You recently got your hard-earned salary but you can barely wait for end-month because you’re already broke? Yeah, it seems to be a cycle in Nairobi and bad spending habits are to blame.
Sometimes, you see people in the same paycheck league as yourself having more responsibilities and somehow, managing.
How are they able to pay for rent, kids' school fees, maintain a home and survive till end month and you can’t? You need to check yourself and your spending habits.
READ: Personal Finance: Why you need to set up an Emergency Fund
Here’s why you’re always that broke Nairobian claiming “Mwezi iko kwa corner” all year round. You’re not cursed, you’re just dumb fam.
1. You do not budget
Budgeting your money is important for you to be able to prioritize on what’s important and what needs to take a back seat. If you do not budget, you will end up overspending.
You also need to have a savings account to put some money aside for a rainy day or join a Sacco. You can't spend money haphazardly and expect to not get broke. C'mon!
2. Impulse buying
It’s really hard to restrain yourself from buying that cute shoe or dress you come across on an Instagram boutique or when passing by Ngara. But if you don’t need it, why buy it?
If you’re an impulse buyer, carry just enough money to prevent yourself from buying.
3. You have expensive social habits
FOMO is real when you live in Nairobi, every other day or weekend there’s something happening and the squad is getting lit. But if you cannot afford to always indulge, say no and save.
Events will cost you nothing less than Sh3,000, even when you do have complimentary passes. You need to get a cab ride to and from the event, buy drinks and food, which are not necessarily cheap.
You could come up with cheaper ways of indulging say by buying a mzinga and turning up in a house and then going out after if you must cause if you’re already lit, you’ll just need to buy water.
4. Eating out all the time
Eating out is expensive in Nairobi. Unless we are talking Kibandaski food, a take-out meal will cost you well over Sh500 so if you do your math, it’s not affordable to eat out always. And, it's not even healthy!
5. You’re being a brand slave
Sometimes, we want to stick to brands we know and with rising prices of food and other household commodities, known brands are even more expensive.
Compromising on quality is not necessarily what you should do but be open to try other brands that are perhaps cheaper. You might find that they’re equally good, saving a coin or two. And most of the time anyway, there’s not much difference.
6. Gambling
It’s okay to try and be the next jackpot winner but remember you really have to spend to win. Sorry to burst your bubble. Your gambling habits will keep making you poor as they enrich others. Be wise!
7. You have no second job or side hustle
In Nairobi, you must have a side hustle if you want to live a comfortable life. It could be anything as small as freelance writing or selling Mtumba clothes. But depending on one paycheck will definitely put you in the pool of broke Nairobians..
8. Taking cabs everywhere.
If you have no car, I suggest you get used to the matatu way of life and only use taxi-hailing apps when you really have to. Taxi-hailing apps may appear cheap but those Sh200s and Sh300s combined per week, will be costing you an arm and a leg.
9. Living beyond your means
Nairobians are all about showing off. If half of your pay goes into your rent, move out and live in an affordable area. If you cannot afford a wig, braid your hair, avoid unnecessary expenses and save yourself some money.
10. You’re in debt
Since the brokenness cycle seems to follow you everywhere you go, you keep taking loans and that only increases your debts. By the time you get your money, a chunk of it is going to pay overdrafts and then by the 15th you need another overdraft as you await payday and the cycle goes on.,
Develop a get-out-of-debt plan and stick to it so that you're able to actually do something with your money.
READ: 8 clever ways to make your salary last till the next pay