Beware of January, the Longest Month in the Year!
From time immemorial, the ‘ember’ months have always had a special feel to it. The fact that the festive periods—I mean Christmas—falls within that period always makes it more memorable. Boom! Prices of everything start skyrocketing as people start scrambling for things to buy for the celebrations. Anyway, man must chop, abi? Lol. Pardon my vernacular.
Even at workplaces, salaries for December get paid far earlier than in other months all in a bid to avail employees the opportunity of enjoying the holidays with cash in their pockets. At this point, spending is at its peak and stores enjoy their busiest peak periods. Need I mention that December boasts of the highest cash flow, outwitting any other month.
For lovebirds, Christmas period is usually the perfect time to bond and share good times together. Of course, this costs money, but, who cares? The bills pale into oblivion when romance sets in. For partygoers and socialites, there would never be a better excuse to spend money and ‘faji’ than in December. I could go on and on, but I’m sure you catch my drift. I love December and all that comes with it. What a time to be alive and forget your sorrows.
Alas! Just beyond December lies a very contrast month—bitter and angry at all the celebrations December enjoyed all alone. I speak of angry old January, the longest month in the year. When you have drunk your champagne, beer and whatever alcohol you could lay your hands on; when you are done eating all the turkey laps and female laps you could find available and; when you are done excreting all you’ve devoured, then, best be assured that January will be waiting for you just outside the latrine! God knows I despise January with a passion.
I remember, 5yrs ago, when I worked at a law firm as a media officer and public relations team member, these guys, by December, paid I and other employees their salaries for December and January. Combined, the money was huge and tempting to behold each time I opened my bank mobile application on my tablet. Trust me! By December 30th, I had devoured about 85% of the money and didn’t even realize how far I had spent. By January 1, the sad reality soon dawned on me—I was in some deep mess.
By the end of the first week of January, it had felt like I had witnessed 30days in the New Year already. I, regularly, checked the calendar, praying for the days to fly by, yet watching the dates shift at an annoyingly snail’s pace. I hear of rainmakers holding rains from falling, but, what I needed back then was a different type of sorcery that could make me time-travel to the end of January and away from the nightmare. Ladies and gentlemen, there is no point sharing my catalogue of catastrophes in that January: My eyes saw something!
That period taught me many valuable lessons, For starters, I learned prudency in a hard way. I realized how important it is to be financially wise and not get carried away with moments that will fade away soon. Since then, by every December, even before then, I set aside cash that will sufficiently take me through the long treacherous road January offers.
What will it profit you to be a “big boy” in December and a beggar in January? Oh yes! Many so-called ballers in the ember months end up begging for urgent 2k in January just to survive. The contrast is alarming.
Last year, I borrowed a friend a huge sum of cash in January. This is the same guy who had taken me and my girlfriend (along with his) out for ‘faji’ and spent over a quarter of a million that day and the succeeding morning. I shook my head in disbelief as I wired the loan amount to his account.
Just so you know: I am not here to be a killjoy. I am merely trying to be the voice of reason. After all the fireworks, champagne popping and glitters, you will be left alone in the corner of your dark room if you do not put your financial priorities in order and trust me, that is no place you’ll love to be in.
As for myself, I have carefully stashed some cash with my Mom for the rainy days in January. I have stashed some others in an alternate bank account. I don’t know how to soak garri with sugar and groundnut. I am particularly selective with foods and have a pretty large appetite. Thus, I would rather tone down my ‘flexing’ in December so I don’t look like a skeleton by the end of January! To be forewarned, they say, is to be forearmed. Merry Christmas and long January in advance.
