The cost of living in Nigeria is getting more expensive day by day. It's quite difficult for many people to feed three times a day due to the high cost of things in the market. Looking back to past years, things are not as expensive as this, Prices of goods has gone up and I spend three times more than what I do spent before.
Irrespective of this high cost of living, i have initiated a coping mechanism of ways to scale through this phase. I have learn to do scale of preference and buy things that are important and essential at home. At the end of the month, I itemized the things needed for the month and buy those one's that are important. I have noticed that feeding takes large chunks of my salary.
Before I had a customer who sells fresh tomato and pepper, most times I do buy from her until recently when my neighbors inform me of a local market at a nearby town close to my place. At first I was quiet reluctant, because I thought my customer goods was fair enough until I went to this local market and discover my customer has been cheating me all this while, things were so cheap in that market.
Ever since then, At the end of the months I do go and buy food stuffs at the local market. I do buy basket of tomatoes and pepper, fresh meat, fish and store them in the freezer. This usually last for a month. With this I have been able cut down unnecessary expenses. I have discovered that buying things in bulk is quite cheaper and also save me from unnecessary stress.
I have also learnt not to waste food unlike before that I won't finish a food and throw them away. I have learnt to cook food that I and my family will eat once and in case if there is left over, I do store them in the freezer. The freezer has really been helpful in this season of economic hardship
As regards to transportation, I was working before in a company which was quiet far from my work. When I calculate the cost of transportation in a month, it was almost half of the salary which was one of the reason why I quitted the job. Recently I got a job which was quiet close to my house and most time I do treck to my workplace because it is less than 10minutes walk to my house, this has really help in cutting down expenses. Other items like groceries and toiletries, I ensure I buy them at wholesale stores which is one of the reasons why I buy things in bulk.
Despite this high cost of living, I don't plan to change my location, I believe the high cost of things is a general problem been faced in all states within Nigeria, instead of changing location I have adhere to the above measures so as to cope with the high cost of living irrespective of my location.