Living within your budget Peace and happiness are needed in life and can only be realised through self discipline, financial discipline and gratitude.

Yeukai Karengezeka-Arts Correspondent

It has become a tradition that in January people get busy writing down resolutions of what they want to achieve and become as the year progresses.

Aiming high is everyone’s desire and when it comes to our lifestyle, we yearn to improve, which is not a bad thing at all.

But the problem comes when we wish to attain certain things overnight, without having the ability to endure the process.

We all love success but very few people are willing to sacrifice to earn it the proper way.

If you had a terrible time in 2022 because debtors were always after you, it is time to change your attitude and the way you do things.

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to live a life of keeping up appearances and trying to fit in circles you do not fit into.

You are never truly happy because of what others are easily affording to wear, eat and drive, you have to go the extra mile to get the same.

If you have to borrow, or find some other unethical means to get the money that is wrong. You may end up affecting your relations with people.

Some go to the extremes of having “Blessers” who can look after them and meet the expenses of the lifestyle they desire.

Young boys are getting into romantic relationships with elderly wealthy women who can provide for them and likewise young women going after elderly rich men.

Although this can be an option to maintain a certain lifestyle, there are recuperations attached to this, including the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV.

In the long term, such people end up lacking interest to work hard to attain wealth and shun entering relationships with people of their age.

Therefore, do your best to resist the pressure to have the same material things as the people around you or worse those you see on television or on social media.

There are trending hairstyles, clothing wear, make up kits, handbags, shoes, outing places, and so on. 

You may be able to use credit cards and loans to fake wealth for a short period of time, but you will suffer the consequences later.

 You end up paying more since interest is added to your balance each month.

Focus is very key to remaining on a good course. Do not spend more than you earn each month.

Working with a budget is critical because it helps you get rid of debt, prevents overspending, and gives you control over your money.

This year, you can make up your mind to exercise financial prudence. Being financially responsible is important for your health and your financial life.

There are actions that you have to implement to get rid of “borrowing syndrome”.

Having things like credit cards, loans or savings allow you to buy more things that can exceed your income, and honestly depending on that kind of lifestyle is not sustainable.

You also need to know how often you get paid so you can better match the timing of your income with your bills. Since most of your bills are paid monthly, you’ll need to know how much you get paid every month.

Distinguishing the difference between a need and a want helps to redefine what is truly a necessity in your life.

We often make assumptions about what we need based on what is normal in the societies we live in. But it is a known fact no matter how much stuff we have, we always seem to want more.  This is caused by the fact that we live in a society that is consumer driven that tries to tell us that money can buy all the happiness in the world because they want us to keep consuming.

Take time to appreciate what you have and be determined to work hard to attain the things you want.

Budgeting on lifestyle affects all facets of your life in different ways depending on how you are handling it irrespective of your age.

In an interview, renowned relationships expert Tinaani Mwakutuya said it was unfortunate that most people did not understand what it means to live within their budget.

“Most people have little understanding of understanding the concept of living within your budget,” he said.

“It means you are self-aware of who you are, and you are true to yourself, you don’t lie or deny the reality of who you are and where you are coming from.

“This attracts meaningful relationships to you and people who will love you and accept you as who you are.”

Mwakutuya said many young people face challenges in relationships as a result of trying to fake who they truly are.

“Living a fake love means you are not going to be transparent about who you are, this has a ripple effect on the kind of relationships you will have. You attract versions of people who will love you for who you are not, and this won’t last long as you need to continue keeping that façade.

 He said this will make one lose people, friends, and even romantic relationships because it is quite expensive and exhausting to be who you are not.

He added that people enter marriages that do not last because they are being founded on fake personalities and it is breaking families apart.

Mwakutuya urged the youths to be true to themselves.

“It starts from an individual level where we have a true perception of ourselves, we love ourselves we appreciate how we are and we live within our means.

There is no pressure to be who we are not hence we are genuine and finally attracting genuine relationships which are healthy.”

Some of the people that spoke to this publication expressed mixed feelings about the subject. “Gone are the days when we used to be told that live according to what you can afford, times have changed and so should our perceptions about life.

“Life is too short, I do whatever l can to live the kind of lifestyle I want and I don’t care what other people think. If I find men who can look after me I accept,” said a woman who identified herself as Miss Kayla.

Mr Tanaka Gwaziro, a Harare resident said life has taught him a lot of lessons about financial discipline.

“I was very overzealous and borrowed a lot of money from a bank because I wanted to start a business that l believed was very profitable and it did not work out as expected,” he said.

He said his life became miserable as his house was later sold by the bank to recover their money and it affected his marriage and the welfare of his children.

So it is never too late to make adjustments in your life. Peace and happiness are needed in life and can only be realised through self discipline, financial discipline and gratitude.

Learn to live within your budget!

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