Saving in these Buhari times: A rant

“Let he who is alive and well save”

You’re probably wondering why I started with a quote this time because the last time I started a story with a quote, it didn’t end well. Don’t be alarmed, I don’t know why too. In fact, I don’t know anything anymore at this point.

I was having a conversation with a close friend and last week and she complained about her terrible saving habits and in a bid to rationalise her complaints, I realised I barely have savings too. I mean, how can I? how can anyone currently living in Nigeria?

I went to a supermarket earlier this week and there was a note right at the entrance: Bread is now N650 due to an increase in flour prices. Please bear with us. That’s not all, a lot of commodities one would usually splurge on have now become hard choices to make. “Do I go for the N700 sardine or just buy the N650 bread and drink water or do I save the money for fuel now that there is scarcity again?

I am way too young to be making these kind of decisions and also at the age where responsibilities are beginning to pile up. Things are getting expensive yet income remains the same and if you think earning in foreign currency will protect you, I laugh in italics. The only thing left in my dedicated savings account is my name and that Yoruba proverb about a good name being better than gold is starting to irritate me.

These are meant to be our raging twenties you know, the time for mistakes, for learning and unlearning, discovering ourselves and our strengths and it has been reduced to a constant worry of empty accounts and unfulfilled dreams.I hope we figure this adulting thing out soon.

On a lighter note, as promised, I have some good news. I’m happy to announce that I’ll be moving my stories to Vague Digital next month. Vague is a virtual global community of creatives and content consumers led by the CREW, creating visual stories and experiential moments online & offline that puts the audience and creative talent at the heart of production and I can’t wait to get started and I thank you all for the love and I couldn’t have come this far without your support ❤️. You can follow Vague on Instagram here.