Volume 128
Good morning 
What does being a housewife navigating life on a ₦100k monthly allowance mean? The subject in this week’s Love Currency knows a thing or two about it. On the surface, everything fits the traditional script: her husband earns, and she manages the home. But underneath this setup, she’s restless. She wants more — financial independence, a sense of purpose, and a shot at building something.
Then, in #NairaLife, we meet a 29-year-old waitress whose week is defined by how much she makes in tips from her job. She’s not sold on the continued sustainability of this plan, so she has her eyes set on something else: a university degree.
Let’s get started.
In this letter:
- Naira Life:The Grounded Waitress Who’s Surviving on Tips
- Love Currency: The Lagos Housewife Trying to Make the Best of Her ₦100k Allowance
- What Trump’s 14% Tariff on Nigeria Means For Your Pocket, Even with the 90-day Pause
- Ask Aunty M: I Have About ₦20m in Liquid Cash. What Do I Do With It?
- Where The Money At?!
The #NairaLife of a Grounded Waitress Who’s Surviving on Tips
The 29-year-old in this #NairaLife has been a waitress since 2022. While she’s always earned minimum wage, she’s managed to get by with tips.
Now, she’s planning for a future in which she won’t have to depend on the goodwill of others. The first step? Getting a university degree.
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Love Currency: The Lagos Housewife Trying to Make the Best of Her ₦100k Allowance
Merit* (33) and Ebuka*(33) are in a typical traditional marriage, but Merit wants more.
For #LoveCurrency, she shares her dissatisfaction with not having an income, why she thinks getting a job would benefit their relationship, and their plans to leave the country.
What Trump’s 14% Tariff on Nigeria Means for Your Pocket, Even with the 90-day Pause
As Finance Minister Wale Edun puts it: “It’s the price effect, the oil price effect that may affect Nigeria.”
Here’s what Trump’s 14% tariff on Nigerian goods means for you, even with the 90-day pause.
Ask Aunty M with Reni
I have about ₦20m, aside from my emergency funds and current savings and investments. But I don’t know what to do or where to start.
I also have around ₦3m in the money market, $2k across Risevest and Piggvest, and some savings across Piggyvest and traditional savings accounts.
There’s so much information, and it can be a bit overwhelming. I feel this need to act quickly to make the most of this money.
I was considering changing most of it to about $10k, as I have a few trips for the year, and I think it’s best to preserve the value of my money. But I’ll still make more than ₦20m in salaries over the rest of the year. So, where do I start? — Ella, 25.
Congratulations on saving ₦20m, that’s amazing. You don’t need to act quickly; you need to act strategically so that your money allows you to go on the trips you want, invest, and save for the future. Start by calculating how much the trips you want to take for the next year will cost. If it’s ₦10m, take ₦10m from the funds and save it in a savings account titled travel fund.
Next, think of any other big purchases or savings goals that will arise in the next year. Put money in separate accounts for each of those goals. This could be a car fund, rent fund, wedding fund, etc.
Now that you have sorted your short-term goals, let’s look into the long-term ones. You want to invest for the future. With Bamboo, you can invest in the US stock market. I would recommend ETFs to begin. This means you are investing in a group of companies rather than an individual company. To invest in the entire US stock market, you can type “VTI” on your investing app and purchase that fund. To invest in the 500 largest companies in the US, type “VOO”.
Lastly, don’t just buy stocks once and forget it; build it into your routine, where you purchase stocks and ETFs monthly every time you get paid. This is how you build wealth consistently.
Optional choice: This is the perfect moment to sit with a financial advisor or coach (even for a single session) to review your portfolio and plans. A second set of experienced eyes can bring clarity.
You’re not behind. You’re not “wasting time” by pausing to think. You are doing exactly what wealthy, intentional people do — slowing down to be strategic.
And that’s how money multiplies.
Xoxo,
Where The Money At?!
We can’t say we’re about the money and not actually help you find the money.
So we’ve compiled a list of job opportunities for you. Make sure you share this with anyone who might need it because in this community, we look out for each other.
Again, don’t mention. We gatchu.
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All good things must come to an end. But not this good thing. We’ll be back next week.
In the
meantime, keep reading Zikoko’s articles and be sure to share the love.
See you next week…
Yours cashly,
Toheeb,
Zikoko’s “OG” Mr. Money
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