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IS THE PENNY SAVED WORTH THE STRESS?
There is a popular saying within the finance community – “save for the rainy day.” This advice is important in our everyday lives because emergencies do not issue pre-action notice.
There is a popular saying within the finance community – “save for the rainy day.” This advice is important in our everyday lives because emergencies do not issue pre-action notice.
I am concerned about those who put themselves through stress not because they are saving for a cause but because they are afraid to spend. If you are familiar with the University of Benin, you sure understand the walk from main gate to Hall 5 or from Faculty of Law to Osasogie.
My wonderful friend Kuzi never sees the logic in paying 20 naira to the bus driver or 100 to the cab man and instead, pressure us to walk and gist along the way. Don’t get me wrong, the walks are often good and the gists were endless but Benin is less than a mile from hell.
It can be very hot and beyond that, I often ask myself if the 20/100 naira saved was worth the long walk. Sometime in 2008, I had this neighbour who was given a parcel to deliver to Calabar. He was given flight money because the delivery was urgent.
Instead of taking a flight, man took the night bus and he bragged joyfully about how much he saved. I was worried about him because anything could have gone wrong but for him, the money trumped the risk of hitting the road at night.
In hindsight, I can tell the money would go a long way for him even though he was paid for his service. However, knowing Nigerian roads, I still wonder if the money saved was worth the risk.
You might be pressed to think this happens to only the less privileged but far from it.
You might be pressed to think this happens to only the less privileged but far from it.
I know people who work in the best organizations, who when sent outside the state for official function, seek to inconvenience themselves to save money. Why would you be given 50k daily hotel allowance and you are looking for a family in that state to squat with or a 7k hotel?
Is the money saved, worth the inconvenience to yourself and the family? Why would you subject yourself to a hotel whose security is not guaranteed and where service is most likely poor. You might convince yourself it is just a place to rest your head but it is more than that.
Don’t subject yourself to where people pay to have quickie just because you want save money when you can conveniently afford it. In life, you will either choose stress or pay for comfort. You won't have it both ways
On my last visit to Abuja, as we gisted, I explained to the driver how expensive Abuja was and complained about many things and asked him to get me an affordable hotel. I feared if he knew I was only transiting in Abuja and leaving the country the next day, my fare would go up.
Dude took me to a 6k hotel somewhere in Utako where police in mufti sat outside eating peppersoup and the place beamed with the opulence of guaranteed sex for the night. The gate was low and the environment wasn’t impressive to me.
We walked in and checked the room and I told myself, a hotel is not just a place to lay your head and even if it was, what the hell was I doing here? How much was I trying to save convincing the driver I was broke just to reduce my fare.
I was even scheduled to be on video call with my mom in 2 hours time. What would I tell this woman that her son was doing in such a hotel? I told him to take me to the good hotels and ignore everything below 15k. I felt more at peace where I lodged.
Similarly, in booking flights, I always opt for the shortest possible transit. Except the 3 day transit in Dubai which Emirates sometimes offer for you to enjoy the city, I don’t get why anyone should subject themselves to 8 hours airport transit....
..... unless that is the only available flight for the best possible day of travel. Distance from Nigeria to Asia is farther than Europe and the transit even longer. It makes no sense saving 50k to spend much aerial and transit time to and from Asia to Europe.
People say every little money matter. Oh well, that is true but context matter. Some say tey want to see the airport - that is valid.
This goes without saying that I am addressing those who can afford the comfort to avoid stress.
This goes without saying that I am addressing those who can afford the comfort to avoid stress.
I very much understand the inequality in finger sizes and in your low estate, it makes sense for one to make the best possible use of economic resources to your advantage to save cost. Life happens!
In Law School, my friends teased me that I travelled by air to and from Enugu and claimed it was due to privilege. I accept flying can be a privilege in Nigeria but if you have more money in your account than I do, you don’t get to call me privilege for flying....
......when you are avoiding flight to save for an iPhone. Now, I am not a gadget freak and have never upgraded my phone while I still have a phone. I only change phone when my phone get lost or stop working and I have never used an iPhone – by choice.
What I won’t do is wake up 4am in the cold of Enugu to leave with the 5am bus and arrive Lagos by 6pm. I did help friends pack and help with luggage, return to my bed and later take a walk around campus before leaving for the airport by 2pm. Yet, I arrive Lagos long before them.
Once, my friend was pressed to use the toilet and had to hold it for over 4 hours till he got home – no thanks to the traffic at redemption camp.
In saving cost, do you factor the worth of the alternative forgone or you just look at the money? Is the stress worth it?
In saving cost, do you factor the worth of the alternative forgone or you just look at the money? Is the stress worth it?
Sometimes, you may not have a full pocket but give yourself a treat once in a while – you can’t continue eating bread and coke or ewa agoyin everyday. Like my friend would say, “no be we suffer pass.” Saving is good but please, do consider your life and health.
Don’t go drinking agbo and unregulated mixtures for 20naira because you are unwilling to spend money on good healthcare. In my time in Uniben, they use to say “Life na one bar, dem no dey charge am.” If you die today, your money would move to your next of kin. Please live.
I didn’t get a white Christmas and surprisingly, it is snowing heavily today. The city is all white and I did get a snow pose when I stepped out, but not for you. LOL. I hope you are having an amazing Sunday. Like always, here is me wishing you Love, peace and spaghetti 
