Once, I had written based on the prompt topic, "us or our forefathers" on the issues facing the current time. There's a saying that goes, "whatever goes up, must surely come down". That may be largely true but an exception is found in the economy of my homeland, Nigeria.
Therefore, I paraphrase, "whatever goes up always stays up."
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When I was very much a younger girl, a pack of noodles was sold at 50naira, then it rose to 80 and then 100naira, then 120naira. I want
to assume that it’s between #150 to #180 presently. 'Assume' because I do not know for sure how much it is sold. I’ve not had it in a while and that’s because I can no longer afford it. (Thankfully I’m not a super fan of noodles.)
Annoyingly, the quantity keeps decreasing as the price increases.
The same can be said of other food produces both imported and locally made. As you wake up each day, the price of an item has gone up....it's new everymorning.
I sometimes wonder how the low-class and poorest of the poor cope
because even in the middle and high class are not spared of the wrath of
inflation.
Just a few months back, we faced fierce inflation here due to the Naira redesign. Cash was scarce, petrol was limited in shpply, food was very expensive. Heck! It was a very trying period.
But then, what can one do?
A man has got to eat, whatever the prices of food cost because, food is a basic necessity and something we cannot do without. Therefore, we have to adapt. Thankfully, adaptation is something which we all have ingrained in us.
So yeah, as the price keeps increasing, we look for a way to cushion the effects of this inflation.
For me, I have a few mapped out strategies on how I handle these
very trying times and I’ll be sharing them thus…
Budgeting and prioritizing.
With increase in price of things, i can no longer afford to get everything I want so I go in for making a list of my wants and of my needs and then tending to my needs first. After that, if nd if I have some extra cash, then I can splurge on my wants.
Purchase stuff in bulk
I actually learned this from my mom. So, rather than get things in very little quantity, we get them in large quantities because they save us some coins and although those coins might not be too big, yet, they could always be used to augment other areas of purchases.
Do it myself
There are very little things we could actually afford to make do with at home or try to make ourselves. Say we have the palm kernel, we can always make oil out of it. It might be a long and tiring process sometimes but then, think of the end-gain and the extra money you'll save. There are a whole lot of things we could save on if we only make an effort to do them ourselves. Just look around, know where to switch things up.
Basically, that’s all I do to handle inflation. Here in my country, it is come to stay....unfortunately, it is here to stay and/but a man has got to feed and take care of himself. There's not much we can do but only work harder, strive harder and then just do what you have to do.
That’s it.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!