I was looking to speak with people about how their end-of-year traditions affect their finances when I found Chike (33).
He talks about his yearly tradition of spending all his savings on his community in December and why he intends to keep doing that regardless of the economic situation.
As told to Boluwatife
Image: Zikoko. Model is not affiliated with the story.
When I think of family, I don’t just consider my parents or siblings. For me, family is the small town where I spent most of my formative years. That’s because the people in my hometown practically raised me.
My primary school class teacher once assumed my elderly neighbour was my grandmother because she was always around to pick me up after school. My teacher only realised we weren’t related when my mum told her my grandma had passed away. I spent my evenings after school in the house of one neighbour or the other, doing homework with their children or playing on the streets.
I addressed every adult as “mummy” or “daddy,” and I was always running errands for one mummy or helping one daddy carry his harvest from the farm. In my town, there was no such thing as reporting disrespectful children to their parents — anyone could call an erring child to order or punish the child if need be.
When my dad died when I was 10 years old, our church gathered money to pay for my school fees. After I finished secondary school, another member of my community connected me to the man who took me in and taught me the electronics trade I currently sell. I owe my community my life, so it’s only natural for me to give back. December is the best opportunity to do that.
I’ve been giving back since I was an apprentice. I didn’t receive a salary, but I made sure to save any extra money I got from helping my oga make a sale or whenever he gave me and my fellow apprentices money for the weekend. I started my apprenticeship in 2015, and by December of that year, I’d saved ₦35k. I used ₦15k to travel to my hometown and the remaining money to buy two bags of rice, which I shared with my community.
I was an apprentice for six years, and each year, I saved money for the sole purpose of spending it in my hometown in December. I didn’t mind eating once a day or never buying anything new for myself as long as I had something reasonable to give my family. The end of the year was the only time I had to visit my mum and siblings and spend time with my community; I couldn’t exactly show up empty-handed.
My December trips have become something of a tradition over the years. My finances have been better since I opened my own electronics shop in 2022. In a good month, I make up to ₦100k in profits. In not-so-good months, I still make at least ₦50k. My lifestyle hasn’t changed much, though.
Save for finally being able to afford an apartment and feed myself, I hardly spend on anything else apart from my family. I send my mum and siblings at least ₦30k every month and try to save ₦30k monthly. Sometimes, I save more than that. I spend all my savings at the end of the year, plus any extra money from my business, on my December trips — usually between ₦300k and ₦500k. I use the money to buy foodstuff to share with my community, and sometimes, I give cash gifts to people in need.
It has been more difficult to save this year because of inflation and the bad economy. There’s also the concern about transportation costs hitting the roof because of increased fuel prices, but no matter how much it costs, I must travel home.
I may not be able to give out as much money as I normally do this year because I’ve only been able to save ₦150k. But I don’t mind starving or borrowing money to travel. I can’t imagine missing out on a December trip. What’s the point of hustling if I can’t travel home at the end of the year?
My family has raised concerns about how much I spend when I visit. They’re not against me helping people, but they think I need to balance it with doing more things for myself. I understand their concerns, but I don’t think the money I give others would’ve led to any major change in my life.
It’s not like I can buy a car with ₦500k. I also can’t save for a car because it’s not possible to save for so long without touching my savings for one thing or the other. So, it’s better I contribute to someone else’s life. If there’s one thing I believe, it’s that a good turn deserves another. I know I can’t be stranded because someone will surely come through for me if I ever need help one day.
I know the economy will only get worse in the coming years. It’s basically a reminder for me to double my hustle so I can earn more and be able to give more. But for me to stop spending money in December? That’s not possible.
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