A fun yet practical guide to surviving the longest month in the year
Welcome to January! Officially the first month of the year but also unofficially the longest month of the year. After a wild Detty December filled with money-draining events and activities, January swoops in like an uninvited guest who overstays their welcome. Suddenly, all of your expenses look like an enemy formation about to take over your life, each request for money is a disturbance, the shopping receipts are heartbreaking, and alerts have become as scarce as NEPA light in a Band-D area. Where does one even begin?
Not to worry — even though January might seem long (52 days long at the last count), it is not unbeatable. Survival is possible and I will tell you how. With this cheat sheet, you’ll prevail and maybe even thrive until payday finally comes around. And if you don’t have a payday, you’ll be fine until the next client pays up.
Here are some of the things you can do to make January a much better experience:
1. Budget Like an Accountant without Money: You most likely didn’t think too much about January while you were living la vida loca in December but hopefully, you didn’t spend all of your money on enjoyment. Stretching your last December salary is an art, and this month will test your skills.
- Divide and Conquer: Treat your money like shawarma that four friends will share — cut it smartly. Essential items are your priority: food (not shawarma) and transportation. Data is life but do data subscriptions count as essentials? You decide. Hopefully, you’ve paid your rent or it isn’t due any time soon otherwise, you’re on your own.
- Envelope Your Cash: You’ve got spare change after making some cash payments? Put them in marked envelopes and label them appropriately: “Pure Water Money,” “Recharge Card Funds”, and “Puff Puff Budget.”
- Cut Your Cable: Who says you have to pay for cable TV or your favourite streaming service this month? You’ve had enough entertainment to last two months, opt out in January. Suspend this month’s renewal and allocate the savings to something essential. Do you still want to watch something? Beg your neighbour to allow you to hang by their window while they watch their favourite series or football match. Oh, you bought data, right? Watch videos on Instagram or catch up with footie gist on Twitter.
- Avoid Impulse Buys: Resist online vendors tempting you with “New Year Sales.” Your wishlist can wait, after all, have you used all of the things you bought before? Besides, who says those discounted items are really discounted?
2. The Art of Meal Prep: Did you know that your kitchen holds untapped potential you can unlock? It’s a wonder what one can find looking deep into the fridge or storage cupboard.
- Organise a Fridge Treasure Hunt: Check deep within the recesses of the freezer. What has been sitting there unnoticed? Bring it out to thaw, it’s time for culinary creativity. Leftover white rice and stew can become emergency jollof rice, and yam can be turned into yam pottage. Let your creative juices flow.
- Avoid Eating Out: I’m sure you didn’t need me to tell you this (especially because you’re already broke) but I just thought to mention it. Ditch fast food and embrace packed lunches. Cook noodles in meat stock and pair them with boiled eggs, yummy right? Did you say gourmet restaurant? Must I remind you that you have no spare funds?
- Host a Potluck Dinner: Don’t suffer alone — invite friends, ask them to bring food, and call it a “New Year Feast.” I just hope some people don’t come bearing garri and groundnuts or crackers and pure water seeing as sapa is everywhere.
3. Start a Side Hustle: Everyone is hustling in January, so join the train. All you have to do is look deep within and reveal your latent entrepreneurial skills. You’ll be surprised when you discover you can make something from something you have or know how to do.
- Sell What You Don’t Need: New Year, New Me, right? Turn your clutter into cash online. Let people know what you have for sale and be sure to let them know you’re not heading to Canada so they can offer you a good price. That unused blender could pay for your week’s transport. Those designer shoes you haven’t worn in months could stock your fridge.
- Freelance Like a Boss: Identify skills you have that can be monetized: writing, editing, tutoring, painting, designing, whatever. There are many online tools that you can use to execute your tasks and most of them even have free versions you can use: ChatGPT, Canva, Suno, and MidJourney come to mind.
- Odd Jobs for Quick Cash: If you have spare time, you can support people instead of sitting at home wondering how to survive January. Run errands, help people move, wash your neighbour’s car, or assist with laundry services. Every little bit helps.
4. Socializing Without Spending: Detty December may have gone but your social life doesn’t have to end so soon. You may not have much money but you don’t need to go broke to stay social.
- Host Game Nights: Enough with clubbing and partying, organise a games night featuring Ludo, WHOT, Ayo, and all other indoor games you have. Even better, invite enough people to form teams and battle the night away. Everyone must bring something to munch and drink though: you are only providing your house.
- Schedule Movie Nights at Home: TV screen? Check. Surround system? Check. Generator or Inverter? Check. Popcorn and Zobo? Check. That’s all you need to host a movie night. Oh, I forgot, you didn’t renew your cable or streaming subscription this month but you bought data yeah? YouTube has some lovely movies you can watch as a family or group. No data? Find any old Nollywood DVDs and relive classic moments.
- Free Local Events: There’s always something happening somewhere and you can sometimes pop in uninvited. Check out karaoke nights at local bars, open-air crusades, and sports competitions — good vibes are free. Religious events, street football, birthday parties, and weddings happen all year round, find one and crash it if you’re not invited. See me for tips on how to crash events.
- Virtual Hangouts: Yep, this didn’t have to end after the lockdown. Why spend money on transport when you can simply join a virtual meeting? From singing competitions to quizzes, dance battles to fitness games, everyone can create and enjoy a fun activity.
5. Stay Sane, Watch Your Health and Wellness: Detty December may have seen you become a social butterfly but you don’t have to become a caterpillar in January. Keep your energy levels high, let nothing dull your shine.
- Home Spa Sessions: You probably already have all you need at home: towels, essential oils, scented candles, a flatbed, and a gentle pair of hands to help ease the tension out of your body. You can also rummage through your kitchen and find things you can use to make a face or body mask.
- Exercise for Free: Why renew your gym membership when you can improvise? Morning jogs or brisk walks, skipping ropes, lifting weighted objects, and YouTube workouts will keep you in shape without breaking the bank.
- Meditation & Journaling: Spend time by yourself in a quiet place, Relax and reflect on how rich you’ll feel by the next payday. Ensure you spend time documenting your thoughts and also setting goals for better financial habits.
6. Emergency Tips for Broke Days: When all else fails, apply these survival tactics:
- Borrow Responsibly: Lean on family and friends — there’s no shame in asking for help. I just hope you have a good track record of repayment, otherwise, no one will lend you money.
- Free Food Alerts: Look out for free food at parties, in the office, and at events. Don’t turn down any opportunity to eat for free. Bring your shoulder down, don’t let pride starve you.
- Plan Better Next Year: Start a January survival plan now. Open a dedicated savings/ investment account for times like this— future you will be grateful.
Surviving January in Nigeria takes planning, strategy, and a bit of hustle. Laugh through the struggle because, trust me, payday is coming, even it if will take 50 more January days! And when it does, you’ll be wiser, stronger, and maybe even a little richer.
Have you got a January survival hack that works wonders? Share it, let’s support one another during these trying times! As always, this is the way I see things today.