It’s about 4 pm on the 28th day of the month and behold, the phone vibrates with the good news of a credit alert!  Now it’s time to ball!  You start ticking off the list of “spendables” written during the month, and you forget that it’s going to take another four weeks for the next salary alert to drop. By the time you’ve enjoyed for the first two weeks, your countenance begins to fall and you wonder why you’re suddenly irritable at work. We know your type! But before you start running around for deliverance because you think this habit is a spell from your enemies, can we talk?

*insert serene music with intermittent trumpet blasts*

We are here to give you tips on how to make your salary last beyond the second week of the month and hopefully, till the next payday. We’d like to assume you know what a budget is and why you should always draw up a budget for your monthly expenditure. Just in case you don’t know or you’d like to pretend you don’t, take a look at this. Here we go with the tips:

Food: You knew we’d start with food, didn’t you? All living things must eat to survive but you need to cut down on how often you eat out. Cooking your meals will help you save money. And by the way, who says you can’t embrace cooking as a hobby? Picture yourself wearing that apron you got as a present (which you still haven’t unwrapped), whistling your favourite tune and whipping up some tasty goodness in your kitchen. Nobody is saying “don’t eat out”, just choose affordable options when you decide to.

Transportation: Some of us could take a cab from the sitting room to the bathroom if it were possible! Calm down, friend. If you do not have a car and you’re certain that using cabs to the office and everywhere else isn’t a sustainable venture, why wound yourself? Get on the bus, and use that opportunity to socialise and understand your city. Take a walk from the bus stop to your house and breathe in the freshness of your neighbourhood. Before we start sounding all poetic, the point here is that you should please adjust your transport expenses accordingly.

Shopping: Why do we need more than seven different outfits for the office? Okay, that was too stringent, but you get the drift. Right? We know that may not be very practical but at least we tried. It’s time to slow down on buying clothes or accessories that are not necessary. We agree, some personal expenses are essential but they can be cut it to the barest minimum. Repeat this before a mirror, “I won’t buy what I don’t need”. Say it and mean it!

Savings: The rule is to save before you spend. Yes, you heard (read) that correctly. Ensure that you set some funds apart in your savings account before you start paying for anything. You know what they say about our wants being unlimited even though resources may be limited. Do yourself some good and save some money.

Now that we have gotten this off our chest, there’s something we haven’t mentioned. It’s true that with the right approach, your salary can take you till the next payday. But we understand that life happens and emergencies can arise. When such happens, you don’t need to beat yourself up. You can get a Payday Loan and stay on top of the situation. If you don’t make the most of your life, who will?