₦airaland Forum

Lexusgs430:
Life is meant to be enjoyed...... Not work like a Donkey and eat like a slave......
What's the essence of living? We only live once......

Which one is eating like slave? What alternative are you offering then? No matter what there will always be bills to pay.A smart person will make sure there’s a lot left over after paying necessities,if it means living in shack and cycling to work..so be it.

Lexusgs430:
Your earning power determines your propensity to save, minus current and recurrent expenses.......

Based on the £2100 payment pcm example, oblige us with a savings breakdown.........

A single person living on that may come forth and do the break down..my circumstances are different so I cannot do that
I do not believe a married person with kids can make savings from that amount.Dupsyshoo did a breakdown a while back..Falz has said what he earns and how much he saves..Maybe he can help with how he manages it.Whoever claimed 2100 and savings of £1k can defend it.

timesup234:
Save 1k pounds a month in the UK? You guys are clowns

Oga some people save way more than that pcm

Abagworo:
Obviously but it's traditional cults that do the poisoning and it's done strictly for justice.

What justice if I may ask?

Ralphlauren:
Damn it.

Your naivety at the time is mind blowing. No offence.

I was JJC naww..cash and carry expert afraid of debt.If I could go back in time,I would deal myself heavy blows

Ralphlauren:
Imconfused
Before I forget, make sure you use a mortgage advisor/broker for your mortgage application. Don’t just go direct to your bank.

A broker will help with pAckaging your application for you and ensure you get the best interest rate.

I used a naija guy when I did mine and if I remember correctly, I paid £1k to him in fees. I ended up with a lender (halifax) plus a 10% cashback deal.

I’m still surprised your application was refused just because you were on a tier 2 visa.

Thank you for this..appreciate it.It wasn’t just a tier 2 thing if I’m to be fair.
We applied ourselves at that time,we didn’t have any solid credit history,and we had to keep renewing visa almost yearly.To be honest,we were poor candidates at the time looking at affordability.We just gave up

We also didn’t know the value of credit history at the time,lol.Looking back,we should have used a specialist broker.
We have learnt our lessons..

Congratulations Op,
Ideally,The advice would be to refrain from romantic entanglements until you get your bearing.
You need to focus very well to be able to excel..A relationship at this very early phase may derail you because in terms of any plans now you’ll start thinking ‘we’ instead of I and start compromising in terms of things that would benefit you if you were alone.
Even common argument,you won’t be able to read or concentrate.
You are quite young now and you need to buckle down and make your mark..this is your chance.
I appreciate that you are lonely and the weather is cold ,try and network with other responsible Nigerians / immigrants/ people with exposure who will show you the way and how best to make use of this opportunity.
A lady you pick now you are still fresh off the boat may not be the lady you would pick like 1 year down the line when you are absolutely self aware and settled because by then you would also be considering that you would want a partner who shares common goals with you,has a career ,you would also know the peculiarities of the culture that you’ve just landed in then also get to meet more people.

However, this may be fate I don’t know..I wish you the best and will look out for your pictures.

The outfit you gave her is lovely good luck

How come it’s only in naija that adulterous women or their lovers die mysteriously?
The ones here are very fresh ,bubbly and live very long sef ..Her husband probably poisoned all of them

Lexusgs430:
290 is not a lot in packaging quantities... You would easily get a box 50 tablets (very small box)...

290 tablets is less than 6 small boxes.....

Fair enough..

claremont:
On the strict sense of controlled drug laws, it can legally be prescribed, but it's very bad practice by any doctor who prescribes such a large quantity. Clinically, a prescription of the quantity must be queried by whoever is dispensing it, the prescriber has to justify and have a valid reason why he/she is going against BMA and RPS good practice rules restricting quantities to no more than 30 days supply.

The bottomline is that the UK wouldn't allow an Egyptian to enter this country with 300 odd tablets of a controlled drug, but the same UK is trying to justify the evil actions of its citizen.

They have to defend their citizens naa. ..I hope that if by some twist of fate I’m in trouble,the media will campaign for me like this.

Lexusgs430:
I bet they were all legally dispensed.... She might be on repeat prescriptions, got a few family members to do same....

Collected them over a period, hoarded and travelled with....

Tramadol has a decent shelf life......

Hmmm she looks too young and healthy to be on repeat prescriptions for tramadol.to be fair though looks won’t tell you health condition.
If she was a distributor she would have been selling around her not stockpiling for months and months and months.
It’s just too much trouble and too many tablets that’s why I think she bought it off the internet or the streets.
Nothing is impossible shaa.Hope she serves her sentence.Her fellow mules that were caught in Bali are now almost reality stars here.

claremont:
No pharmacy will dispense that volume of Tramadol at a go, it will be queried with the prescriber. It's either she feigned an illness and was stockpiling it, or she bought it from one of these dodgy online 'chemists' that sell it without a prescription.

Honestly anyone who prescribes 290 tablets at a go will be sectioned cos it’s pure mental instability..even if she was ill before you get tramadol on the regular you must have chronic pain issues..

Tramadol is a controlled drug,no one would ever prescribe 290 tablets at a go.
She bought it off the streets or on the internet,maybe dealing it was her plan but she got caught.
She deserves her sentence..Drugs are a serious problem and it’s ruining lives daily..
To prescribe it in hospital it has to go on the controlled drug prescription and passes through pharmacy,you write how many tablets and duration in words and numbers..it is not a medication to be toyed with at all..very addictive,imagine how many victims she would have sold to.
No pity here

Ralphlauren:
My sister. It’s well.

I agree that the buying the property will give you peace of mind and a sense of fulfilment.

An increase in your joint monthly income will also help.

Awitan, they will say UK people are stingy. I hope the anti-UK brigade can see how much money you spend on supporting family and friends in nigeria.

Thanks oga,Buying house & Increase in joint income is the plan..not too much from my end for now as NHS salaries usually follow a crap trajectory till consultants level.I cannot locum as it will take away time spent together so till then,it’s baby steps.

Ralphlauren:
Loud it.

imconfused. I hope you can hear loud and clear.

I hear it loud and clear oga

6sco:
Gd evening everyone, ukmigrant, falzdbadguy, imconfused and every other contributor, u guyz have really enlightened us, Thank you. well I hope to travel to Canada in one or two years time ( from arguments and counter arguments here, I am staying away from UK lol). I am currently learning motion graphics and hope to start front end development(web design) in a months time, please are this skills lucrative abroad?

let me screenshot this msg so in two or three years time if I eventually make it, I will look back and tell other upcoming nairalanders that Rome was not built in a day.

Bros I don’t know oo.I’m just a local doc .sorry I can’t be of help

Falzdbadtguy:
Well, what can you do, just make sure your kids don't dump you lot in a care home when it's their turn to rep, the way the British treat their own parents

that's why there's a pension and we hopefully will have our own cash to fall back on plus that elusive house of our own..

Falzdbadtguy:
Na wa oh
Seems like this is really heavy on you from descriptions
Luckily, my mum still works, my dad's job has not been so great, but they don't really expect much from me, my younger brother has a good job in Lagos earning over 400k at the moment and my 3rd is working and schooling in Germany, i help him a little from time to time. Then cousins, especially the ones that are like siblings , having lived with you a greater part of their lives to be siblings...those ones dey hustle small...but all man go cut him coat now....Its not like na community send me here

You are very lucky..
I do not know what I have done to deserve the husband God blessed me with.All these expenses come from family purse..maybe because when we were sending to mainly his own side I was enthusiastic and encouraging

Managing my family financially just suddenly became heavier(they never ever used to ask for anything,so giving them was once in a while and they would take hesitantly while telling us to arrange our lives first),we just took it in stride & readjusted our budget.Dh never ever complains..My in-laws too wonderful..so honestly money going back to naija for them no de pain too much..the stray ones maybe though

@Ralphlauren


We have one car,DH drives for work,I ride on the train.my work is very very far..joys of training.
My parents were doing great till there was a job loss, so basically most of the things they could do like a breeze they cannot do now so I have to do them.
Before ,we used to send to DH parents regularly and mine occasionally because they didn't need it but now ehh their eyes don red gann.We give equal amounts to both sides,my grand parents are the only ones alive so we have to care for them as my parents are now unable to.
My siblings are not really contributing cos they(brothers) always say they are broke & have to cater for their children ,the rest are minors.Dh siblings try to contribute for theirs..but the ones that don't really have also ask us for help and we chip in when we can..
Its hard but can't see a way out for now.

I cannot wait to start paying this heavenly mortgage..need peace of mind and freedom from rent

You seem to be giving an ultimatum to strangers on the internet like you need their validation before you go ahead? Or are we supposed to beg you not to?
You should be facing your wife.
No one would care if you become a randy person ..its your own family you are destroying.
Enjoy.

Falzdbadtguy:
Please can you elaborate what this ir35 thing is...i've been hearing about the phenomenon

For doctors it means you can no longer locum under your limited liability company..you now have to locum as a PAYE and are taxed as source.. basically you cannot claim your expenses again -which usually helps to reduce tax bill.
Exceptions are usually highly skilled consultants.

Falzdbadtguy:
thats like 6 KFC meals, but i guess they don't eat in KFC or its under the 100 pounds eating out.
I guess, there's some element, that the expenditure is not 100% accounted for and there's a chronic Nigerianization of having to cough out 30pounds for a haircut for 3 males right? Ist that every week, fortnight, monthly?? it should probably be knocked off to miscellaneous

Haircut is 2 males..they go twice a month..if it costs more we shave it from my hair allocation then allocate more money to it in the next budget.
I don't really trust the husband with a clipper unless he perfects with himself first.I do my daughter's hair myself for now.
I don't like to stick known expenditures under miscellaneous..I know what it is so why not put a name to it..I like to see things in black and white.
Do not like KFC as a whole but the chicken is great.it goes under eating out money.

@dupsyshoo
He was asking about Peterborough as an area to move to.I don't know anything about England so I said maybe you know..

wonlasewonimi:
I have a friend he bought his own in 2008 for £220K, now cross rail is passing by the property and it's close to 500K

heii .God please help your children

Ralphlauren:
You should ask your colleague to hook you up to the dude. You could learn a lot from him.

The friends/associates you mix/relate with in the UK really determine how many mistakes or pitfalls you avoid and what valuable lessons you learn.

I am “successful” today in the UK because of the crew I rolled with from day one. I stayed away from all the negativity and rolled with those who believed that working with JP Morgan or Morgan Stanley and earning nothing less than a six figure salary was very possible for a hardworking immigrant.

Why would you date someone that’s illegal? She can’t add any value to your life or your life and career goals. Look for someone that is residing legally in the UK - a valid PR visa holder will do and date for love.

100% agree with this..who you roll with will affect your trajectory..Even when things were hard,we kept on setting goals..Hard work pays along with determination.
Success for us is that we are together and happy,great relationship,happy children and not hungry.
Define your success and aim for it.
Plus buy house..na there we mess up big time

Ranchhoddas:
Exactly my point.
What is life without a little frivolous behaviour?

There can be no room for that if you you have to include something as mundane as a haircut in your budget can there?
It is even more ridiculous when one considers the fact that you are a working professional.

Relocating abroad is not all it's cracked up to be now is it?

And you have missed the point.
All financial gurus have a budget for even the most idiotic things.
It helps me plan my money and see where it's going..that's how we are able to go on holidays and afford the life we have.Because of my budget,I can be frivolous without worrying because I know how much I have and what I can fritter away. It is this same budget that allows me fly in different family members in a year,also maintain them plus bear their various expenses back home.I never scramble for money cos I have planned ahead of time and have extras as a cushion just incase.
We actually earn very well after tax,our combined income is way above average (thanks dear husband).
In a few years I'll catch up with him income wise and our earnings will be amazingly higher God willing.
Our outgoings are high,but we also have savings and invest some of it.
My friends don't have a budget but I have it for my peace of mind..I do not want to wake up poor one day.
Some colleagues in Nigeria are doing amazingly well,many are not.
Relocating was the best decision we ever made.

Yes oo,I'd rather not spend as much but we can afford it comfortably and still save and I doubt we would have been able to if we stayed behind

Falzdbadtguy:
Did you buy land in Banana Island?
Just wondering why it is choicy??

No oo,not that rich yet.
Choice because we bought in a relatively desirable area..

Have derailed the Op's thread ooo.This is his journey not mine..maybe one day I will write my own chronicles..After we buy that elusive house

Ralphlauren:
Exactly.

My father owns 4 flats in Ibadan. He spent millions on buying the land (with c of o) and constructing it. Property is located in a good location (just off iwo road).

Imagine the rental income for each 3bedroom flat 180k per annum. That’s less than 1m a year. That one Na money ?

This is minus the fact that tenants default and the maintenance costs.

Few years ago, he had to completely renovate the house - repaint, replace entire kitchens, replace floor tiles (all damaged by bad tenants) and he spent over 3m naira.

He hasn’t recovered one quarter of the money he spent in erecting the structure up.

Cc. Imconfused

My eye don clear

Lexusgs430:
No point been a landlord in Nigeria, while remaining a tenant in the UK....

Property prices keep rising, and best to put your foot on the property ladder.....

RENT MONEY IS DEAD MONEY........

I agree 100% and we r getting on the ladder next year since we are moving.We have had some difficulties which are definitely in the past now.
We've bought land in choice areas in Nigeria,just haven't built on them.
I think the parents are putting pressure on us for their own benefit to be honest.. something to point at and say we have achieved,lol.
The money we used to buy the plots,would have been added to this deposit cash but it is well.
For BTL that one is already done(with partners)but haven't started earning from there yet.

aje33:
That's actually the average salary of guys in my office here in Abuja per month.

Sorry to bother you guys about my "undue comparison"
but I'm currently considering relocating to Canada so I need informed opinions of guys abroad.

Thanks

Sorry aje33,
Honestly,we are not suffering..we have a very good quality of life and can buy whatever we want within reason..my bills are high but it doesn't apply to everyone besides we can afford it and still save something even though it's small
It wasn't bread and butter at the start oo..I have written that our lives improved drastically in the last 3 years of mega hard work..I now work,our income combined is very good..
My husband and I have an amazing relationship,our kids are thriving ,we have peace and small cash just incase.id say we are fortunate and won't change a thing.
It all depends on you and what you are after..
I am contented with my life even though I'm looking to shave off uneccesary extras

Lexusgs430:
You want to use expensive money for an anticipated cheap rental income in Nigeria?

How much would you spend on an asset in Nigeria? After completion, what would be your rental income per year?

That's why I'm here for help..we are being harassed into building.. definitely applying breaks on that after the advise. We aren't really good with money stuff as you can read

Ralphlauren:
You live and work in the UK.

Your kids all live and school here.

Buying/owning your own home here in the UK should take priority over building or owning a home in nigeria.

Building in nigeria isn’t cheap and it comes with a lot of headache. People will try real hard to reap you off.

Why spend £40,000 on a home in nigeria that you will end up visiting barely 2 weeks in a year when you are paying rent (effectively paying someone’s else mortgage) in the UK.

Get a mortgage (especially one that allows you overpay at least 10% of the outstanding sum in a year) and you will be amazed that in 10years, you will own the home outrightly.

Mortgage rates are low at the moment. Take advantage of it before things change.

Forgot to add that one of the issues with getting a mortgage was that husbands earning was very low,we had like 2 years of him getting his bearing while I was in uni,heavy challenges.3 years of close to nothing and I wasn't working at the time..saddled with children too so we could barely save a thing especially with the weight of naija maintenance..I guess we were not suitable candidates for mortgages at the time.Then I started work,his earnings improved massively and we started saving like mad,that's how we've gotten this deposit..

Thank you for the serious food for thought and amazing insight..its the parents harassing us and we felt that since we have saved a good amount for deposit we can now use next savings burst to build something that can be giving us an income in Nigeria( we intend to rent it out).

Definitely are buying asap once we pinpoint an area to live in.this low interest rates cannot pass us by.
Thank you sir for the advice.