You finally got the job of your dreams or at least a job of some kind. You are excited that you have joined the working class. Then the pay slip arrives and in no time you could be broke and still asking your mama for pocket money. How do you think that reflects on you? Here are the dos and don’ts of how to use your first pay slip.
The Do’s
Pay tithe
The first thing you should do is to pay your tithe. This applies to Christians or if your religion dictates you do so. You should always thank the Almighty for the blessing of a job and money otherwise without help from above you would not have all that money.
Budget
Have a plan of what and how you want to spend your money. The most important thing to plan for is transport and food. Under no circumstances should you miss throughout the month money to eat or even to go to work.
Save
Always allocate a percentage of your money to savings. If you have a current account, ensure you open a savings account to keep away something for the rainy day. Otherwise, you may be tempted to spend the percentage you have allocated for savings to buy some shoes. Soon you may not have any emergency money on your account.
Give your parents
It is always good to give a little token of appreciation to the people that brought you into this world even if that might have been the only thing they did. Most of them actually did much more than this. They gave you the means to get a job by taking care of you until you got to the level.
Spoil yourself
After all you worked hard for it. Do whatever it is that makes you happy. Whether it is hitting your nearest Karaoke joint or going to a health club. Ensure you have done the things you enjoy doing.
Don’t
Be in a hurry to move out!
This is the first thing most first-time workers rush to do. Don’t do this unless you have a contract for at least a year. Moving out of your parents house can be very tempting but can also deplete your funds fast if you do not plan ahead. I mean you may think you are there for keeps and God forbid something happens and you are back to your parents’ house. Only move out once you have a permanent source of income.
Go on a drinking spree with your friends and relatives
So many people do this in the name of ‘blessing the salary.’ Well those friends or relatives will most likely not be there when you need a loan because you spent your month’s salary ‘blessing it.’ If you need to drink grab a close friend and head to the bar or better still go to the supermarket buy a drink and call your friends. It will be much cheaper.
Take a chips funga
Not only will this give you a STD but it can really make you go broke. First of all, to hit on a girl in a bar will cost you money. You will have to buy her drinks, pay for your cab fare back home and the cab fare back to her place. This usually happens if you are lucky. If you are not so lucky, you could go home with her and when you wake you find your house wiped clean including the money on your wallet.
(Doris Dulo)
