Surviving 2017: In-depth tips

Out of curiosity in determining a better way of life to Nigerians who are hard hit by the effect of recession, Naija Metro Updates team brainstormed and examined the economic attitudinal response (EAR) of many Nigerians. In summary, it was observed that 7 out of 10 people prefer to survive far above their means. It was also discovered that many artisans have stopped working or never explored the benefits of their skills to the esteem benefit of the economy. Also the crave for foreign items like designer wears, fast foods, cosmetics etc had been on an astronomical increase. All of these and many more reasons result in lack of savings culture. However, we have summarily dealt with some of the ways to surviving the heat of recession even as the hope for a revamped economy remains bleak.
1. Avoid unnecessary spending: Keep all your known garments, footwears and headgears, old vehicles and other manageable belongings and put them into good use. Nobody cares about how rich you are. Being rich is not measured by your fleet of cars while you live in a rented apartment. It’s obviously not also being measured by how often you change your wardrobe. Richness comes when there is satisfaction from within. It comes when you don’t mortgage your future with flashy things at the expense of putting food on your family’s table. Competition does not exist. It only exists when you want to be like everyone else. Live within your means and avoid party garments. If you must celebrate your birthday or any celebration at all, please do that in low key.

2. Avoid Borrowing beyond limit: Borrow out of necessity and within your means. Do not borrow largely and default in repayment. The anxiety of wanting to meet up with payment alone can consume you and cause you great depression. Borrow what you can easily pay back if necessary. Borrow only from family and friends, be faithful enough to pay back promptly.Do not borrow from the high interest rate money shops. Avoid anything called ‘sharp sharp borrowing’ that lends you a coin to take notes from you. Our prime advice is that you should never borrow if you don’t have to.

3. Buy food items in bulk: Buy non perishable food items e.g rice, beans, garri, potatoes, wheat grains, stock fish, palm oil, vegetable oil, salt etc in bulk to last you at least for a period of 3 months. Save some amount for perishable items such as soup and stew condiments on weekly basis.

4. Avoid waste of food: You might need to see those who have nothing to eat at all how they languish in hunger all day without hope. That little leftover you are about to throw away in the bin is someone’s Christmas meal. Even if you are not used to eating same meal twice, it’s not economically wise to throw food away. Rather, eat your ration neatly and look for someone in need to share with, even a domestic animal like cat, dog and fowls would show gratitude. Doing so you will have a sense of fulfilment over being judicious with your spending.

5. Avoid belonging to a class or group of people that will demand fortune from you. If there is any membership you have to seek it must be your home membership. Don’t say because Mr. A participated somewhat in your party by buying all the Aso ebi and then you want to do the same to reciprocate in his own turn. You now want to look for money at all cost to achieve that aim, think twice.

6. Avoid lotto or any ponzi scheme: the best and quickest way to rip off the poor is by promising the impossible. Even the middle class and some wealthy people now fall for such. You can’t have constant savings if you keep spending fortunes on gambling. You may even lose fortune if you invest the little you have in wonder banks. Be wise, instead you could look for people who are trustworthy and engage yourself in contribution (weekly, biweekly or monthly).

7. Learn a trade: at this crucial time, it is important to learn some short term trades that involves solving problems for people and thus making extra cash from that. Learn beed making, barbing, plumbing, aluminium works, generator repairs, painting etc. Don’t stay idle by feeling too big to even do cleaning job for some homes. Just bring innovations into all of that and succeed all through.

As year 2017 comes in few hours, strive hard to be the best you can be in the year.

Happy new year 2017

Naija Metro Updates Team!