Thread by @DrCarrieM

So, I've spent the last few days going through my finances with a fine tooth comb (late tax returns filer, I am), and it was eye-opening to go through every bank and cash and Mpesa transaction with a ruthless eye. Some overarching lessons:/1

When you're going through emotional turmoil, it is very easy to spend money without thinking, and this includes moments of grief, sadness, stress, distress, the blues, etc.
You want to keep a handle on your Mpesa and Wallet and Bank Cards, if you can, during such times /2

Perhaps find someone you trust to keep an eye on you, or if you can be self aware, don't walk around town with cash, etc. Very easy to decide to pop into Java etc for a coffee/comfort meal/drink, and before you know it, you've spent money you hadn't planned /3

Be very careful of sympathy-impetus. You know, there's a sick relative, friend, etc, and before you can think straight, you've swiped your card, or sent Mpesa and you're in a hole before the end of the year. I'm not saying be mean, I'm saying, wait for the sympathy rush.../4

...to diminish, then sit down, do your math, and see how much you can give. If you find you cannot spare the extra coin, just say a polite no, and don't allow the second rush, the guilt-rush, to overwhelm you. Its okay to say you don't have money, rather than give rashly /5

This includes the "small-small" requests by desperate friends and acquaintances. That 2k here, 1k there, 4k there will add up to over a 100k over the year if you're not careful. And the harsh truth is, these people RARELY ever pay back these moneys. Be careful /6

Tweets 4,5 and 6 above are to say, learn to say NO to requests to give money willy-nilly. Say no. Unless you have budget provisions for this, and then, use your discretion. Most people who ask for loans from you will most likely never return this money, and you'll catch.../7

feelings when you see them doing mirror selfies on IG with brand new iPhones and going first class on SGR to a weekend getaway while you're there seething over the 10k you lent them and they are no longer even bothering to fear blue-ticking you.
Learn to say no. No. /8

@tugengirl has given us tips on how to cut down supermarket trips by going wholesale. Those trips are expensive. My total expenses just nipping to the supermarket to buy milk, drinking chocolate, etc were astronomical. I'm still having palm-sweats just thinking about it. /9

Lastly, you go through your expenses and realise *other* people are the ones eating the bulk of your hard-earned sweat. After you say no, put the money into some investment. This one is tricky, though. But @RookieKE gives us many lessons on this. Go to her blog, check her TL /10

Whatever you do, invest in yourself and your future. Secure your bags. Do the work of reading to find which investments are good for you, but do it. My saving grace was that I started to do this last year, so the sting of money wasted was assuaged a bit... /11

I plan to tighten this even further. Because there's nothing as bad as working for nothing. You can't keep operating your money through leaky buckets, because when a famine comes, you're the one who will starve as borrowers of your money enjoy vacays /12

Throw away the leaky bucket and buy a new one - i.e a paradigm shift. People will call you mean and mkono-birika, but that's okay. People talk, then they go away. Secure your bags.
And its never too late to start.

Happy filing, and may your bags be secure.
FIN