Making Ends Meet: A Phenomenological Inquiry into the Financial Well-Being of Public School Teachers

Abstract

Financial well-being plays an important role in the personal and professional lives of teachers, yet many public-school teachers face financial pressures while striving to meet personal and family responsibilities. This study explored the lived experiences on the financial well-being of public-school teachers in one municipality in Misamis Occidental. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design to understand the essence of teachers’ financial experiences. Twelve public-school teachers from elementary and secondary schools in the district of Lopez Jaena, Division of Misamis Occidental, who were purposively chosen participated in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews grounded in Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenological framework. The interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Moustakas’ phenomenological method of data analysis. NVivo software was used to assist in organizing and identifying patterns in the participants’ responses. Five major themes emerged from the analysis: Shaping Present Financial Well-Being Through Past Experiences; Experiencing Financial Well-Being Across Household, Workplace, and Community Contexts; Experiencing the Embodied Effects of Financial Stress and Stability; Managing Financial Responsibilities Through Relational Influences and Balancing Financial Survival with Aspirations for Stability. The findings indicated that teachers’ financial well-being is shaped by past financial decisions, environmental contexts, relational influences, and material realities. The administration may strengthen financial literacy programs, financial wellness initiatives, and institutional support systems to help teachers improve financial stability and overall well-being.