₦airaland Forum

All is well. The future will be better

Interesting move

Nawab o. These wars.

Today from Azà Hub, I share with you 5 money-sucking "evil spirits" (demons, monsters) that are draining your pocket, and are swallowing your salary even without you noticing in today's economy. And, yes, that is one benefit of financial literacy, which Azaland is all about promoting: being able to identify such monsters and avoiding them.

Financial Literacy skills and knowledge will safeguard you from these demons that keep wrecking havoc to many people's financial livelihood.

What are these demons?

1. Excessive Internet Data Subs:
Sincerely, it seems Naija networks have a data-evaporating policy. Because the burn rate of the data bundles are just bewildering. The rates at which the data bundles disappear can be exasperating and mysterious at best.

If you take stock of your total spend on data each month, you'd be most likely alarmed. In the age of social media with prevalent data-heavy multimedia like videos on Tiktok, YouTube, Instagram and even X.
How can you survive these?

Well, I cannot blame the data networks because they are being monitored for transparency. But in this era of Android phones, the devices are mostly the culprit.

One thing you can do is to make sure you compare prices and choose best deal. Recently I was able to get a huge business plan package that gives me double than usual. Don't be complacent, research around.

Also, be sure to take accurate records of your data spends monthly. This will give you idea if you have unknowingly spent more than even your monthly earning or salary on data! That way, you would be motivated to take immediate drastic steps.

Finally, ensure to manage the data-consuming appetite of your phone vis a vis background data usage. Facts show that the Android device on its own on standby continues to gulp data. A way out is to restrict background data for these app.

What of system apps?
Well I stumbled upon an app recently that can help bar all apps from having Internet access except I need them to. It saved me a lot. Want to know the name? Ask me.

2. The Eating Out Frenzy
Restaurant foods, high profile eateries all sound fancy and convenient and time-saving. They even have air conditioning! But trust me, they are not pocket friendly. My data shows that as a middle income individual, 2 meals at the restaurant could have catered for a week meal when cooked at home.

It is even worse for students, low income class and average salary earners.

Cultivate the habit of home-cooking your food and storing. It saves a lot of money.

Cook your food at home most times and let expensive eating out be a once-in-a-blue-moon thing.


3. Not Planning Well
Well, he who fails to plan has planned to do what?
Spending well requires good planning. Why?
Because our available resources (money) is too small compared with our insatiable wants and needs. Therefore, it is sacrosanct to stay in charge so as to be sure that the most important needs are catered to first.

This is what proper budgeting does. Budgeting will plan properly the allocation of your scarce limited resources (money, income or salary) towards your savings, and then your needs first, then wants and then others.

To budget or plan properly, you need data in form of accurate records of your monthly expenses. Therefore, be sure to keep good record monthly. Don't be too complacent to do that. There are modern apps that now help with both record keeping as well as Budgeting. Do a search. They work.

4. The Hanging Out Fever
If you are of the regular habit of hanging out to cool spots, lounges and clubs with friends on your bill, then you may need to stop first and have serious rethink to be sure if this is good for your pocket.

Hanging out is not bad. It's good social behaviour. However, is the cost implication good for your pocket and financial class? Is it in line with your financial goals or is it draining you? Is it deepening you into debts or does it rob you of achieving your monthly savings target?

These are personal questions to ask for sincere self assessment. It's your financial life we are talking about here.

I'm not saying you should stop hanging out with friends. No. I am saying you should ensure your plans and actions have cost implications that align with your financial status and goals.

My recommendation: it sounds better to forgo some enjoyments now and achieve your financial goals guaranteed rather than forfeit your financial future for some instant enjoyment or gratification.
Think about it.

If you can't afford an outing or party, speak out. Don't be too ashamed to accept. You may even be lucky your cohorts may offer to cater for the expenses. If not, turn it down for a better date.

Be in charge.

5. Not Negotiating Prices Well Enough
There's something called "Haggle" or "Haggling."
In my land, people naturally believed its is only for women to haggle prices. But trust me, in this harsh economic climate in the face of low buying power of the Naira, currency devaluation, high inflationary and interest rates, being able to negotiate best prices is a must-have financial survival trait. Men now haggle in the market better than women. Seriously.

Don't doubt this:
Sellers of goods and services want to sell at highest possible price so as not only to cover their high cost of production but also to make as much profit per sale so as to possible cover for future costs and investment.

Don't fetch water into oceans from your little well.

The idea is not to cheat but to arrive at a much lower price than pre-stated at win-win for all parties.

Negotiate well and you'd be surprised how much bucks you'd save. Sometimes when I haggle in the presence of my partner, its usually astonishing. Fact is: the seller won't sell unless its still profitable. You don't know the true cost of production. Its not your field.

Bulk buying helps haggle get better.

Haggle thus:
Seller: Buy yam, buy yams!
You: How much is a tuber of yam?
Seller: 1 for 1k. But because you are special and beautiful, I'll give you for 950.
(Don't fall for it, it's scope)
You: Thanks for the compliment.
Seller: You're welcome. How many you want make I pack them?
You: I want to buy 5 tubers for total of 3,500.
Seller: Ahh, that is shortage for me na.
You: Oya, what is your last price?
Seller: OK, angel, take it at 4k.

Did you see what just happened? Without using juju, you just bought a tuber listed at 1,000 each at final price of N800! 20% saving!

That's how money is saved. Don't be shy. Don't feel too big. You didn't steal the money you're spending. You suffered to get it.

Sweat it too.


Conclusion
So, that's it guys. I wrote all these while in my bed. Writing is not so hard afterall, especially if it's on a topic you can relate to and you are knowledgeable on.

I hope with these I've been able to expose those money-gulping demons who won't let you have savings. They may also be responsible for why you get broke just a week after salary!

Now that you know what to do, go take these mfs down! Go! Act!

Yours truly,
Azà land . com

PD: Financial Literacy is the possession of skills, knowledge and behaviors that allow an individual to make informed decisions regarding money.

Good luck to them.

I could have made suggestions now. But I need more details and info

Enemyofpeace:
my place now. I don't clean house, cook your favourite food and drank alomo

I don't know your place.
Tell me your Location. Did you plan to import me back into Naija? Will you pay flight money from far Addis Ababa?
Then I'll com

Tesenak20:
Your number 2 point is too unreal and theoretical.

I suppose its quite straightforward

lolu2019:
did u know that dis betting put food on my table everyday.u don't do research.whatever Reno says u think is right.at least,we gamblers are not stealing from anyone.it is our hard earned money.mind ur business.

Did I hear you say it was your hard earned money?

Enemyofpeace:
how far? Are you still coming tonight?

Coming to where o?

Enemyofpeace:
Fine babe. See fine shape, better breasts, fine legs, better ikebe. All gone too soon

All because....

NSNO:
While I understand your point, it is not going to end anytime soon.

The house always wins, true but when the stories of the few lucky people (for example someone won ₦3m with just ₦600 a few days ago in my area) goes viral, the gamblers notice and they become motivated to try harder.

But how I wish we can calculate how much the N600 guy had lost before that time both in financial terms and time invested, plus opportunity cost too.

3m is too little.

So sad, he will lose all the 3m back to betting

It's a plague

I knew a barber who won 1.5m after so.msny years too.

After the winning finished, his situation got worse.

Much worse.

Nice one.

Danielomisco:
the ladies cry every Monday MPR meetings

Little wonder.

MY FIGURES ARE LOW.

Which figure did people think she's talking about?

That's her major pain point. That's the trigger of her suicide.

Too sad.

I wish she could open up to someone.

DEAR READER,

We all go through stuffs.

SOLUTION: TALK TO SOMEONE. Anyone you are comfortable with. It could even be an online friend you'll never see. Somehow. They will help you survive.

SPEAK OUT. DONT BOTTLE IT.

Don't love your job more than your life.

Your family need you more.

Your employer will replace you dame day.

Wawelexy:
I already said it, one of them is here already..... Can you tell us how much you have lost and how much you have won with sincerity....

He cannot tell us those facts and figures. Gamblers don't keep record of their staking and losses, but they only remember few.moments of their winnings until they reach their doom.

Bro, before you win 50k, just.know you have lost 1 million.

On most cases.

Quit now

xristos:
Read the verses below...

Many people wonder is gambling a sin? Although there might not be a clear cut verse from what we learn in Scripture I strongly believe it is a sin and all Christians should stay away from it. It is terrible to see that some churches are bringing gambling in the house of God. The Lord is not pleased.

25 Important Bible Verses About Gambling

Many people are going to say, well the Bible doesn’t specifically say you can’t do it. The Bible doesn’t specifically say you can’t do a lot of things that we know as sin.

Many people find any excuse they can give for what is wrong, but just like Satan deceived Eve he will deceive many by saying, did God really say you can’t do that?

Quotes
“Gambling is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.” – George Washington
“Gambling is a sickness, a disease, an addiction, an insanity, and is always a loser in the long run.”
“Gambling can be just as addictive as drugs and alcohol. Teens and their parents need to know that they’re not just gambling with money, they’re gambling with their lives.”
“Gambling is the sure way of getting nothing for something.”

Gambling is of the world, it is very addicting, and it will cause you harm
Gambling is loving something that is part of the cruel world, not only is it dangerous especially back in the days where many were being plotted on and murdered for their money. Gambling is very addictive, you can go into a casino one day thinking I’m going to spend this much, then leave without your car. For some people it’s that bad and it can become even worse.

I’ve heard many stories about people losing their lives for owing money and people losing their lives by committing suicide because of the money they lost. Many people have lost their houses, spouses, and kids over their gambling addiction. You might say that I don’t gamble that much, but it doesn’t matter. Even if it is small fun gambling it is sin and it should not be done. Always remember that sin grows overtime. Your heart becomes harder, your desires become greedier, and it will turn into something that you never saw coming.

1. 1 Corinthians 6:12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say–but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”–but I will not be mastered by anything
2. 2 Peter 2:19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity–for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”

3. 1 Timothy 6:9-10 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

4. Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing and perfect will.

5. Proverbs 15:27 The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Gambling leads to more sin
Not only does gambling lead to deeper and deeper covetousness, but it leads to different types of sin. When you go to the movie theater and buy popcorn they make it extra buttery so you will buy their expensive drinks. When you go to casinos they promote alcohol. When you are not sober you will be trying to kick back and spend more money. Many people who are addicted to gambling are also living in drunkenness. Prostitutes are always near casinos. They entice men who seem like high rollers and they entice men who are down on their luck. It is not a surprise that most casinos promote sensuality and women.

6. James 1:14-15 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Scripture teaches that we are to be on guard against covetousness.

7. Exodus 20:17 Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

8. Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.

9. Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

As Christians we are to fix our attitudes on money.

10. Ecclesiastes 5:10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

11. Luke 16:13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

What is your eye gazing upon?

Your chance of winning the lottery on a single ticket is one in 175 million. That means that someone has to really be greedy and have dreams of riches to still try and play the lottery. You have to pay for more and more tickets because of your greed and what you are really doing is emptying your pockets because of your covetousness.

Most gamblers throw money away. Most people who go to casinos lose money that could have been used for paying bills or on the less fortunate, but instead people would rather throw it away. It is wasting God’s money on evil, which is similar to stealing.

12. Luke 11:34-35 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

13. Proverbs 28:22 Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

14. Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

15. Proverbs 28:20 The trustworthy person will get a rich reward, but a person who wants quick riches will get into trouble.


We are to be hard workers.

The Bible teaches us to work hard and worry about others. Gambling teaches us to do the opposite. In fact, many of the people who play the lottery are poor. Gambling destroys something that God intended for good. You have to understand that the devil is using it to destroy the foundation of work.

16. Ephesians 4:28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

17. Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

18. Proverbs 10:4 Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich.

19. Proverbs 28:19 Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

Gambling and betting is giving the appearance of evil.
What would you think if you went inside a casino and you saw your pastor holding money in one hand and rolling dice in another? That picture just wouldn’t look right would it? Now picture yourself doing the same thing. Society does not look at gambling as being honest. The betting industry is a dark world filled with crime. Google treats gambling websites like pornography websites. Gambling websites contain a lot of viruses.

20. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Many churches want to turn God’s house into a place to play bingo and other gambling activities, which is wrong. God’s house is not a place to make profit. It is a place to worship the Lord.

21. John 2:14-16 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”


Gambling is not trusting in the Lord.

One of the greatest problems of gambling is it takes away from trusting in the Lord. God says I will provide for your needs. Satan says roll the dice there might be a chance that you win and become filthy rich. You see the problem. When you trust in God nothing is by chance. God provides for our needs and God gets all the glory. Gambling is showing that you don’t really trust in the Lord.

22. Isaiah 65:11 But because the rest of you have forsaken the LORD and have forgotten his Temple, and because you have prepared feasts to honor the god of Fate and have offered mixed wine to the god of Destiny.

23. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

Reminders
24. Proverbs 3:7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
25. Proverbs 23:4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

In conclusion

You have a higher chance of being struck by lighting than winning the lottery. Most gambling is not made for you to win. It’s made for you to dream about what if I did win. Gambling fails in its attempt to give people hope because most people spend thousands of dollars for nothing. Just take a thousand dollars and throw it in the garbage that is exactly what gamblers do over the course of time. When you have greed you will always lose more than you gain. Gambling is bad for your health and it violates many Scriptures as seen above. Seek hard work and trust in the Lord with your income.

Whwre are you, Nigerian youth need you.

Tesenak20:
Who are they?
Did Stock favour everyone who invested?
Has Cryptocurrency favoured all that invested?
Has Foreign Exchange favoured all that invested?
I guess your type prefers people coming to lick their feet for pittance in the name of giveaway.
Has BigBrother Naija favoured everyone? Has Who wants to be a Millionaire favoured the greater Majority?

I don't see any point made in support of banning sports investment(Real time football betting).

I did my research well. If I give you facts and figures, you will have a rethink.

Brother, if you're betting, you are pouring your little teaspoonful of value into their oceans of excesses. Yet the game is never in your favour.

Sorry bro.

Your eyes will open one day.

But please don't get depressed too much.

Tesenak20:
Rubbish! The Professor who won 50+ millions on betting football games few years ago had and still has financial Sanity and Literacy.

Brother, if only you knew what you're talking about well.

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS.

I exposed many things at Aza.ng about sports betting in Nigeria. You need to see them.

I am wary of what I say here because even NL advertises them.

We're in 2 different worlds.

Sorry.

Being a professor does not mean one is financially sane.

Also, your Prof told you what he won, not what he lost.

I once.met a betting addict and I begged him to do something for me:

TAKE DAILY RECORD OF ALL YOUR WALLET LOADING. 100 naira, 200, like that like that


Within 3 weeks, he got back to me:

Before he win 5k, had had lost 100k.

Case closed.

I was able to help him afterwards.

He has his life back now.

We at Aza.ng can help you, or anyone with gambling problems. Seriously

Wawelexy:
It's really sad to see how most of the youths are wasting away in betting shops and online betting apps, betting has done more harm than good yet people pretends not to see that fact.

...

But I doubt our government will do something about it, cos some of the bigwigs among them own or have shares in those betting companies, aside that, if majority of our youth becomes productive and useful for themselves, who will do the vote buying, election thuggery, and the likes when it's time for election?

Valid points.

The government makes a lot of money in taxes from the betting companies. If you visit the nogeria betting regulation website, you will see a long list of approved betting apps companies, getting longer day by day.

It's a menace and it's destroying the youth.

At Aza.ng Hub, we advocate for financial sanity and literacy. And we want more people to join us.

People like you who know and speak the truth.

Lets start from there: CALL A SPADE A SPADE!

Moderators, can this feature?

Truth is mysterious, elusive, always to be conquered. Liberty is dangerous, as hard to live with as it is elating. We must march toward these two goals, painfully but resolutely, certain in advance of our failings on so long a road.

- Albert Camus

Fellow Nigerians.

However hard it is, even if we are not 100% holy, the truth must still be said. It is the minimum expected of us all if we are ever going to make progress as a nation. Be ready to say the truth. We must do this, even if we battle personal guilt. When we say the truth openly, we will do more good and help onlookers and listeners.

Truth is truth: About Sports Betting, Gambling, in Nigeria.

Truth: There's a plague, in our land.


Days ago, when a popular online personality, Reno Omokri, urged the Nigerian government to ban, or at least, regulate the gambling and sports betting industry, we could see uproar online. We saw differing opinions and backslashes. To many, Reno was not to be taken serious. But is that who we are?

Sports Betting now proliferates every nook and crannies of our nation. Nigerian youths have been affected by the ubiquitous phenomenon of gambling in form of sports betting apps.

Question is: is gambling, especially Sports betting doing any good in the lives of young and old Nigerians?


Our answer is NO!

We believe Sports betting has done more harm than any good at all.

We preach it everyday. We wrote many articles on Azà Hub to expose this plague. We even have a package targeted at helping Nigerians with gambling problem to get back on course of their lives. But very few listen.

Why?

Digital Media Making Things Worse!
Have you browsed online media in Nigeria lately? News websites and all! They are all awash with Sports betting apps adverts.

Adverts of Beting9ja, Sportingbet, MySport, Praypesa, BetingKing, BetingBaba, 100ybet, and so on proliferate all the online media.

Even Nigerian forums, disappointing as it is, now displays betting adverts, to make money. I took some screenshot. I'll share.

Online Influncers Are Even Worse!
Comedians, MrMacaroni1, Sabinus, Sydney (the Towel guy) all of them, advocate for and advertise all these betting apps, portraying them as green grasses. As solutions to finacial problems. Encouraging more and more young people to get infected by this plague of gambling.

Little did they know that they may have blood in their hands after another young person Commits Suicide after losing everything to betting. Happens often. But under-reported.


Let Us Tell The Truth
Whatever happened to our value system in Nigeria. I feel we no longer have working conscience.

With what we know about gambling, the chances are low. Before anyone makes headway with sports betting, the lives of 100 others must have been ruined.

That is the hard fact!

Another Brain Drain: The Plague Itself
Betting takes away time, money, resources, ruins families, destroys careers, kills. Why encourage it?

It's an act of selfishness to advertise gambling or advertise the products when we know the evil it can do.

The creativity of many Nigerian youths have been lost due to this menace.

Many are dead. Many turned to drugs to numb the pain.

Government, do something!

Let Us Stand Against Gambling, Sports Betting
Let us enlighten the Nigerian people of the importance of financial literacy, and sensitize them to identify and get rid of bad financial traps. Like gambling.

We have good size of members and we are growing. We hope our voice is heard by the government someday soon, that we are also of the strong opinion that:

Gambling does more harm than good to the people
That Sports Betting is ruining the lives and creativity of our young people
That Gambling is evil.

That gambling should be banned in Nigeria.

We share similar sentiments with Reno Omokri.

Gambling kills. Gambling ruins lives.

#BanGambling
#BanSportsBetting

Source: Aza.ng

Danielomisco:
we have one here in Kano,he will abuse every staff badly and insult your background and state of being

Imagine.

As seen in the case of Amarachi (may her soul rest in peace and may God comfort her family), banking marketing job is a mentally demanding job. A lot of unspeakable things happen in banking.

In the suicide note circulated, she says: MY FIGURES ARE LOW. Point number 2 out of about 8.

Even if the pressure of performance in marketing as a staff of the bank was not the only reason for her decision to give up, this sure contributed greatly. She wrote it as point number 2.

There's so much to say. But sorry to say, Bankers need better working conditions. And banks need to care more about their staff. Especially their mental health. Especially these newly licenced LTD banks.

And Nigeria has little to no labour laws to protect employees. Also, especially newer banks, the pressure is so much on marketing staff.

There's one of the banks that won't allow you resume until you bring COVENANT DEPOSIT. And another one, once you tell them you have health concerns, they will start planning your replacement immediately. They don't care about you.

Like I said, there's so much to say.

I hope that lady didn't commit suicide immediately after an MPR session in GB.

HER FIGURES WERE LOW.

Danielomisco:
"my figures are low" marketing job damnnn...very depressing work , suicide is not an option tho.sorry dear rip.

That's it. And many employers don't care about people's mental health.

They just want results. However you do it.

BANKERS, See line 2 in the suicide note.

NwaNimo1:
...Multiple first-hand accounts detailing how Joshua faked his "miracle healings", which were broadcast to millions of people around the world...

Am I surprised?

All is well

Does cNGN make any sense?

Noted.

victorigwe:
Start The New Year With Good Plan 2024
-------We have 365 days, 53 weeks and 12months in a year.
CAN I SHOW YOU SOMETHING GREAT?

*DAILY SAVING*
100 naira daily------ 36,500 naira
200 naira daily------ 73,000
300 naira daily------ 109,500
500 naira daily------ 182,500
1,000 ...

Makes sense. Join us at Azà Hub

Well, we were Just PASSING BY.