Contrary to what we were taught in schools, I can categorically inform you that January is the longest month of the year. From experience, it has a range of 45 – 100 days depending on how well you prepare for it. While I understand that it’s been a long year and we all want to party and give it a befitting send forth, let me quickly remind you that you’re not going to receive a salary again until January ends.
I know it’s unsolicited and many people will still not take this advice seriously but here are five great ways to prevent sapa from becoming your roommate in January.
Budgeting
Hard as it might seem, flexing “Detty December” on a budget is one of the easiest ways to avoid unnecessary expenses. You can do this by making a list of possible expenses , then tag each expense as either want or need, strike out the wants and focus on the needs.
Attach an amount to each item left on the list. (Now, let’s be sincere, can you really afford that luxury item you tagged as a need?) You might need to review your list again in the light of current market realities, consider how much you earn and what you can really afford and stick with the true needs like rent, transport, food, etc. Deduct the total amount from your expected income, If there’s anything left,then, there’s hope. Save/Invest some, pay back loans (if any), and set some aside for balling!
Many people do not think about budgeting until the money in their account is completely depleted, which is wrong. You should budget as soon as or even before you get money. Don’t wait till when keke starts looking more attractive than Ubers and when you switch from a diet of fried rice and chicken to garri and groundnut before you start watching your expenses. Besides, if you’ve gotten to this level of sapa by the first week of January, just sit down and prepare for the worst.
Avoid Billing
You do not have to attend every party you’ve been invited to this December, and even if you do, it’s not every time you must make it rain. There’s harmattan outside so try to mirror the weather. Spend only what you are comfortable with letting go – In other words, stick with the budget! Prioritize saving your money for January and don’t let anyone use logic or emotional blackmail to collect your money.
Sometimes, you just have to realize that it’s safer for your pocket if you stay inside and spend some time with the furniture you used your hard-earned money to acquire, your account will thank you for it.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk is an underrated hack to saving money and getting everything you need for less. It can be especially beneficial for large families and individuals who don’t have time to shop as often.
Going to the shop on your street everyday to buy 2 packs of noodles and 2 eggs seems like a good idea and a cost-effective way to live but does it really save you money? Let’s do the math — let’s say you buy a pack of noodles 24 times at #200 each, that’s 4800. But you can easily buy a carton of the same noodles for about #4200, taking the price of each pack from #200 to #175. You get to save #600. Now imagine doing this for all your foodstuff across board. Think of how much you would save. That’s the power of buying in bulk. It is the secret of the rich.
Do I need to mention the fact that it also saves you the stress of multiple movements, changes in price and overall cost of purchase? Let’s not even talk about the billing you could get at the shop if you meet someone you know. Problem. You spend less by buying in bulk.
Now that you’ve agreed that buying in bulk is the way to go, I know you might complain and say, “It’s too expensive, I can’t afford it……..stay with me, I’ve got a solution for that in the next point.
Fund Pooling
I know fund pooling sounds like some serious investment terminology but relax, it’s something very simple. You see all your gees, that you’re always making big plans to chill and ball together but end up ranting because of the condition of the market and how much you’re earning, you guys can be doing way more than that.
You know I stated earlier that buying in bulk helps you reduce cost but it can be quite stressful to let go of a large sum at once. In order to reduce the immediate impact of buying in bulk, you should consider gathering funds together with your friends and colleagues.
Instead of buying more than you need because you want to buy in bulk, you could team up with a friend or group of friends who are interested in the same item, pool resources and buy a lot.
This way, you have all you need without necessarily spending all you have. The best part of this, is that you can apply this update to various things and trust me when I say it works!
Going for an Owambe? You guys could book just one ride, split the bills and party hard without the burden of unbudgeted expenses
Disclaimer- Make sure you do this with trusted friends only so nobody runs away with your money. Remember, Sapa is an unfriendly friend.
Save Money on Fusion
Another great way to prepare for January is by saving — save part of your income, save unexpected monies you get during the festive period, save the change I’ve helped you make with all these updates, save, save, save! What better way to do so than by funding your Fusion wallet and keeping that cash stashed away for when Sapa comes knocking.
All you have to do is download Fusion and fund your wallet with all the money as soon as it comes in. You can keep it there for as long as you want to, where it is totally safe and free from unnecessary and unexpected bank charges. You can also spend money from your wallet easily with one of the fastest transfer speeds in Nigeria, it literally takes less than 5 seconds. Need I say more?
Click the button below to download Fusion and feel free to explore the app as you save.
One Response
Your point of view caught my eye and was very interesting. Thanks. I have a question for you.