All your life you have struggled with saving money and being financially independent? Every year, you make resolutions to improve but you give up midway and revert to your old ways. If this sounds like you worry no more, we have four not so difficult steps to guide you on the road to monetary freedom.
1. Learn to budget
If there is one thing you should include in your plans this year, it is tracking every single kobo you spend. Every single naira that goes in and out of your wallet should be audited and accounted for. No free money this year(wails in black tax). Anyone that needs money should call three months ahead so they can be included in your budget. Unplanned expenses are the single greatest source of financial disasters. Congregation, can I hear you say no impulse buying this year?
2. There is no passive income!
Any talent you can monetize, this is the year. From cooking to writing, and occasionally sleeping with other people – put a price tag on it! Seriously, think about any skill you currently offer for free and improve on it so you can make it a proper side hustle. One of the ways to achieve financial mobility is to increase your income.
3. Have an incase Nigeria goes to hell funds
If you can afford to (no responsibilities or absence of black tax), you should start to have a rainy day fund. If you earn enough to afford it, you should put away some percentage of your salary as an emergency fund because life is weird. Apart from your savings or investments, this is a good way to prevent unplanned expenses from resetting you back to brokeness land (I have been there and back I can show you vouchers).
4. There is always rice at home
The difference something as little as cooking your own food makes is enormous. Packing food to work can help you track your expenses and see what you spend money on outside of food. Also, learning to say no to the extra demands of owambe will greatly improve your financial outlook. Anything that is not important should be reviewed and immediately removed (Especially that gym subscription. We all know that summer body doesn’t count in heaven).
To make all of this work, a hack is to learn to forgive yourself. If you slip, take it as a bad day, and attack your goals with renewed vigor the next day.
