The season of Detty December is upon us. A period when Nigerians party hard and spend a lot of money.
After partying hard and spending irresponsibly comes Sapa. January has too many days for sapa to catch you or for you to start the year with sapa.
Sapa is another way of saying broke. Can you imagine how hard it will be to be broke in the first month of the year? At that moment, you will definitely wish you could travel back in time to curb illegal spending.
You do not have to start the year broke, what you need to do is to plan your finances.
Detty December: How to financially survive January
Do not borrow money
Avoid borrowing money, this will put you in further debt and will not give you peace of mind. Before you even consider it, ask yourself ‘is it worth it?’ If you borrow in December or January, you will probably have to struggle to pay it back, deal with the embarrasment and you will be left with nothing; prompting you to borrow more.
Avoid unnecessary spending
All the flashy things definitely will catch your eye. Of course, they will! The producers packaged it well so it could grab your attention and compel you to purchase it. Remember that it is not everything you see that you should buy, do not spend anyhow. Remember it is Christmas, not the end of the world or a lockdown. Avoid buying unnecessary things.
Ask yourself if you really need it. Can I survive without it? Have a shopping list before you step out and prioritize them, this will help to curb unnecessary purchases.
Cut your coat according to its size
Important advice ‘do not promise what is bigger than your pocket oh’! During this festive season, a few people will probably ask you for something or try to pressurize you, if you do not have do not stretch yourself. Avoid billings if you can, in fact, avoid the billers that come with big requests.
It is good to help but be reasonable with it so plan your finances well, if you cannot give then say it.
Another thing is ‘do not show off’! There is no need to form around anyone, be yourself and do not because of peer pressure to pay for what is ridiculously expensive.
Save
Enjoy your money while you are young but think about your future and unforeseen emergencies. If you have a fixed account or a secured savings account. Save your money. Put it in a place that you cannot easily get to (do not bury it oh).
Plan your outings well
With December comes a lot of outings even shows. Plan your outings well, think about the cost and the long days of January. If you cannot afford it do not go for it.
Check out affordable places, and outings that will not cost so much. You can still have a detty December without breaking your bank.
Although January has 31 days, it usually feels like 50 days. Do not start your year with sapa, budget your money and avoid unnecessary spending.
Spend your money wisely!
