Hi everyone, I hope that this post finds you well. It's good to hear that. I am being staring at the screen for a few minutes, not because I don't know what I want to write.
I am just contemplating how to structure the words and make it sound as interesting as I wish it should. How do I express the situation of my finances? How do I tell you the story of how it slipped out of my hand, the money went away without coming back? Wouldnt that interesting?
Who do I blame for this? I had to spend more than I had. I keep receiving calls from creditors, I have to check the phone to know where calls are coming from.
A few months ago, I started a new phase of my life. I was posted for the National Youth Service Corps program. It's a program that was organized by the Nigerian government to promote unity and make Nigerians connect more.
I Sense it as an opportunity to save money. I have always wished to get a lot of money and start a business after my service year. The journey started as it should, started by July, and I got paid.
I made provision for food but it seems too expensive for me to fund. It is good to make provision for feeding as it is an essential need for me. I prioritize feeding over saving since it might not survive without feeding.
I got a recommendation from my friend, he has been a few months into the program and he has his way of coping without going through the pocket-draining budget on food.
When I calculate the amount of money it will take me for feeding monthly, if I am to keep buying cooked meals daily, (I will eat a large volume of food, once daily.) It will cost me Six hundred naira daily (#600) and average, eighteen thousand naira monthly (#600 * 30 = #18,000.)
I will not be able to accomplish a lot financially, because I will be left with a smaller amount of money, (#33,000 - #18,000 = #15,000).
I reached out to him and he told me about the subscription he does. He lives in the NCCF family house, so, he pays for the monthly subscription. The subscription is cheaper (#12,000) in fact (2/3) of my calculation.
I considered two things
°It is cheaper compared to buying cooked food.
°It saves time and energy compared to cooking my personal.
I decided that I was going to try it out for the first month. At the time, I didn't have a place to stay. I saw it as a double advantage for me to save the time I was supposed to use in cooking, I would save a little money out of my bougous food budget save energy for cooking, and delegate the worry to someone else.
After one month, I was already looking for an alternative. I was already looking for a way out. I was already doubting what I saw as an opportunity.
My desire to take advantage of the opportunity has reduced drastically. Even though I don't have too many options I have to think twice about it.
What was the challenge?
° There are not many foods on the list, five (5) in total.
° Secondly, the time difference between the meals (breakfast and the dinner) is too long.
° The strictness in following the set food roaster.
Even though I lost my appetite for a particular meal, there was nothing they could do about it. Since there are a lot of people who are eating the same food.
It is out of my control, It is a sad thing that I can't make a measured decision about what I paid for. Even though I lost my appetite for a meal, I could not influence the weekly roster. This cost me an extra amount of money when I try to substitute for that food.
Secondly, I have to buy junk, sometimes instead of breakfast. I leave for my place of assignment very early (7:00 AM) in the morning. The meal might have not been served or done by that time.
Dinner is served in the evening, by (7:00 PM) or later, which is like a stretch of twelve hours. I sometimes spend more on junk, more than it would cost me to purchase a full-day meal. Most of the time, I withdrew some HBD and spent it. I borrowed money (#5,000) in the first and the second month.
The food doesn't get digested before I go to bed and that's affecting me gradually, daily I mean.
I restrategized and I didn't borrow money for the third month.
I made another plan and I added a little discipline to it.
I gradually incorporated some fruits into my diet. That's also lacking in the food roster.
I spend less and eat better and spend less.
#proofofbrain
Morals learned
• It is important to make enough inquiries on each project I will spend on.
• When things are not going as expected, it is time to make a new plan.
• I should not trust my financial responsibility to organizations that don't focus attention on individual welfare rather than structure.