Arci Muñoz on how to save up while mixing work and play

The best financial advice that singer-actress Arci Muñoz has received came from her mom, whom she said worked hard to secure her future and enabled her to live a comfortable life.

“She told me to save up,” said Arci. “I’ve always been the happy-go-lucky type. Right now, I’m at a point in my life when I should be making wiser decisions financially. I’m 35 and I really have to set my priorities. My mom would tell me, ‘Enjoy your money. You worked hard for it.’ But she also instructed me that when I get my talent fee every month, I should put half of it in a separate bank account. This is the money that I cannot touch. I keep half and the other half I spend to travel.”

Arci admitted that travel is really her biggest expense. “I’m not materialistic. Instead of buying a new bag, I spend it on travel. I also don’t shop often. I just love to try out food that is new to me. Traveling excites me because I get to learn different cultures,” she pointed out.

For those who aspire to be able to afford travel, she has this to say: “I always list down my expenses, the places I want to go to and the things I want to do. I make sure to put a limit on how much I can spend, except for food because I love to eat. I’m willing to pay for that. We discover cultures through their food.

“I don’t mind flying economy especially if I’m using my own money. This is because most of the time, I travel for work. When I go abroad, I try to extend my stay for a couple of days to explore the country. As they say, combine work and play.”

Arci said she has several dream destinations, but would love to see more of China soon. “There are so many beautiful places in China that are still unexplored. It’s the first country I visited when I got a passport. I find China so beautiful. I can’t wait to go back,” she added.

She said she’s fortunate that she never struggled financially when she was younger. “For that, I’m grateful. I’m just really blessed that my parents provided for us and made sure that we live a comfortable life. They worked all their lives to be able to give us a good education. For sure, they also had their struggles as parents, but they didn’t make these known to us.

“I guess every family experiences struggles, but our parents really prepared for our future. Right now, I promise to do the same, especially for friends in need; I will share if I have something to spare,” Arci said during a recent virtual gathering organized by the online cash lending platform, JuanHand, of which she is an endorser.

Investments

When it comes to her investments outside show biz, Arci has quite a few. “My friends and I recently opened a yakiniku restaurant in Greenhills called Yoshimeatsu. It’s a franchise. We are relaunching it this month,” she began. “We also launched VIP Life, which is a beauty and lifestyle project. We offer collagen and glutathione supplements, as well as slimming coffee. We’re also expanding and planning to bring it to the United States.”

Arci also runs a film production company called NDM Studios with Palanca-winning writer and director Njel de Mesa. In fact, she will be seen alongside Kiray Celis in the comedy film “Malditas in Maldives,” for which she also serves as producer and creative director. The film premiered at the recently concluded 2024 Jinseo Arigato International Film Festival in Japan, where she won the best international Filipino actress award.

“We have our studio in Nagoya. We’re also producing movies there. I love Japan so much. It’s my dream to actually live there. We have so many plans. I’m excited and I’m really looking forward to achieving them all,” she beamed.

‘Sweet Escape’

Arci has also finished shooting Rommel Ricafort’s romantic drama “Sweet Escape” with Kang Dong-gun as leading man. Recalling her experience working with the Korean actor, Arci said: “We struggled because of the language barrier. It’s still hard for him to speak English. In terms of acting, he is very good. I was able to see the emotions he was trying to express through his facial expressions. That’s what’s important. It’s a great experience to work in Korea. I’m also a big fan of their industry. They’ve mastered storytelling,” she said.

The film was also partly shot in Bohol province. “For me, it’s one of the most important places in the Philippines. I’m proud that we have effectively managed to sustain biodiversity in the area. We should really take good care of it—it’s our responsibility. I’m glad we were able to show him one of the most beautiful places in our country. I can’t wait for everyone to see our movie,” the actress said.

This then led reporters to ask Arci, who has not publicly admitted to dating, if she has plans to settle down and have a family of her own. “There’s no point in worrying about that now. I refuse to feel pressured about it but, of course, I would sometimes ask myself, ‘Am I capable of doing it? Have I prepared myself for the future in all aspects?’ My answer is ‘yes.’ It’s easier to just leave it all up to God. Our parents prepared for our future. What I only need to do is to take care of whatever resources I have, and try to expand,” Arci declared. INQ