Smart money management for Everyone
The Sneaky Little Habits That Keep Your Wallet Empty
I want you to think about the last time you said, "I just don't know where my money went." It’s a frustrating feeling, right? You work hard, the money comes in, and then… it’s gone. For years, I blamed my empty bank account on things outside my control. But then I started looking closer, and I realized the truth. It’s rarely one big financial disaster that does us in. It’s the small, daily habits we don't even notice.
We’re going to talk about some of these habits today. And I’ll be honest, some of them are going to feel normal, even smart. That’s what makes them so dangerous. It's the things we do every day that keep us from building the financial security we deserve.
The "Small Amount" Trap
“It’s only 200,” you say. Or, “It’s just 50.” I’ve said it too. We convince ourselves that because the amount is small, it doesn't really count. But these small amounts are like ants.
One ant is harmless. A thousand ants can carry away an entire chicken.
Here’s what that looks like in real life:
Buying a soda or a packet of biscuits every afternoon because you're peckish.
Topping up your airtime with the "just-in-case" 100, multiple times a day.
The cost isn't just the money. It’s the mental energy spent on these tiny transactions. You’re constantly thinking about small change instead of focusing on how to make bigger moves. That mental load is exhausting, and it keeps you in a scarcity mindset.
What to do : For one week, write down every single purchase, no matter how small, just track it. You’ll be amazed at where your "small change" is actually going. Then, set a weekly cash amount for these small spends. When the cash is gone, the small purchases stop for the week.
The Illusion of the "Big Job" Savior
So many of us are waiting. Waiting for that one big promotion. That one massive client from overseas. That life-changing contract. We pin all our financial hopes on this future event, and in the meantime, we neglect the money we have right now.
I see this all the time with brilliant freelancers I know. They land a $500 project and immediately start living like the money is already in their account. They might even borrow against it. Then, the payment is delayed by two months because of slow international transfers, or the client changes their mind. Suddenly, they’re in a deeper hole than when they started.
Putting all your faith in one big future paycheck is a dangerous habit. It makes you careless with your present resources. It stops you from building multiple, smaller streams of income that are far more reliable.
What to do : Act as if the "big break" is never coming. Focus on building a solid financial foundation today with what you have. When that big project does come, it becomes a bonus for building your future, not a lifeline for surviving your present.
Hustle Culture Burnout
In our part of the world, everyone has a side hustle. It’s a necessity. But here’s the unpopular truth: being busy is not the same as being productive. Running three different hustles that each bring in 5,000 is exhausting. You’re constantly switching contexts, and you have no time to think about how to make one of them bring in 50,000.
You’re working all hours, even during your downtime, you're hunched over your phone with a dying power bank, trying to close a sale. This is not a sustainable path to wealth. It’s a fast track to burnout. The habit here is valuing activity over strategy.
What to do : Take a full weekend off from all hustles. I know it sounds scary. Use that time to honestly assess your income streams. Ask yourself: Which one has the most potential? Which one do I enjoy? Then, have the courage to pour 80% of your energy into scaling that one thing, even if it means letting the other, less productive hustles go.
The "I Deserve It" Tax
Life is hard. The power goes out, ruining your planned workday. The traffic is a nightmare. Your data runs out in the middle of a crucial task. So, at the end of a frustrating day, you tell yourself, "I deserve a treat." That treat might be an expensive bottle of beer, ordering takeaway instead of cooking, or buying those new shoes you saw online.
This is the "I Deserve It" tax. It’s an emotional spending habit. The problem is, when life is consistently tough, the "treats" become a daily or weekly occurrence. Your budget gets blown not by your bills, but by your need for emotional comfort.
What to do : Find non-financial ways to reward yourself for getting through a tough day. Call a friend who makes you laugh. Go for a walk. Watch a movie. Listen to your favorite album. You have to break the mental connection between stress and spending.
Poor Power & Data Management
This is a uniquely poverty habit. You don't budget for your data and power effectively, so you're always caught off guard.
You wait until your laptop is at 10% before you start looking for a power source, wasting precious work time.
You buy data in tiny, expensive bundles instead of a larger, more cost-effective monthly plan, simply because you can't afford the lump sum.
You don't download crucial documents, videos, or work files during off-peak hours or when you have good Wi-Fi, so you burn through your expensive mobile data doing basic tasks.
This is a habit of being reactive instead of proactive with your most essential work tools.
What to do instead:
Treat a monthly data bundle like a critical bill. Find a way to pay for it upfront. It’s cheaper in the long run.
Get a power bank that can charge your laptop, not just your phone. See it as a business investment.
Schedule a "download day" once a week where you use free Wi-Fi at a café, office, or friend’s place to get everything you need for the week ahead.
Keeping Up with the Wrong People
We all know about keeping up with the Joneses. But in our context, it’s often about keeping up with the cousins, the uncles, and the old schoolmates. The pressure to show you’re doing well is immense. This leads to habits like:
Spending a month's salary on a lavish funeral contribution for someone you barely knew.
Buying the latest smartphone on a punishing payment plan, just so you don't feel embarrassed during video calls.
Picking up the entire bill at a reunion to prove you've "made it."
This habit roots your financial decisions in other people’s opinions, not your own goals. It’s a sure way to work hard but have nothing to show for it.
What to do : Learn the gentle art of saying "No" or "I can't afford that right now." It’s difficult, but it’s freeing. True friends and family will understand. The ones who don’t? Their opinion was never worth bankrupting yourself for.
It Starts With One Change
The common thread here isn't a lack of money. It's a lack of awareness. We get so caught up in surviving the day that we don't see the patterns we're stuck in. The goal isn't to blame yourself, but to empower yourself. You can't control prices, but you can absolutely control how you respond to them.
Pick just one of these habits that resonated most with you. Maybe it’s tracking your small spends, or scheduling your downloads, or saying no to one unnecessary social expense this month. Master that one thing.
When you do, you’ll have taken the most important step from feeling like a victim of your circumstances to becoming the architect of your financial future.
