Chop Life 101: What are your plans for saving money for enjoyment?
“Chop Life” is Nigerian slang that encourages you to squeeze every last drop out of life’s pleasure. As the popular philosopher (me) said, no matter how tough the matter is, chop first, even if na food for the soul, AKA word of God, just chop.
Last week was payday, and as it occurs with 9–5ing, there are lots of bills ready for the money before it even arrives in the bank. But hey, you’ve put in a lot of effort this past month, and you deserve to spend that money even if it is on suya.
Here are some tips on how to effectively plan or budget your money for chop life:
Fix your mindset
It may sound funny, but you need a clear mindset to be intentional about your money so that you do not operate either from a place of fear or one of extravagance. So, place your hand on your chest and say after me:
“I no come to this life to suffer.”
Well done, you’ve completed the first step.
Define what chopping life means to you
Everyone has their own preferences; different strokes for different folks. Define your personal meaning of chopping life. Find out what relaxes you or what you love most; it could be self-care, restaurant dates, skin care, massages, book shopping, or even an amala buka. The secret to really chopping this life is knowing what makes you happy and going for it.
Create a budget
Creating a budget helps you track your spending, invest/save for your goals, and enjoy life without stress. Budgeting is not about restricting yourself; it’s about empowering yourself to make smart choices with your money. The 50, 30, and 20 percent rule is a handy planning ratio you can implement in your budget plan. Even if your 30% is for your wants, set a limit for each expense.
Stick to the plan
It’s one thing to plan, and another thing to follow the plan. This is the difficult part. Understanding that you need to chop life not just today, but also in the future, should help limit your splurges to things you have planned for, and also help you fully enjoy the splurges you have planned for. If you stick to your plan, it won’t affect the money for other things.
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