Savings that will screw you: Saving at the cost of your basic needs!

Introduction

I have a friend who gets about 50,000 shillings daily as allowance and about 500,000 shillings monthly salary at his work. I really don’t know if he keeps his money in the bank; I doubt that for he always has about 500k in his pocket. He lives in a small old room where he pays about 40,000 shillings as rent per month. Apparently, I lived in his room for 3 weeks and I am telling what I observed with my eyes.

He had only 3 small plates, about 2 spoons. No radio, television or any good phone inside his house so he could read or get access to news or music. He worked Monday to Sunday and came home at 5pm with Waragi (the cheap and yet strong alcohol) as his drink. The daily meal is Matooke and beans (from Monday to Sunday).

When I was there, his wife was caught up with labor at night and we rushed her to the nearest hospital, which later referred us to Mbarara hospital. When we reached in Mbarara hospital, we were requested to prepare everything, including baby clothes and other necessities. This family had nothing; no baby clothes, no basin, no food or liquid flask, no nothing! And oh, how we got ashamed!

Surprisingly, his pockets were full of notes of 50,000 only. He saves his money with himself, not the bank! Anyway, we maneuvered around, fixed this and that and finally made it; we were discharged home.

The first thing I told him when we reached home was that the purpose of work is to live well and he must fulfill that by satisfying his home and family with the basics they need. He promised me to do some changes. After 3 weeks, I left but I am sure he didn’t change. And we are still in touch. Maybe he is saving money for something big in future! But I ask, which kind of saving is that?

Save! Save! Save! And Grow Wealth!

Every entrepreneur who gets a microphone and climbs up the stage will emphasize the value of saving in accumulation of wealth. The truth of the matter is that people don’t have enough and so can’t eat enough and save at the same time! Many of those who do it do so at the cost of their lives. I am wondering, if it is not for their lives and their families or the people they love, what or who else are they saving for?

Accumulation of riches and property blinds our eyes and we can’t easily fathom what counts the most, between person’s life and property! In the village, these scenarios are common!

Like my friend in the above example, you find a person has a lot of land yet he doesn’t know what a good meal is. He instead offers the land for money, drinks or saves it! There are those who are saving at the expense of missing meals. Some people would rather die but not spend money on health care bills. Some people allow children to sleep on empty stomach while saving for their future! Which future shall malnourished children inherit? What exactly are you saving for? How are you living now?

If you don’t have enough to sustain life and at the same time save, then the right call would be to work out your income; increase your income. Most of us really don’t have a lot. And increasing our income should be our most important goal now.

Saving: What is its objective?

What am I saying today? To save is to spare something for another day. But, in real terms, this means after you have had the basics of today. You can’t get into tomorrow if you can’t live today!

Saving shouldn’t be the first goal for your work or profession; it is secondary! The main objective for your job or career or profession is to live well, eat well, dress well, walk well and have the life you want or, to be more prudent, need.

Don’t get mesmerized with saving for the future and starve your wife or children or fail to give offertories in church or help a friend. By the way, what is the value of wealth if it can’t make your life comfortable? 

Wait! My today’s message can be misleading; I am not saying that you make it a point to have short-term gratifications or indulgences! All I am saying is this: make sure you meet the basics! I am not saying that exercising saving is bad, no, not at all. Far from that, I am emphasizing that it should be done well. The future is today, enjoy it.

While the first step of accumulating wealth is saving a part of what you earn, it shouldn’t be at the expense of your basic needs; food, water, housing, health care, transport, clothing, information, helping a friend and other important areas of your life. Though it is a point to plan for the future, it isn’t wise at all to miss today’s life while hoping for the future (not the ‘biblical’ future).

Enjoy today like there is no tomorrow and plan for the future like you won’t die away, that is the irony.

So look around your room, does it really give meaning to the kind of person you are or the kind of job you do? Are there seats? Do you have a phone or radio? How about your bed? By the way, do you eat three times a day? Are your children eating fairly well? In which kind of house do you live?

Saving can cost you more

It has reminded me of few individuals who, after coming into the city, like to rent houses that are cheap. This they do even when they earn fairly enough money to cover a fairly good and safe residence! And after they have worked out themselves and have achieved some assets, they are robbed; the rooms they pay for are so weak and vulnerable to thieves. Of course, strong houses do not guarantee safety as well, and thieves can break in every house. But strong houses reduce the risk.

Okay, what I am simply saying is that saving is not what you are called to do; you are called to find life and live it with the people you love. Don’t ignore to save for the future, do it the right way. Otherwise you are going to struggle with savings and, when they have accumulated enough, you will be disappointed to learn that you don’t have time or life to enjoy it, neither shall your children! 

God Bless You as you save wisely!