It’s the last week of the month, and like always, I am b-r-o-k-e. No matter how many resolutions I make on the 1st and how many budgets I chart out, I am always, invariably broke by the fourth week. I feel like a millionaire (well, I have low standards) on the 1st and a pauper on the 30th. Gosh why! If you fall in the same category, I’m gonna let you in on some fun, clever ways to make your 3-figure (or is it 2?) bank balance last till payday.
Make a quick buck: Doesn’t matter what month it is, it’s time to spring clean your nest. Stack up the old newspapers and beer bottles from all the house parties and call the raddiwala. You’ll be shocked at the money you can make selling off old stuff. As for those terribly ugly Diwali presents you received, sell them off on OLX or Quikr. I can already smell the cash!
Stretch your meals: You know those early days of the month where you buy a meal for dinner and throw out the leftovers the next day? Yeah, well forget that. It’s time to make your meals last longer. If you are cooking, cook a whole chicken and divide it into three meal portions. After all, beggars can’t be choosers, can they?
Birthday mania: Social media sites have made it easy enough to remember everyone’s birthday and no better time to turn to a birthday angle than the last week of payday. Figure out who has upcoming birthdays, call them at 12 AM, make them feel special and ask for a treat. Dinner sorted!
Visit home: Get your parents to bail you out without them knowing. Hop on the first train home this weekend, and cosy up with your loved ones till you get that amazing, ‘Salary has been credited’ message. The food and entertainment is on the house till then.
Dig out all those vouchers: I am an online shopper and this happens to me all the time. I get a whole lot of those ‘Rs.500 off on your next purchase’ vouchers which I always tend to forget about. Get those out and use them to your advantage.
Hunt for change: Trust me finding money in your old jeans is really not so uncommon. Look under the sofa, sift through your collection of handbags and jeans pockets and you’ll surely find enough money to get you through a weekend.
Have a ‘poor’ party: The real smart thing would be to not party when you are broke, but no one really likes logic anyway! Get your friends together, pool in and order some pizza and dig out those old chick-flick DVDs. Nothing makes being poor easier than having some company.
Give yourself a budget: Depending on the moolah that you have in the bank, give yourself a daily budget and make sure you always stick to it. So if you are over-the-budget and not able to afford a taxi ride, walk it up or take a train but don’t cheat.
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