"Should I buy those shoes or wait until I have more money to do so?", I asked myself as I walked home from work after spotting the AirForce pair I had always wanted. Trust me, it was a fierce debate in my head; trying to decide.
Do you remember those cartoons we watched as kids where when a character was struggling to make a decision; an illustration of an angel and the devil both trying to convince the character to do something would appear. Yeah?
That was the kind of situation that I was in. To buy the shoes or save my coins ?
I bet this is something that most of us have had to deal with ever since adulthood came knocking into our lives and we realized that we have to be responsible with the resources given to us; I'm talking about money to be precise. We grow up and realize that we were not taught a most essential subject of life; financial management.
Learning how to use money is a lesson I think should have been taught as a life skill back in school. Once a child knows and understands the concept of money and how to count, they should be instilled with this knowledge.Financial illiteracy is to blame for a lot of our financial woes. Responsibilities pile up and we find it difficult to prioritize our expenditure.
Social media and money?
Well, social media does have multiple benefits but it is also to blame for the pressure that most young people experience. The pressure to impress peers.
I have fallen victim to this and I'msure so have you. I mean, it is human nature to want to fit in with others. None of us wants to be left behind.
But as they say here, "on the ground things are different". Not everything is as you see online. Someone could in reality be struggling to clear debts but portraying something different online.
Idowu Koyenikan, author of Wealth for all: Living a Life of success at the edge of your ability said in his book, "When money realizes that it is in good hands, it wants to stay and multiply in those hands". The statement itself highlights the need to be wise with how we spend to escape being broke. That irresponsible spending could cost you your future.
I always thought that I was doing myself a favour by treating myself to some Ice cream, going to the movies and buying new clothes. After all, I am an adult. Who else is going to do those things for me? But it recently occurred to me that, yes, I was being selfless to present me but being selfish to future me by not taking the concept of saving seriously.
Do not get me wrong, there is no problem with treating yourself once in a while. Actually, it is very good for your well-being but as you do so, put into consideration how it will affect you later, the future you also deserves a chance to "live only once".
Immersing yourself in money management is very important. I’m sure you have realized that as you struggled to budget that salary you recently received.
Saving is akin to planting a seed, you will reap the fruits later on in the future.
(.............. BTW I bought the shoes)
anyway.
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