This is a period when we need all the financial literacy that we can get because the whole place is becoming hotter by the day. I can't even imagine what will happen in the nearest future to our children if things continue going the way it is now.
From all indication, those who did not make any financial plans for the future are the ones suffering it today. We have people who just work and eat everything. They don't consider tomorrow. They don't remember that tomorrow needs to be taken care of. Though some people will say that it is not their fault, but the economy needs to be blamed for the situation of things. Well, they may be right and they may be wrong. All the same we need to do something very urgently to help us in the raining days.
I use to think like that before. Eating everything in the name of not enough money to save for tomorrow. But I changed when I noticed that we are suffering and anyone you go to will not want to help when you need urgent money. Some people call it - urgent 2k. Hahahaha 🤣. No one is ready to help with urgent 2k again because the economy is really hard on almost everyone now. This is what we call - the rich also cry.
Let me use this medium to share with the house what help me raise money for my first book that I publishing in the year 2000. I needed to publish my book and there was no money to do so. I tried to see if I can convince the publisher to do I on debt so that I can balance when I sell the book. The man refused and said that I am not a known author and he is not too sure if the book will sell for me to pay him back later. I became very confused and was already given up on publishing the book when a friend of mine brought the issue of monthly contribution to me. She told me that she is planning to get up to ten people together to start a monthly contribution that one person will carry each month. I was not ready to join because I was not working as at that time. I was also still a student then. The only source of income for me was the home lessons that I do. I was earning #8,000 per month and I also do sell honey from time to time, which helps the family in one way or the other. When I said to her that I am not interested, she insisted that I joined them. I reluctantly joined them grumbling. The first month I managed to pay, the second and third month the same thing. When we continued to the sixth month I was given a hundred and twenty thousand naira (#120,000). I just opened my month and did not know what to say. I have never been able to save such amount of money all the years that I have worked. Not that I have not been able to make such amount, but I can't keep money aside for tomorrow. I'm among the people that can't save.
The first thing that I did was to go to the publisher and pay what I had with me and the work started. Within a week my book was ready and it seems as if I was dreaming. An author? Me? Hahahaha 🤣. I will just laugh to myself each time I looked at the book. I started taking it to people who never knew about the book, to my surprise people started buying and someone just jokingly said to me one day, why not organize a book lunch for that people can come and lunch your book. I never thought of it. From that day we started planning on how to lunch my book. When the D day came, I realized more than the money that was used to publish my book. Another surprise for me. Few schools placed a demand and I took to them. Up till today, Nasarawa state College of education Akwanga still uses that book for their year two students. Each time that I enter the school and see students with my book, I just feel so happy that I have been able to write a book that can help humanity. Even though the lecturers just give me part of the money and tell me one and hundred stories to make sure they don't pay, but for a started like myself I don't really mind. They can eat part and pay me part no problem. I know that one day I will make enough money through my books.
SAVINGS.
This is my financial advise from me to anyone reading this post today. It will not be sweet when we start it but when you will get your money, you will forget all the pains you pass through each time to pay your own. Recently I started another monthly contribution and my target is to use the money to publish my second book. It has not been easy for me but I think is worth it. When the money will come I believe that the joy will wipe away all tears.
Im conclusion, save in season and out of season. When it seems very comfortable and when is not. Don't forget that if you keep looking at the weather you can't plant your crops.
This post was inspired by the hive learners community contest for week 116, edition 1.
