It’s the beginning of a new year and that means new bills and more responsibilities and thinking back at last year just gives me some sort of joy at how I have planned this year for my bills.

My family lives in Ibadan and I live in Lagos and I must confess that it is such a struggle to pay their bills while working in Lagos here. I am the first child so I have to send my family money every month, and my siblings every week.

My family DSTV bill is also something I have to do monthly while I also ensure that all my siblings get airtime on their phone every week. It is such a traumatic experience when I remember that as I am planning all this small small money that when you calculate it, it becomes big money, I have to also plan bank charges inside of it as well.
I moved out of the house at a point to make ends meet as the first son of the family especially as my parents are getting old and I’m their only source of livelihood as it is right now, some people say you do not owe your parents anything but well, I do not believe in this and I take care of my parents and see it as my duty and what I owe to them to do.

Schools have resumed, Nishola, my sister needs to go back and would need fees and other miscellaneous expenses. Femi my brother is preparing for his WAEC to enable him get into the university. My parents of course have medical bills to be sorted as well every month.

When I calculate this in total every month including bank charges, it is over 100,000 monthly that I spend last year not until this January when someone mentioned how PalmPay gives people rewards when they do transactions. At first, and as usual, I did not believe it but that is not the point of the thread.

The point of writing this thread is really to ask, how do African Children deal with the numerous bills that they have to pay for the family and friends?

how do African Children deal with the numerous bills that they have to pay for the family and friends?

PalmPay has made it easy for me to spend money and still save up while getting rewards as well. I started using the app earlier this year when I heard about the New Year Festival campaign they had for their customers. I downloaded it, made transactions and got a chance to win a share of 50 Million Naira. I have lots of rewards and discounts for making transactions and I’m charged absolutely nothing for sending money back home. I’ve been able to sort out family bills for the month of January till date.

justosee:
You are doing advert for PalmPay, or seeking for advice?

Advice

HappyNigerian:
Advice

My advice to you,use PalmPay to pay the bills.

justosee:

My advice to you,use PalmPay to pay the bills.

can you be serious?

When dem ask for 20k..me i dey send 5k.when dem ask for 50k,i send 10..i no go kill my sef.

donbachi:
When dem ask for 20k..me i dey send 5k.when dem ask for 50k,i send 10..i no go kill my sef.

My brother, I don use that strategy but dem call me stingy

HappyNigerian:

My brother, I don use that strategy but dem call me stingy

I no owe dem anything..na help i wan help.

donbachi:
When dem ask for 20k..me i dey send 5k.when dem ask for 50k,i send 10..i no go kill my sef.

This one way to go

HappyNigerian:

My brother, I don use that strategy but dem call me stingy

My brother, na you day do yourself.


You see I've been in this shoe and I can tell you with all sense of responsibility that if today you leave this Earth (God forbid) your parents, siblings and friends will survive 100% without you, I can tell you this for free, you shouldn't attend to every books dropped at request, sending your siblings airtime, What! You must be joker sincerely.

Your approach is making your circle very weak, complacent and entitled.

To circumvent this, you will have to create systems that generate money for your parents since they are old, equally you may want to encourage them to find avenues they could raise money for themselves within the capacity of strength they can muster, without overstressing to themselves, either open a small shop, or a biker to remit funds to them every week or something, just think, you understand your family better than I do.

Secondly you sister must develop herself to become a person with valuable skills she can exchange for money, maybe a hair dresser, tailor, a writer, sells cloth or something, there are businesses she could start with as low as 20K and make good profits to take care of her immediate needs like airtime, pad, transportation to school etc


You keep employing this approach of a miracle worker for every single need within your circle, you will soon become an angry man. Haba

The way it works for me is that I attend to cogent needs that could stress my parents especially when it has to do with heavy payments with short deadlines (school fees and rent), I can't imagine my brother or sister in University expecting me to recharge their phone! I have ensured they develop themselves to become people of value, who can exchange that skill for money.

My dear, it's not easy ooo. Sometimes I feel like running away. My case is worse because I live with them. I am so frustrated that for over a week now I have been giving them attitude, I don't talk to any of them. I just drop money for food and any other thing that needs to be paid, then off I go. The rent is almost due and they are all waiting for me to conjure the money from the sky.smh. The burden is just too much

Yusufisraelj:


This one way to go



My brother, na you day do yourself.


You see I've been in this shoe and I can tell you with all sense of responsibility that if today you leave this Earth (God forbid) your parents, siblings and friends will survive 100% without you, I can tell you this for free, you shouldn't attend to every books dropped at request, sending your siblings airtime, What! You must be joker sincerely.

Your approach is making your circle very weak, complacent and entitled.

To circumvent this, you will have to create systems that generate money for your parents since they are old, equally you may want to encourage them to find avenues they could raise money for themselves within the capacity of strength they can muster, without overstressing to themselves, either open a small shop, or a biker to remit funds to them every week or something, just think, you understand your family better than I do.

Secondly you sister must develop herself to become a person with valuable skills she can exchange for money, maybe a hair dresser, tailor, a writer, sells cloth or something, there are businesses she could start with as low as 20K and make good profits to take care of her immediate needs like airtime, pad, transportation to school etc


You keep employing this approach of a miracle worker for every single need within your circle, you will soon become an angry man. Haba

The way it works for me is that I attend to cogent needs that could stress my parents especially when it has to do with heavy payments with short deadlines (school fees and rent), I can't imagine my brother or sister in University expecting me to recharge their phone! I have ensured they develop themselves to become people of value, who can exchange that skill for money.

My brother, this thing is killing me

Zanxx:
My dear, it's not easy ooo. Sometimes I feel like running away. My case is worse because I live with them. I am so frustrated that for over a week now I have been giving them attitude, I don't talk to any of them. I just drop money for food and any other thing that needs to be paid, then off I go. The rent is almost due and they are all waiting for me to conjure the money from the sky.smh. The burden is just too much

Living with them can be terrible

HappyNigerian:

Living with them can be terrible

I swear. What pisses me off the most is that by 3:30am I am up and getting ready for work while they sleep. I get home in the evening to find them so relaxed watching TV. Last month, I told them to get their acts together because I am not the only one living in that house. I love my family but honestly I can't continue like this

Honestly, you do not owe anyone that much responsibility. Otedola no be person papa? What was it our parents were doing in their time? Imagine you have kids and a wife to take care of coupled with all the responsibilities. Your wife may not be able to cope and she would be termed a bad woman.

My advice is to do the little you can and everyone (aside from your parents) that is fit to work should go out there and work. When you were in school, lots of people were paying their fees themselves by doing side hustles. If you keep spending money on your siblings, they would be lazy.

The earlier you show them how to fish, the longer your life span. Work, pay yourself, invest, save and the extra is what you can share.

#my2cents#

Your parents are elderly theirs is understandable, if you can find something that will generate income for them it will be okay, like okada rider someone suggested.

Something's can and should be cancelled if you ask me
Airtime for the siblings should be out of it
DSTV sef is not something you need for survival, it should be once in a while.


And please don't even attempt getting married until you sort your siblings out , don't bring a woman into this arrangement, marriage=more responsibilities meaning more financial commitment and this means you can't or might not be able to cater for your family like you did as a single guy or else she would be hated.
No try am oo ehen.

Hope you are saving sha?

HappyNigerian:

My brother, this thing is killing me

My man you have to sit down and balance this thing else you will get worn out. Sincerely it's not easy growing up on this side of the globe, but with proper planning, execution and more importantly the help of God, everything is possible.

Another thing I must emphasize is a willingness to always be a man of prayer and due diligence to God and life, my brother there is more to this life than meets the eye.

Omo e no easy ooo
With the kind entitlement mentality wey Africans get again
Someone will keep malice with you because you refuse to give him/her your own hard earned money

Which bill? People that still depend on parents because of Buharis failed government?
Abeg change topic.
Driver keep moving.

At times you dodge some of your friends and family members on your way treking with just #400.

Most of these bills are unavoidable. They know when you have and when you don't. Monitoring spirit everywhere.

stfu, i can bet that palmpay story is the essence of your post

Just don't deal with it

It's already enough hassle being Nigerian living in Nigeria with inflation rates of over 16% and your bank gives you interest rate of 0.2% on savings account for the full year whereas your money just lost atleast 16% of its value that same year.

Your money is fast becoming worthless, salaries are not increased at all let alone being increased proportional to the inflation rate, whenever price hike goes up it stays up,
Let's not delve into insecurity and lack of Electricity, kidnapping happens in truck loads these days the least you'll hear is 300 school children and nothing is shocking about 300 humans let alone school children being kidnapped.

Your fellow Nigerians now want to add to their own suffer on top your own, no naw, it shouldn't be, not at all

Nigerians Una still never ready

Why do you think a lot of under 18 kids are into fraud/prostitution nowadays?

The pressure no be here!

Ignore those "I don’t owe anyone" geng, many people just say things in public that they don’t practice.

If you must purchase airtime for anyone, let it be ur parents and your female siblings. The guys have to hustle and contribute to the house also, so they don’t develop an entitlement mentality.

If things must go easier on you in future, you have a major role to play in directing them now.

When ure out, keep ur ears pinned to the ground for information that can help any of them get a job, scholarship, business opportunity.

Most older kids don’t realize just how much their younger ones (including that one they call stubborn) depends on them for guidance.

ON TOP ONE MAN HEAD:

1. NEPA don bring bill
2. Buy bread when u are coming
3. Buy Egg when u are coming
4. Gas don finish
5. Kerosine don finish
6a. Generator no gree start
6b. Buy fuel for generator when u are coming
7. Car don get flat tyre, e no gree start
8. School fees don show
9. DStv/GOtv etc don stop to dey show
10. Dem come ask for vigilante money
11. Month don end for Lesson teacher
12. Biscuit and Happy Hour nko?
13. Dem go begin report the children to u as u dey enter
14. If u never build, Landlord matter na madding
15. Dem go still shook hand for ur pocket pack d small change join..
16. Tell u d pikin dey run temperature like say u be doctor...
17a. Buy them credit
17b. Buy them data
18. Not excluding Suya, Cat fish etc on some nights
19. Fridge, pressing iron, fan etc. go stop, another headache..
20. Dem still wan go amusement park on public holidays
21. How much be the salary sef..

I come go hospital for fever, doctor say I get High BP.

How man no go get High BP..

And

On top all, you must not disappoint in the inner room.. dem go still give you orders,

*"HONEY HARDER"*

Please, let's take it easy......our lives matters.
With or without us, life will continue.

E no dey easy sha,
GOD Blessings be with all us

Been the first child in a poor or average home in this part of the globe can be a nightmare.

Talking from experience, it hasn't been easy even though I try to treat the most pressing issues in the family. What I do from my end is that once I get my salary I remove 50% which either is invested or saved for future investment when the money get to a reasonable amount. Thereafter, both my problems and that of the family is solved from the remaining 50%. Any issue not solved this month or captured in the plan is moved to next month.

The only problems that can make me go beyond my plan or not apply this approach i stated above is when life-threatening situation happens or sudden ill-health of a family member.

Most times, I don't yield to all my siblings demands especially when the demand is not threatening or I figured out is for frivolities.

OP you also have to invest in youself to improve and earn more at work or even start your own business because you won't do 9-5 for the rest of your life. Been the Messiah of your family will not enable you achieve this.

If you were not born, the will still find a way to solve there problems and live a decent life.

One other reason africans dont progress....

Carrying weights way beyond their capacity.

Sometimes in life, u have to remain focus and lock up to get to your destination......u cant be struggling to escape drowning and be dragging other weights, u will all drown!

Zanxx:
My dear, it's not easy ooo. Sometimes I feel like running away. My case is worse because I live with them. I am so frustrated that for over a week now I have been giving them attitude, I don't talk to any of them. I just drop money for food and any other thing that needs to be paid, then off I go. The rent is almost due and they are all waiting for me to conjure the money from the sky.smh. The burden is just too much

gaaan marry

Hmmm

Antoeni:
ON TOP ONE MAN HEAD:

1. NEPA don bring bill
2. Buy bread when u are coming
3. Buy Egg when u are coming
4. Gas don finish
5. Kerosine don finish
6a. Generator no gree start
6b. Buy fuel for generator when u are coming
7. Car don get flat tyre, e no gree start
8. School fees don show
9. DStv/GOtv etc don stop to dey show
10. Dem come ask for vigilante money
11. Month don end for Lesson teacher
12. Biscuit and Happy Hour nko?
13. Dem go begin report the children to u as u dey enter
14. If u never build, Landlord matter na madding
15. Dem go still shook hand for ur pocket pack d small change join..
16. Tell u d pikin dey run temperature like say u be doctor...
17a. Buy them credit
17b. Buy them data
18. Not excluding Suya, Cat fish etc on some nights
19. Fridge, pressing iron, fan etc. go stop, another headache..
20. Dem still wan go amusement park on public holidays
21. How much be the salary sef..

I come go hospital for fever, doctor say I get High BP.

How man no go get High BP..

And

On top all, you must not disappoint in the inner room.. dem go still give you orders,

*"HONEY HARDER"*

Please, let's take it easy......our lives matters.
With or without us, life will continue.

E no dey easy sha,
GOD Blessings be with all us

Na laptop you dey use do nairaland ? Cos if na phone in one minute you typed this, I'm in awe

You're already a happy Nigerian

Do the much you can do and leave the rest to God