ? About Damn Time - Lizzo
With guides ranging from credit card promos available when dining out to airline promos one might not think can be availed, Reyes is doing millennials and Gen Zs a TikTok public service especially since wages can't rise as fast as prices of goods.
"Ang goal ko naman talaga dito is makatulong para ma-maximize natin yung ating hard-earned money...I'm doing videos on things that I wished someone taught me when I was younger," the 31-year-old tech firm strategist told reportr.
@jacquesjax Annual fee waiver via spend requirement #fintiktok #TikTokAwardsPH2022 #creditcards ? Carrying Your Love - David Morris
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'Credit cards are not bad'
A quick scroll on Reyes' TikTok page and one can see that majority of his videos are about the nuances of using credit cards -- content that he described was inspired by personal experiences after seeing how some of his friends get mired in credit card debt.
"A lot of people kasi at least around my age group, have this notion na masama ang credit card pero for me, I never understood paano siya naging masama kasi if you use it properly, you can use it to your advantage," he said.
@jacquesjax Spiral 40 % off buffet #spiral #creditcard ? Left and Right (Feat. Jung Kook of BTS) - Charlie Puth & Jung Kook & BTS
Breaking the stereotypes about credit cards is one of the main reasons Reyes said that pushed him to create content for TikTok so more people can use it to their advantage.
So far, Reyes created different videos on available credit card promos, tips on how to waive credit card annual fees, and even how to use points to pay off items.
"I realized kasi na if we educate people on how to use [credit cards] to their advantage katulad ng perks, promos, points, or rebates, we can maximize our money," he added, noting that he hopes his videos would empower young people to use credit cards and available financial tools to their advantage.
@jacquesjax Replying to @Justin using your credit card points #creditcard #rewards ? original sound - Jax | jacquesjax on IG
'Nothing wrong with being kuripot'
Like many millennials and Gen Zs, Reyes likes to eat out and travel but loves doing so especially more if he knows he can get a good deal for it.
Never mind being called "kuripot" (stingy). Reyes said he wants people to know that there's nothing wrong with it in the first place.
"There's nothing wrong with being kuripot. If you can make more out of your money, why not diba? Hindi ba mas masarap kumain o mag-travel o mag-shopping knowing na may promo at nasulit mo ang pera mo?" he said.
@jacquesjax A workaround on the cebu pacific checkin luggage. #crbpac #luggage #checkin #traveltiktok #hacks ? Trip Lang - Shehyee
As a self-described corporate slave, Reyes knows the financial struggles of typical working millennials and Gen Zs who have bills to pay and a lifestyle to keep--a picture that pushed him to create helpful content.
"Masaya ako kapag nababasa ko yung comments or may mga nagme-message saying na nakatulong sa kanila yung video ko, kahit mga luma na video na, para sa kanilang travel or if nakakuha na din sila ng credit card," he said.
Reyes is also generous when it comes to answering questions.
While there are content creators who are too busy to respond to comments and personal messages, Reyes makes it a point to address his followers' concerns even if it takes quite a while. He even holds TikTok Live sessions to answer questions from the public.
"Nakakatuwa kasi na people want to learn so bakit natin ipagdadamot diba? Kaya ako, kung hindi ko man masagot agad yung tanong, I really make it a point to go back and answer all of the questions and comments kasi ang purpose naman talaga ng content ko ay para makatulong," he said.
For now, Reyes said he hopes to expand his TikTok videos to include more of his personal life so people can also see how he applies the life hacks and tips that he dishes out.
And if there's one piece of advice that he said he believes is applicable to various situations in life, it's to "start today."
"Whatever it is that you want to achieve or pursue, start today. It's only too late when you're dead so start today," he said.
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