Last year, 2024, was a good year for me and my family and I am grateful for it. And that's not to dismiss that we had our share of challenges and setbacks cause we did. The most important thing was that we pulled through, and we're here with the lessons to make better decisions and choices in this new year and beyond.
They say that investments are good. Saving is a way to build stability - financial stability. And every one of us works so hard so we can get to that point of comfort.
I save well. Every month, I set aside a portion of my earnings, and I save it. Last year, I decided to take things up a notch by investing. I'm not a pro at investment banking. I know little to nothing about stocks, bonds, and shares. And besides, most of them are long-term investments. Don't judge me if I'd rather not be a part of it now. I just wanted something that would fetch me a little extra something to augument my salary and help me go by with my responsibilities. I wanted a side-hustle.
After pondering, I thought about starting up a fish pond. My parents' compound is a large space, and I knew it would do. So, I consulted a friend...a very very close family friend who knows the business to the T. He came around, we talked about starting small, about materials, about the fishes and their food, about water supply and about costing. It was a good idea. It was something that I could manage alongside my job. My parents could help me handle it too since they both had a good grasp of the business.
Long story short, we made the costing, which amounted to hundreds of thousands of naira, almost approximately the whole money I had saved up the previous year, and I sent it to the guy. Well, you know the rest. First, it took about three months before he got and brought the tanks. And it's been over nine months, and I'm yet to see my fingerings, feeds, or my money
I called him countless number of times, and every time, he had an excuse, or he never took my calls nor returned them. This is someone who could pass for my brother. That made me weak and almost helpless; the fact that I couldn't take action. I consulted someone he(we) respected, and the person said i had made a mistake. I assume the guy gambled the money away. But that's not the point.
It's that I put every single penny I had saved into that project and I barely had enough to go by. I had hoped that after making some sales in months time, I'd get some little profit to settle some bills. It was devastating that it was at that point in time that I began to suffer some financial challenges. It was a lot but I pulled through. The mere thought that everything i wprked for for months was gone, just like that, ate me up inaide. It was hurtful.
Good for me, my family was there to walk with me through that phase and I am grateful for them. I'm yet to recover my money neither have i begun the pond but it's okay. I know better now. Like I mentioned earlier, lessons learned and will be applied in future endeavors.
Images used are mine
Thanks for stopping by.
SOKA 🖤