Mimi's Thoughts

This is 40

Seasons change. The first time I heard this was in the Fugees song ‘how many mics’. In one of the verses, they followed it with the words ‘madness rearranged’. In my opinion, this isn’t false. Madness is just rearranged daily…it kind of gives us drama to balance our daily lives. My focus however is on ‘seasons change’.

A season is a period in a year, signified by a particular kind of weather. We all experience at least four seasons in a year. From my corner of the world, it is basically hot dry, rainy, dry and harmattan. I have experienced these seasons 39 times. This means I have experienced at least one hundred and fifty six seasons in my life time. I am thankful to God for seeing me through these seasons. However, it is the other seasons of my life that I am most grateful for.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we learn that ‘for everything, there is a season’

In our daily lives, we experience seasons. Dry seasons, trying seasons, happy seasons, sad seasons, breaking seasons and building seasons, waiting seasons, growing(mental, emotional and physical) seasons and so many more. No matter what season I have found myself in, one thing has always remained the same; I have had the faithful Hand of God on me in every season of my life.

I am super thankful to God for my current season. It is a season where I have experienced the best days in several areas of life, all at the same time.

I know that I still have many more seasons ahead of me. Some previous seasons will resurface and some new seasons will surface. Whatever may come, I pray the great Hand of God never leaves me.

On this beautiful day, as I turn 40 in this beautiful season, I continue to sing my song of the season; The Story I’ll Tell by Maverick City Music (feat. Naomi Raine).

Happy Birthday Mimi Stacey Terver-Bossua

The Chosen

The Chosen

Growing up, I saw and enjoyed the movie Jesus of Nazareth. I thought The Chosen would be the same kind of story so I assumed it had nothing new to offer. I assumed wrong.

The Chosen is a Christian TV series. It is a detailed account of the life of Jesus Christ. The chosen has two seasons so far, each season consisting 8 episodes. Each episode runs for at least 30 to 64 minutes. It tells the story of a life of Jesus Christ. It is the only account of Jesus that has been related in an episode based multi-season version. The series is created by an American film maker Dallas Jenkins. Jenkins also happens to be the director and a co-writer of the series.

Jenkins tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of people who had contact with him and also followed him.

You can watch The Chosen TV series free of charge on the designated App; The chosen. The show is also available on a number of streaming platforms. The series was produced with the help of crowd funding and there will be a need for addition help because the series is intended to be a seven season series. It intends to tell the entire story of Jesus through all the Gospels in the Bible; Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.

The Chosen series is watched all over the world and subtitles have been provided in over 20 languages. These include Spanish, German, French, Russian, Polish and Portuguese. In addition to the subtitles, there are audio dubs for the chosen drama series in Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Russian and Portuguese.

Where can you watch The Chosen? :

The Chosen app – the chosen app is the designated medium for streaming the series. The app is available on the Apple or Google play store. Also in the app is an option that allows you to pay it forward to people who don’t have a chance to watch it. Paying it forward is made possible by purchasing a pay it forward package available on the app.
Amazon prime video –Amazon prime video allows you to buy or rent a movie or series and the chosen is definitely not an exception. A monthly subscription is required to have access to their services.
YouTube – the show has been made available on YouTube on its official channel and other unofficial ones too.
Facebook – you can find some good bits of the chosen on its official Facebook page.
Youversion Bible app – full episodes and also short clips of the chosen are available on the Youversion Bible app. The Youversion Bible app can be downloaded from Google play store or the Apple store

Places you won’t find the chosen:

Netflix – The Chosen has not made its way to this streaming service yet.
Hulu
HBO Max

The Chosen has raised so many questions as to whether the story is a true account as it is written in the bible. I think the creator has tried to portray the story to give the modern day people a clearer picture and a better understanding of some of the stories in the bible. The aim of the creator does not seem to be defeated as many people continue to stream the series every day. The number of people who have downloaded the chosen app has since risen over 100 million.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will there be a season 3 of The Chosen? Yes, the third season of the Christian drama series will premier in the year 2022. The exact date has not been announced but it has been confirmed to surface before the year ends.

Paid To Read Books

Why are you being paid to read books? People often wonder why and how possible it is to get paid for just reading a book. It is possible and it is actually happening but there is a catch. You get to do something in return. Thousands of books get published daily and the need for reviewers is on a rise, that’s where you could come in.

If you love reading in your leisure time or all the time, you could get paid to read books and give your reviews based on questions that will be given to you or by responding to instructions as will be required. Readers are given a book at a time and they get paid between $10 to$200 per book, depending on the complexity of the book and analysis required.

What is a book review?

A review is an assessment. It can be explained as a formal evaluation or appraisal of something. It could be a movie, a song, a show, an appliance or an art display/exhibition. Therefore, a book review can be explained as an analysis of a book based on its content, style and usefulness. Book reviews are very important because it serves as information for readers. Most people want to be guided by brief information before they dig into a book. A review serves as a determinant as to whether they will read the book or not. A review is also very helpful to the author, it allows them know if they succeeded in their intention for the book or not. It is because of this that it is important for reviews to be fair and true.

There has been a lot of curiosity around the fact that people are being paid to read books online. Where has this job opportunity suddenly surfaced from? The answer is simple and can be answered by two major reasons. First, we must consider that almost everything is being monetized these days. People have tried to find different methods to make an extra buck. So if someone saddled with a lot of work and they need someone to help them read and review a book, then you could do it for them for a fee. Secondly, the publishing industry is growing daily. Old and new authors are writing constantly and so many books need to be published and not so many people are available to read and give reviews. That is where readers come in.

Sites that will pay you to read books:

WordsRated: this company is dishing out $200 for every book finished. The job of the reader is simply to read and take notes on the specific details that will be required.
Booklist: on this site you will get paid $15 for each book you read and review. Their genre include adult books, graphic novels, youth books and more
Online Book Club: this website requires your honest review and not just positive review. They pay between $5 to $60 per review
Women’s Review Of Books: this requires highly qualified readers and reviewers because their writers are highly intellectual academics, journalists and also highly experienced reviewers. Their genre includes fiction, biographies, poetry and visual books.
Kirkus Media: this outfit is hire readers of both English and Spanish language. Their reviews are usually expected to be about 350 words and often expected to be turned in within two weeks.
Book Browse: this company employs mostly within the United States and requires a minimum of 300 words per review. Its genre is mainly non-fiction, adult fiction and books for young adults.
US Review of books: Here, reviews are from 250-300 words and must be edited in Chicago style. Payment comes monthly.
Net Galley: this publishing company is open to bloggers, writers etc. and will pay you to read and review
Reedsy Discovery: apart from reading and reviewing, here you get an opportunity to get tips sent from readers for your review. Also, if you build yourself and are recognized as a reviewer on this brand, you could get authors to contact you by liaising with them.
Upwork: this is a popular and one of the biggest avenues when it comes to freelancers.

Whichever choice you make, always make sure to check personal requirements before you apply to any of the sites. That way, you know exactly what is expected of you and if you meet up with their requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a person who gets paid to read books called? A person who loves to read books is called a Bibliophile. A person who gets paid for reading is just a bibliophile who gets paid. However I must add that some people who read to get paid are not necessarily bibliophiles but probably just readers.
Can I read books and get paid without doing anything in return? No you cannot. The sole purpose for reading the book is to give a feedback. Your feedback confirms that you have read a book and then in turn, you get paid.

Grocery Store or Supermarket?

A lot of people often do not know that there is a difference in the names of the places they do their shopping at. You could run into a person who can easily say they are off to the grocery store but then you find that they actually went to the supermarket to stock up on their toiletries. There is a clear distinction between these two places.

The difference between grocery stores and a supermarkets lies solely with the items stocked and sold. While the grocery store has only foods and all edibles, the supermarket stocks everything possible from food to household item and clothes and lots more. This means that if you are looking to stock up on food only, your stop should be a grocery store but if you plan to stock on food and other things, then you definitely should be heading for a supermarket.

To identify the difference between a grocery store and a super market, we need to really get a good picture of what one is.

Grocery store:

This kind of store usually stocks and sells all kinds of food items. These foods range from fresh out of the farm foods to packaged and ready to make or eat foods.

Every grocery store has the following sections and more

Meat – this includes all variety of protein. Beef, chicken, fish, pock etc.
Produce – these include Fruits and vegetables, they are usually fresh off the farm
Diary – this isle or section displays cream, butter, milk, cheese, custard and the rest of its kind.
Bakery – grocery stores always stock up on breads, croissants, cakes, pies and more or they have a bakery within and they bake them themselves.
Canned food – foods in this section are canned meat/fish, diced tomatoes, olives and lots more.
Frozen food – these are food that you get to defrost at home. E.g. frozen fruits and vegetables, shrimp, ice cream etc.
Beverages – grocery stores always stock up on non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic drinks too if licensed to sell alcohol.
Bottled and packed items like Breakfast cereals, cake mix, pet food, salad dressings, oils, ketchup, mustard etc.

Supermarket:

This is a very large store that stocks up and retails general goods. One distinctive characteristic about a supermarket is that you get to serve yourself by moving through shelves and isles to pick your items on your own. The range of items at a supermarket is very large. There is almost everything available. One stop at a supermarket can get you sorted out in your personal needs, food needs, home maintenance needs and much more.

The super market is usually arranged in sections to enable the shoppers to find their items very easily and also for proper organization. These sections include:

Groceries – in this section, all items available at grocery stores can be found here. The grocery area usually takes a huge portion of the supermarket because it is a section of the market with sections of its own.
Household – these shelves display detergents, cleaning supplies, diapers and more. Some large appliances even have kitchen ware and household appliances like bread toasters, blenders or even washing machines available for purchase.
Personal health and care – here you would find items like cosmetics, perfumes, hair products and general toiletries.
Textile – a wide variety of clothes and garments are found shelves and hangers in this section. These include children’s clothing and shoes too.
Magazines/books – a wide array of books and magazine usually fill this section. A wide range of genre is usually covered so that gets to find something that interests them.
Toys – children’s toys and event adult toys.
Pharmacies – some supermarkets often include a pharmaceutical section for people will such needs.

Distinctive Differences Between Grocery Store And Supermarket

Items stocked and sold – while the grocery store specializes in one category, which is food and drinks, the supermarket has no restriction to the items it sells, it has a very wide range of items and products.
Size – a supermarket is usually much larger than a grocery store.
Location – grocery stores are often located in neighborhoods and meet the immediate community’s needs.
Ownership – grocery stores are often owned by families or small businesses while supermarkets are almost always owned by large companies and/or organizations.

One reason why it is more difficult to tell the difference between the two is that as time changes and things change with it, people are beginning to alter the way things used to be. Like a grocery store for example. Some grocery stores tend to stock up on items that are not food related, maybe because it can turn in a good profit. These items are displayed on isles where you will not miss them, like cards, books, magazines, key holders, handkerchiefs and many other quick buy items. So now, people do not know that it is meant to be specialized to a category of products only.

Social Media Fasting

One night, long after my son and I had said good night, I was all tucked up and ready for my movie for the night when he walked into my room. He asked if he could sleep in my bed. I said yes, but I also asked why. He told me he was afraid because of a story he had overheard me and some ladies discussing; about an incident that had gone viral on the blue app. I remembered immediately. I had been a bit shaken by that story myself.

He stayed with me and while he slept, I started to replay the discussion and I began to get upset with myself. I advised myself; I said I would cut down on my social media time because he is almost always with me. I started gradually, it was difficult in the beginning, but after a while it became easier.

Social media has proven to be a very important tool and medium for many of us. It has helped some of us reconnect and connect with school mates, family members, old and new friends and more. Social media has also helped many businesses and individuals move from zero to hero. It has also given a good number of people the opportunity to be heard.

In the same way that social media has helped many, it has also done a bit of harm to some.

Unfortunately, as we all know, bad is stronger than good. Bad has a way of swallowing the good and making it disappear. To prevent this with our social media activity, we must find a balance. It is not news that a balance in anything that we do is the key to a productive life.

If you have a healthy social media activity level and it does not affect your life in any negative way then you may have absolutely nothing to worry about. However, if at some point you feel that your social media time is affecting other areas of your life and encroaching into your productive time, preventing you from spending quality time with friends, family or in prayer, making you to feel sad or depressed because of negative news feeds or cyber bullying or making you feel less of yourself or if it simply just makes you sit and scroll for hours and do nothing then you may need to take a few measures to stop or control these negative effects.

One way to go about this is through a fast. Yes, you read me right. We generally know fasting is abstention from food and drink. Fasting has many other definitions but for the purpose of this piece, I will define fasting as a period of giving up food, drink and any other thing that could distract you and prevent you from focusing your thoughts on God and your spiritual growth for the period. This is a religious definition.

I have outlined a few steps and I believe that if you desire to cut back on social media or take a little break every now and again, these steps may be helpful to you.

Know exactly why you want to fast from social media: For every decision we make, there is always a reason. The first question you will have to answer before you begin your social media fast is the ‘why?’ in the decision. What prompted the decision? What do you plan to achieve at the end of the fast? Is it a one-time thing? Have a meeting with yourself and answer all the necessary questions before you begin as it is a personal conviction.
Set a specific duration for your fast: No matter what we do, it is always important to set a time frame to guide us. Durations for the fast could be 3 days, 7 days, 21 days, 40 days, 6 months or even a year, depending on how important your activities on social media are. For some business owners, bloggers or public figures, it may be important to take only short periods for the fast. However, you could still employ the use of social media handlers if it is very necessary for your social media presence to remain active but you really need a break from it.
Find and prepare substitute activities in advance: In order to successfully complete a fast, you will need to find an activity to replace the time you would usually spend on social media. You could decide to select a few books to read, find interesting things to watch on TV, take a few physical or online classes (gym, yoga, art etc.), games to play, schedule long walks or you could take the time to reorganize your space.
Journal the experience for future reference/appreciation: Putting down a few noteworthy thoughts and experiences during this period is important because it may serve as a guide and reminder for the next time we decide to do it again.
Decide how to go about it: Depending on the duration of the fast and the intensity, you will have to decide if you want to test your self-disciple and keep the apps on your phone and simply avoid opening them or if you want to completely delete them for the duration of the fast. This decision can only be made when you are honest with yourself.
Submit yourself to someone: This is a way of remaining accountable. Find a reliable friend or family member that can check on you for the duration and encourage you throughout your journey of abstinence.
Start your fast.

Just like any other thing we abstain from, it is likely that when we return to it, we may try to cover up for all the time we missed it. This then negates the entire purpose for which we started in the first place. The thing to always keep in mind is the reason we started in the first place.

Purpose is the watch word.

Generations

In The Suicide Squad, a sequel to the 2016 super hero film Suicide squad, Peacemaker casually dismisses The Rat Catcher 2 with one word; Millennials. That one word was intended to serve as reason and explanation for her being tired and lazy all the time. I would like to think that Peacemaker, having only narrowly escaped the millennial generation, would be the last to tag Millennials as lazy and always tired. It is also important to note that Rat Catcher 2 actually belongs to Generation Z.

Although I must admit that when I first learned of the 7 different generations, Millennials did actually sound like an entitled and lazy bunch, it turns out that the former is true but the latter is not. I am a proud member of the Millennials and after doing a study on all the generations, it is clear that all generations are unique and their different and distinctive attitudes, habits, behaviours, expectations and mannerisms collectively give the entire race a lot to learn and enough to complain about.

A generation simply refers to people who were/are born and live(d) at the same period of time. This period is usually around 15 to 20 years. What are the 7 generations and what are they known for? Let me do this chronologically.

The Greatest Generation (1901 To 1927)

This generation follows The Lost Generation (often omitted in generation listings). The Greatest Generation is also referred to as G.I Generation or World War II generation.

This generation is truly great; most of them experienced their adulthood in the Great Depression and also fought in World War II. They are characterised by their sense of responsibility, humility, good work ethics, prudence, respect for commitment and their integrity.

As at date, anyone alive in this generation is between 95 to 121 years old. Some popular Greatest Generationers still living today include Dick Van Dyke (Bye Bye Birdie 1963), Angela Lansbury (Beauty and the Beast 1991) and Marsha Hunt (Pride and Prejudice 1940).

The Silent Generation (1928 To 1945)

The Great Depression and World War II had caused the preceding generation to decide to have fewer children.

This is a generation with a smaller population than The Greatest Generation and they are known not only for their size but also for their silence, hence the name. These are people who were raised in very difficult times and by very frugal and disciplined parents. They were often always spoken for and so they felt no need to speak in any matters; be it social, political or any matter at all.

This generation is characterised by their loyalty, thriftiness, respectfulness and determination.

However silent this generation may have been, they were responsible for the creation of rock and roll music and for forming the leadership of the Civil Rights Movement.

Some notable people in this generation include Wole Soyinka, Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, John Lennon, Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali

Baby Boomers (1946 To 1964)

This generation was named because of the significant boom in birth rate. Statistics in the US show that over 3 million babies were born in 1946. By 1951, birth rates peaked and over 4 million babies were born yearly until 1965.

This generation is currently between the ages 58 and 76 years and is characterised by their confidence, self-reliance, independence and orderliness.

This generation has been assigned a few bad reviews, some of which are:

They criticise technology but they use it, a lot.
They are responsible for ruining the economy.
They are impossible to work with.

A few notable people in this generation include Bill Gates, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Michael Jordan, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Johnny Depp.

Generation X (1965 to 1980)

Following the baby boomers, this generation, who are currently 42 to 57 years old, had to grow up at a time when there were many cultural and social changes. At this time, most mothers had started working full time and divorce rates had also increased, so a number of generation Xers had to grow up with little or no supervision. Most of their behaviours were thereby influenced by their peers rather than their parents or the home. This is responsible for their love for independence and informality.

This generation was influenced greatly by hip hop and rock music and they are sometimes referred to as the MTV generation.

They are known for their

Informal and flexible life
Ability to balance life and work
Directness
Independent life

A few notable Generations Xers include Gordon Ramsay, Idris Elba, Elon Musk, Tupac Shakur, Kobe Bryant, Reno Omokri, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Millennials (1981 to 1995)

This generation was initially referred to as generation Y. The new name was coined because some of the oldest members of the generation became adults when the millennium began. Although this generation was not born with social media, they witnessed its birth and evolution and have become totally engrossed in it.

Common characteristics of Millennials:

Well informed and proficient with modern technology.
Result oriented.
Poor work ethics and career impatience.
Often seeking to be praised and want to be rewarded.
Lovers of collaborations.
Very ambitious.
Unable to take or give criticism.
Often look out for themselves.
Act entitled.

This group of people is currently between the ages of 27 and 41 years old. Some of the notable people in the generation are Serena Williams, David Adedeji Akindele (Davido), Usain Bolt, Mark Zuckerberg, Lionel Messi and Britney Spears.

Generation Z (1996 to 2010)

Also referred to as Zoomers, this group is the first generation to grow up hand in hand with access to the internet and advanced portable technology. This generation values their job unlike the Millennials who insist on loving what they do. They are very competitive and are financially focused. For their social and family life, they prefer physical human contact even though they are always in touch with people via their devices.

Other distinctive characteristics of Generation Z:

They are very independent.
They are not in denial about troubles surrounding them.
They enjoy the company of other people.
They love change and welcome it.

Their current age range is 12 to 26 and some notable members of this generation include Shawn Mendez, Kylian Mbappe, Jaden Smith, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (Wizkid) and Jace Norman.

Generation Alpha (2011 to 2025)

The oldest members of this generation are currently 11 years old. This is a visual generation. As a mother to one of its members, I totally agree with this. They tend to spend all of the days 24 hours in front of a TV screen, phone, tablet or any viewing device made available to them.

As a people who are still being born and still growing and developing physically and mentally, it is safe to say that some of their current characteristics may likely change. For example, most of them do not like to share and they have very different diets from the preceding generations.

Conclusion

It is clear how different every generation is from the other and the reasons why. I happen to be surrounded with family and friends from every generation from the Silent Generation to Generation Alpha and I will repeat that every generation is unique and they all bring something beautiful to the table of the human race.

The Pina Colada Song

I was in an e-group meeting one evening when being the only married person in the group, my friend Miche directed a question at me. She asked if it sometimes got boring being married to one person. I told her it was possible. Especially if both parties involved did not make any effort to make everyday fun and interesting for each other.

After the meeting I gave her a call and told her I had an answer for her question and it lay in The Pina Colada song, ‘Escape’ by Rupert Holmes.

In the song, while his wife lies asleep, a man sends out a response to a letter he sees in the personal columns of a newspaper. In the letter, a lady lists a few exciting interests and desires and she asks anyone who’s interests and desires match hers to please meet up with her and escape. His letter of response gets published in the newspaper as well, stating that he is very much like her and desires very much the same things that she does, he agrees that they should meet and escape.

He made an excuse for himself; he and his “old lady” had fallen into the same old dull routine. That was good enough I guess.

Well, arrangements were made and they met to escape, only, when they met, it turned out the first post was written by his very own ‘old lady’. Apparently she had been bored with the same ‘old dull routine’ and needed someone who wanted the excitement she craved and desired the same things she did. They had no idea that they wanted the same thing.

I will not spoil the fun for you, I recommend you listen to the song for yourself.

Bottom line is this; we are bound to get bored with whatever and in whatever we do if we do not make intentional effort and find ways to make if fun and exciting for ourselves.

Caring Mothers Forum TTS

A couple of days ago, I was privileged to sit with some very awesome women and as we discussed, I was made to see a few things. These were not new things, it turns out that I already knew them, but I had never taken the time to appreciate them. As humans who often always feel entitled, it is very common to see an unusual thing as normal and probably even take it for granted.

In a couple of months, it would be exactly seven years since I dropped my son off at school, a school where I was given enough items myself as a new parent/mom. I was handed a bag with a few crested items in it; a Pink Tee shirt, a black baseball cap, a book; which I discovered to be a constitution, a lapel pin and a few other items. To cut this very long story short, I realised i had automatically become a member of a forum referred to as ‘Caring Mothers’.

The forum is probably one good thing i have always taken as normal and never really taken the time to appreciate. The forum holds meetings at least once every school term but because of the little percentage of asocial in me, it took me a little time warming up. I have spent the years meeting many women and some of us have become good friends because of our children. I know a few of us may have rubbed one another off the wrong way a couple of times but this has never affected the general gathering of these wonderful women.

Some Highlights of the Forum

Motivational, health and other talks: During meetings and some other events, a few moms get to share tips and ideas on the ‘how to’ of certain areas in life. Being a mom is not the easiest job in the world and can often get very stressful. These talks often help moms find a balance in their mental, financial, physical and social lives.

Christmas Party: One major highlight for me and I know a few other moms too is the yearly Christmas party. I remember gasping in shock when I saw a few moms dancing and having fun at my first Caring Mothers Christmas party. This party has a way of making you forget it all and have a really good time. It is such a great place to relax and unwind.

Inter House Sports Competition: Whenever the children have their Inter House Sports Competition, moms get to display their skills in some competitive activities. This event comes up once a year and it is always lovely and fun filled. The highlight of this event for me is always the March Past Parade; I have always been a sucker for Marching.

A few unofficial activities like the ability to sell our products to each other and also display them just outside the school compound has been a highlight for me and some moms, I have done some really good purchases there.
One major unofficial activity in this forum is the show of love between these moms, I have seen a number of times where a mom or two have assisted each other in tough and difficult times of lack, loss and even in joyful celebrations like births and birthday celebrations.

As a person who loves to see the good in everything first, I think it is safe to say that I love The Caring Mothers Forum of Towering Tots School and I have never seen anything like it or better.

Why can’t we all be the same? Part 1

I watched her over a period of time. She was always calm. Always put together. Never losing her cool. I never heard her raise her voice. I prayed to God to give me her grace and patience but some how it just did not work out.

I felt sad for my son and wondered if he would take offence when he grew older and remembered how my voice often hiked with any slight alteration in my “normal” life.

My neighbour is a beautiful young lady, I’m not sure how old she is, but I am certain I have got a good number of years on her. She moved in with her husband a couple of years ago after their wedding. A few months into their marriage, she became pregnant. We were told they were expecting triplets, I doubted it very much because her tummy almost never grew larger than a full meals’ bulge. Whether I believed it or not, the time came and she had triplets. All boys.

Whether you have had kids or not, we all know that along with the great joy that they bring, children come with a lot of change; schedules get turned upside down, sleep becomes a prize we look forward to and lots more.

As I write this, the boys are way over one year old and their mother (Martha) is still holding it together and being strong. I asked her at some point how she never looks overwhelmed by all of it, because I know I would… I have got just one, still I get frazzled quite often. She told me she has some alone quiet moments when she lets go and cries it all out. That comforted me for a bit, but something hit me. Her being calm and collected in the midst of it all did not mean she was not affected by it, it only meant that she decided not to let it affect how she handled the responsibility she had been saddled with. I took that lesson with me and I have been practicing a lot and failing some times, but like they say; practice makes perfect.

I certainly am not aiming for perfect, i just want a calm and happy spirit in my home in place of the dissatisfaction that comes with any “wrong move”.

I think God makes us different for His own reasons… but He made my neighbour different from me to allow me to learn her patience and calm. I am enjoying what i am learning. I appreciate the peace that comes with it

How to Save NGN500,000 in a year

So you want to save NGN500,000 in a year?

The ability to save money can be a tiring and frustrating thing for most people. There are many reasons that may be responsible for this. Some of these reasons could be the inability of a person to control their spending habits or it could just be a lack of available funds to save. Over the past couple of years, economies have become tighter and wages do not have as much value as they used to.

To be able to save at least NGN500,000 in a year, you will need to first and foremost, develop self-discipline and decide why you want to save. You will need to eliminate certain expenses in your day to day life and then most importantly, you must create a pattern of saving; this will require you to choose an amount to be saved along with a frequency with which this amount will be saved.

Let us look at some important ways that can help you to achieve your 500,000 a year saving goal:

Take a decision on what you want to do with the saved amount.
Identify and weigh your heaviest expenses.
Prune your spending.
Review subscriptions.
Make use of automated savings applications.
Save the money in a place or account that you will not touch.
Find a method that works for you

Starting a new habit takes quite some time and a lot of effort. It may be even more difficult when it comes to money matters. Every day we wake up, there is one need or another for money. Some of them are so needy that they never seem to go away. Like house rent for instance, just when you are about to relax after paying a year’s rent, you find out it is time to start putting the next one together again. Then, besides the heavy needs for money, we have the small ones that show up like phone services, groceries, gas and so much more. So it is quite apparent that without discipline, it is almost impossible to save.

Let us look at a few ways to achieve the 500,000 a year goal more closely, one after another.

Take a decision on what you want to do with the saved amount

Purpose is a really good motivator. It is very easy to do something when you know exactly what the prize is going to be. In this case, I recommend choosing what you desire to use the 500,000 for at the end of the period. For instance, you could decide to give your home a facelift, take a small trip, make some investments or even start that small business you have been dreaming of starting for a long while. Whatever the case may be, just be sure to put that goal in mind, this serves as a motivator for the moments when it may seem difficult to continue with your goal.

Identify and weigh your heaviest expenses

We all have that heavy money drainer in our lives and it varies from person to person. For some people it could be shoes, bags and clothes, while for others it may be their kind of social life or gadgets. Whatever the drainer is, it definitely affects your ability to save as you would want to. To be able to save 500,000 a year, you must identify that heavy expense and weigh its importance and its effect on your savings. For example, you can weigh and decide if it is necessary to spend money on an extra pair of shoes or save that amount and in turn, increase your savings. Discipline has a very important role here too. You need to ask yourself how badly you want to save 500,000 a year.

Prune your spending

Spending money is something you can hardly avoid. Every day, we find that there is always something to buy or a bill to pay. Some expenses are necessary while some are completely unnecessary. If you want to cultivate a saving habit, it is important for you to realize that you will have to change your spending habit and pattern. You will have to learn to pick more economical options for your daily needs. If you do not like to skip your meals, you can make sure to have breakfast at home and then also pack a lunch. It surely beats the cost of buying your meals from food vendors. That is just one example out of so many. Also, making a shopping list can help you spend less at the supermarket or stores.

Review subscriptions

We live in an era where most of life’s activities are carried out via the help of subscriptions. These subscriptions include cable, Netflix, music (spotify, Pandora, Amazon music etc.), gaming (PlayStation, Xbox etc.), gym memberships, Apple subscriptions, the list is endless. You will be able to save 500,000 if you review your subscriptions and find only one of the necessary subscriptions per category. For example, for music, if you are subscribed to both apple and spotify, it would be wise for you to choose the best offer that satisfies your specific needs for the fairest charge.

Make use of automated savings applications

With the coming of automated systems, it is definitely easy to avoid testing our discipline and to just set up a system where the amount to be saved can be taken from source automatically. For example, if you want to save daily and still achieve the 500,000 a year goal, it will require that you save at least NGN1,370 daily. So you can set up a system where NGN1,370 can be deducted from your account daily. Applications such as PiggyVest, Cowrywise and Carbon offer such services.

Save the money in a place or account that you will not touch

When you save with a target and a goal, it is always better to keep these savings in a place or account where you will not go to or touch easily. You would never get your goal if you make a habit of taking out of your savings. Banks have locked savings accounts that provide these options. Another option is the local physical piggy bank.

Find a method that works for you

In order to save 500,000 a year, you need to put into consideration how your income comes. If you usually get paid daily, it would be wise to save daily. If your income comes weekly then it will be wise to put away the savings on a weekly basis and so on. Take a look at the different ways to save based on income:

Daily – NGN1,370

Weekly – NGN9,615

Monthly – NGN41,670

Quarterly – NGN125,000

Conclusion

The rest is up to you. When you put all the ways and methods into practice and you pick a suitable method, saving 500,000 can be an easy feat. It just takes mainly self-discipline and determination. The key is to focus on the end goal and the bigger picture.

Ask yourself; is your desire to save stronger than the sacrifices you are willing to make?

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do I need to earn to save 500,000 a year?

Usually, saving happens after basic needs have been met. If you want to save daily or weekly or monthly, you will need to pick the required saving amount for that frequency and try to work your needs, bills and expenses to exclude that amount. So basically, if you want to save 500,000 a year, you have to have at least an average daily income of NGN5,000 to NGN6,000. If you have an income less than this, it will be advisable to set a much lower goal for your savings.

2. What happens when I forget to save for some time

You will require extra effort. It will be wise to try to catch up with the initial savings plan. You can achieve this by sourcing other means of income and making more stringent decisions.