After reading the topic, I had planned to start writing by accusing the Government for everything regarding the cashless policy and the effects it had on the citizens but somehow that thought has left me now that I decided to start writing. Because thinking about the whole thing that happened ever since they declared the new currency to be our legal tender and it's scarcity, things have taken a different direction to what we knew as norm.
I want to blame someone for all that happened but then, what would that help? It has happened already, lessons learnt and we move.
Image was designed here
The one phrase I'll use to describe my life during the no cash policy period would be "Life on repeat". I was literally doing the same thing every single day except of course a few days where I decided to act like I didn't want to do some of the things I did the day before but still end up doing it at a different time on that same day 😂 I don't want to say someone had a remote on me controlling the way I lived through that period.
Well, I was lucky enough to have left school and gone back home before the policy began but what I didn't like about that period was the fact that I couldn't go out as I had planned to do when I got back from school. You wouldn't believe it that it was until two days ago I got to see my aunt and cousins after promising them that I'll see them last year when I returned from school.
I couldn't get cash to buy stuffs from sellers who preferred cash payment even when they are aware of what was going on, how could I find cash to pay transport workers who obviously you can't do a transfer to. So I stayed at home all through the time of that cashless policy and I was hopeful that I'll add up somehow 🥲 well, that didn't come true but it's fine.
Was there any positive improvement in my spending?
A lot of improvements, I could actually give a rundown of how much I spent during that time because I rarely did since I had no access to cash and I was always at home. Well, dad did most of the hustling to get cash in the house so I never got to use mine... That should explain why my spending habit improved 😂 I couldn't buy stuffs as I liked anymore, no more favourite drinks, snacks or even meal. I just ate whatever I find back then.
But it helped me save my money but not so much as I can't give a calculation of the amount I've spent on data staying at home. When I'm not working, I'm browsing on my phone spending data on anything I could to get entertainment at home. Truth is, I never got tired of living on that repeat but I wanted the no cash policy to end as early as it could for those hustling for their family like my dad, it wasn't easy for him I must say.
One thing I'm very sure of about that period that passed is that it taught me and many others how to manage what we could get, a lot of persons practiced budget including the very rich ones. It actually made me happy to know that the policy didn't affect only the poor class, it was for everyone so long one was a citizen.
It has ended and cash flow is back on even though not fully yet because banks are still frustrating as ever 😏 but we could see the light from where we are now. An evidence? I'm out of our house, I altered my tampered lifestyle lol.
This is my entry to the Hive-naija weekly prompt and I'd love to invite @princessbusayo @nkemakonam89 @balikis95 and @moremoney28 to participate as well, tell us how the no cash policy affected you.
