Hello people,
I have a question for y’all
Have you ever been caught in the web of excessive spending? You try so hard to stick to your budget but it seems so difficult. Well, I have and believe me, its not a pleasant place to be at.
As ladies we love to look good all the time and this has led to the craving to be up-to-date in our fashion. We are always tempted to go for what is in vogue and sometimes we end up buying things we don’t need and may never use.
Today, I will be sharing with us things that have helped me to avoid this pitfall and how I am learning to spend wisely; knowing that every kobo is a gift from God.
PS: Because I am writing this for young ladies mainly, I will tailor it down to our outfits and accessories but you can apply the same principles in other areas of your life. Plus I guess our brothers reading this will also learn a thing or two.
In curbing excessive spending habit, here are a few things I learnt that have been of great help.
Ask the Holy Spirit; I hope this doesn’t sound weird or hyper-spiritual or even archaic. For me, it’s a normal way of life; it’s the right thing to do. The Holy Spirit does not only teach us the bible, he gives us wisdom for our finances too. He leads us to make wise decisions and not fall for all the cravings of our flesh. Ask him, let him guide you in your spending and you will always look back with joy knowing that you have done the right thing. All the resources God brings our way are a gift from Him and we must not forget that we are stewards and not owners, we are accountable to God.
Prioritize; before I say ‘have a budget and stick to it’ let me first remind us of the need to set our priorities right. It’s difficult to stick to your budget when you don’t differentiate between what you need and what you want; they are two very different things. So before making a list or budget, you must know the things you need, they are what will make up the integral part of your budget. If you have a budget filled with your wants rather than your needs, you may become a spendthrift. So before even starting to make a budget, sit down and separate what’s urgent and important from what is not.
To the buying of fine clothes, there is no end; This is an expression I invented for myself and it has worked wonders for me. It helps me stay disciplined and frugal in my spending. For example, sometimes you go to the market to buy food stuffs or other things and a flashy dress or shoe catches your eyes and bam! you go and check it out. Coincidentally, it’s your perfect size and you really love it. The only problem is that you don’t have enough money to purchase it and if you don’t buy it now, someone else will take it. Well, this has happened to me severally and for a couple of times I fell for that temptation and went ahead to buy something I didn’t really need at the moment because it looked good. Impulsive buying is a bad habit you cannot afford to cultivate, so what I do now is to price the dress when I see it and then tell myself; Nasa, to the buying of fine clothes there is no end, you will see finer ones tomorrow and shikenan! I will just waka pass.
I am not against you buying fine clothes you like if you can afford them, but what I don’t approve is buying a dress on credit. You don’t have money to buy it now? Don’t worry, you will have money to buy finer ones tomorrow.
It’s my personal opinion that you should keep wearing the ones you have until you have the money to buy the new one, then come back and if it’s still available you can get it. If not, I can almost guarantee you will find a better one as this has been my experience many times. There have also been times when on returning, I didn’t meet my princess charming dress so I just let it go and reminded myself that it wasn’t for me in the first place.
Give out what you are not using; I have this practice I am cultivating. Here is how it works: at the end of every year, I go through my wardrobe and give out any clothes or shoes I haven’t worn in the outgoing year. I always tell myself that if I haven’t worn it in one year, then I may not need it in the next year. This gives me a lot of space whether new ones are coming in or not; it makes no sense piling up things I am are not using. So learn to give out things you are not using at the moment, it may be the princess charming dress someone has been waiting for.
A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses; never forget that. Though it is unbelievable but I have heard a lot of people say that they prefer to buy expensive things so that people will know that they have arrived. In other words, they like to show off. My dear, there is no need for that. If you can get good quality clothes at a price you can afford, why trade it for another very expensive one you know you can’t afford just because you want to show off? You then announce the amount you bought it even when no one is asking you. My dear, its not necessary.
More clothes, shoes and bags won’t make a heart devoid of God’s love any happier. They don’t also mean success in life. Let me tell you what more clothes, shoes and bags mean- they only mean that you have more clothes, shoes and bags…that’s all, nothing more. Don’t seek validation from possessing more and more material things; they don’t bring the needed peace and beauty you search for. Only Jesus can.
Your true worth is found only in Christ Jesus and believe me, He is already pleased with you!
Next time, when you are tempted to buy stuffs you don’t need, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom, be sure your priorities are in the right order, don’t act impulsively, confirm that you are not having more than your barn can hold and remind yourself that your worth in life does not come from what you have but who you are in Christ.
I made these few tips into an acronym so it can come in handy just when you need it. I hope it helps- “APTGA”
God loves you fiercely!
Much Love
xoxo
