Now that Detty December has come and gone, your eyes have really cleared and you are wondering how to survive the one million days in January. Oh yes, no one is looking forward to January due to one reason – it is a month of SAPA, when all you have eaten in December have disappeared from your body and you cannot replenish them because you don’t have shishi in your account.
The worst part is that you cannot blame anyone for your sapa because you chose to live life to the fullest in December. But don’t worry, there are still ways to survive January sapa, even enjoy it without having to worry about your pocket.
Let us go ahead to discuss 10 ways to do this.
10 ways to survive January sapa
1. Spend on the things you need, not what you want
This is not the time to spend money on pizza or chicken and chips. It is not the time to dorime at the best club in town. January is the best time to cut your cloth according to your size. If that item is not necessary, don’t buy.
Focus on the things you need like paying house rent, school fees and stocking up your fridge with food, among others. Leave the rest for next month.
2. Stay indoors if you can

You see the beach you have been planning to go with your friend during the weekend, postpone it if you have a tight budget. Staying indoor will drastically reduce the possibility of spending too much.
In fact, anything that is not work or school-related should not take you outside. That should be your policy for now. You can make exceptions for church or mosque, but even those should be regulated.
3. Plan your outing well
Ok, let us concede the fact that you do need to go out, maybe for work or you just want to get out of the house. Plan your outing well. It is going to be difficult, considering what you will see outside that may tempt you to spend more than you have.
However, remember that January has 1000 days and you will experience premium sapa if you spend too much. This is why it is best to stay indoors. If you must go out, make a budget of how much you can spend and stick to it.
4. Do not borrow money

Borrowing money from loan apps may sound tempting, especially if their offer is appealing. However, try your best not to borrow this January, especially if you did to flex December. It will be difficult to pay back.
If you do not want to start the year with embarrassment, don’t borrow. Instead manage with what you have until you make your next earning.
5. Avoid billings

You see that fine girl that has been hovering around you like a housefly, smiling and batting her eyelashes at you, flee from her bro. And that fine boy that wants to use sweet tongue to finish you, aunty run o. It is not love, they just want to use you and survive.
You may think they like you but realise too late that you are just an ATM to them. By that time, they have billed you for their gas, schools fees, house rent, food as you are their parent.
If you must be a finished person, do so for your family and only if it is absolutely necessary.
6. Do not make promises you cannot deliver
The thing about Detty December is that it gets you so high that you tend to do stupid things, like telling someone to come back in January to collect a huge sum of money. Then January comes and you cannot fulfill your promise because you are barely surviving the period. And that is how Emeka became Ebuka’s enemy.
To avoid a scenario like this, avoid making promises you know deep down in your heart you cannot fulfill. In fact, do not make any promises at all, to be on a safe side.
7. Do not show off

So your neighbour bought a brand new car this January and you too went and bought yours to prove you have arrived. When the time to pay important bills come up, you cry do not have money.
Bros, who are you deceiving? What did you gain from showing off that car? You will only end up attracting negative things in your life, including fake friends, enemies who plot to take you down over the wealth you do not have. People may pressurise you to do things you cannot afford but do not fall for it. It is for your own good.
8. Explore affordable options

If you cannot afford chicken, you should try iced fish. The same applies to your clothing, go for fairly used instead of brand new. Use this mentality for other aspects of your life in this January. You will discover that you have spent less than you initially projected.
Do not be rigid about what you want. Instead, make the available desirable, not the other way round. With this mentality, you survive January and even enter into the new month with change.
9. Make your environment a fun place to be

One of the things that may force you to go outside is if your immediate environment is boring. You can remedy that by introducing things that you love. For instance, you can play indoor games with your family instead of taking them to parks and malls which will make you spend money.
You can also Netflix-and-chill in your house instead of going all the way to a cinema. Alternatively, you can start up a hobby or learn new skills online, reducing your chances of going outside to encounter temptation.
10. Save

You may think it is practically impossible to make any savings in January but you may be surprised how wrong you are. When you carry the mentality of spending only on things you need and leaving some for any emergencies in the future, you will find that saving is not as difficult as it may be projected to be. If you decide to save, put your money where you cannot easily gain access to it.
Finally, this is January. Plan yourself well. Spend wisely and shine your eyes.
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