Preventing January Brokedom

Hi everyone!!

I watch people go through this every year and it amazes me how people still don’t plan for their shortcomings in January. My mom is a teacher so she’ll always tell me that her kids would all pack up and go see their families in Gauteng and then in January they won’t have enough money for school fees, uniform or books.

So this is only my first year of working and I obviously have no experience in staying afloat myself so these suggested tips will be of how I plan to have myself covered when I return to work in January!! Obviously you should let your hair down, enjoy yourself and end 2015 on a good note! But before you do that, you’ll want to consider these few life saver tips!!!

Pay all your fixed costs (recurring costs) for January now before starting with your Christmas Shopping.

Buy what you’ll need in January now while you have money e.g sanitary products that ran out in December.

Keep your gift shopping to what you can afford.

Only go on trips that you’ve been planning for or ones you are invited to and the majority of the trip has already been taken care of or is free.

Buy things with an expiry date that is past January – in that way you know that you won’t have to include it in your January grocery list.

Avoid using your credit card. Or use an amount that you can pay off within the first month in 2016.

Don’t pick up the tab - no matter how monied you are. You’ll remember that money when it’s rough and the people who you supplied with free booze will also be too broke to remember you.

Make your way back to where you live after the holidays 2 days in advance. I found that it helps you get ready for the first workday of 2016 and also gives you enough time to run last minute errands before the hecticness starts up again.

Enjoy Christmas and New Year responsibly!!

Love