Finances : The Christmas Money Trap

One way of setting yourself free from chains of the rat race is being able to think differently from the rest. This holiday everybody is thinking spend, spend and spend. It is not hard to follow suit, but on the other hand you can set yourself in the anti-clock wise mode and think earn, earn and earn. Look around your surroundings and ask yourself what people are willing to spend on just to satisfy their own egoistic participation in the ‘holiday mood.’ Where are the ‘rivers of money’ flowing into – supermarkets, discount shops, travel agencies, wedding organizers? After looking through where people are most likely to spend, set up for yourself a ‘money trap’ along one of those ‘rivers of money.’ For example, lots of people, friends, family and neighbor will want to take a trip to the Kivu beaches, to the Tanganyika, Kibuye, Muhazi, La Paliise Bugesera just to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that water brings to a man’s mental balance, and enjoy the indulging that come with it, like water and beach games, fresh fish etc. You can organize a budget trip to nay of these destinations and save everybody money at a small profit, by hiring a van and preparing a simple picnic lunch and then charging a small fee per head which you can then leverage over a number of individuals to make it work. You can borrow a digital camera to make a short clip or take photos for everyone, saving you ‘tourists’ all that hassle. Make it worthwhile, by organizing to visit more than one destination on a day with a fixed timetable to make it like a tourist circuit. For example a trip to Butare can begin with a detour of Nyanza’s historic royal attractions and a visit to the National Museum in Butare and end it with a picnic under the huge old trees of the national university of Butare. On return, a befitting end can mean free entry into a nice town joint that plays good music at least according to the definition of the specific age group. By including all the entry fees of all detours in the total fee, one can make a worthwhile local holiday for people who want to take time out of their schedules to relax and kick away the stress. That way, the holiday will not only be worthwhile for your mind but for your pocket as well. kelviod@yahoo.com

Lifestyle

Finances : The Christmas Money Trap