FINANCE 101 || 10 WAYS TO SAVE FROM AN 8 TO 5 or 9 TO 5 JOB

9 TO 5 jobs can be stressful and unfulfilling if you are someone like me who likes adventures and who loves to create things but it doesn't come without its perks and positivities.

One of its perks is getting paid regularly, I know that working for one man businesses may prove this wrong but ideally every 9 to 5 job as a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly payment plan. I'm in my 3rd year working in a multinational company and it took me borrowing some ideas from my mom and some trial and errors to learn to make some savings and wealth from my work. My financial journey makes me feel like someone out there might need to know how to live and still save money from their day job.
so I thought to share a few ways I have managed to survive;

• PUT YOURSELF ON A SALARY: When you own your business, financial advisors will advise that you put yourself on a salary, working in 8 to 5 has taught me that the same should apply too. When I started work I looked around me and found an average salary in my head that a few of my friends and family were earning and managing to survive  on and support their family with. Once I knew this I started to pay myself a certain amount from my entire salary, zeroing my mind from what I earned to what I'm allowed to earn.

• JOIN THE COOPERATIVE SOCIETY: After you have put yourself on a salary, the next thing to do is to find a way to save what you have left and what better way than to join a cooperative society. Some of you may already know my mum is a single mother, she was also a teacher at some point before she went on to being an administrative staff. I remember how every time we were resuming a new session she would collect a cooperative loan and shower us with some love. All this experiences made the cooperative society the first thing I joined when I started my job. Ever since receiving my first month salary in full, I have never received any salary till date without saving at least something small with the cooperative. Most companies have a cooperative society and the beautiful part is you are allowed to loan double of whatever you have saved.

• BUY THROUGH THE COOPERATIVE: Unfortunately, I have never actually bought anything through mine but maybe this year i will buy a washing machine and a Tv for my room. Cooperative societies have ties with so many companies that come to pitch their products and services to them at ridiculous rates, they also support paying long term or paying bit by bit through them. It is advisable to buy through them in order not to over kill one's self at a go.

• BE PART OF THE SCHEMES: Whether its the housing scheme or pension scheme, make sure you get involved and don't be a pessimist like me who wants her money where she can touch them, Be an optimist, take advantage of every opportunity that comes with any scheme by researching and asking questions.An example of a scheme is the National housing fund that allows you take a mortgage to buy a house and so much more.

• VOLUNTARY SAVINGS:You can do this in two ways, you can find out in your bank and automate it so that your bank takes some money from your salary every month and you can also do that with your pension managers, they offer a voluntary pension account that you can withdraw at any point in time.

• VOLUNTARY INDEPENDENT SAVINGS: If you are like me and you already are on a salary and already joined the cooperative, the next step is to change your mentality and cave a little more out of your new salary to save, little savings that run for 2 to 6 months where everyone brings together some money and carry monthly is one to try out. If you are like me you carry last and have something productive in mind for that money.

• BUDGET: All this steps can only be achieved if you have a budget, write it out and stick to it.you should know what is going to feeding, housing, call card, internet and clothing and you should make sure you don't exceed it. Voluntary independent savings can cover your unpredictable costs.

• INVEST OR START A BUSINESS: It is a smart move to take a loan from the cooperative after a while to buy a land or start a profitable business, some cooperatives even sell lands and it is a very good investment. money made from your business and/or profit or rent made from your assets add a great deal to your savings.

• USE YOUR HEALTH SCHEME/PLAN: it may be cliche that health is wealth but it definitely is, taking time to go to your hospital or clinic to get a check up and to prevent money consuming illnesses can help you save your money as well. most jobs have health packages for their staffs, this is another perk.

• HAVE A REWARD PLAN: Your leave and your leave bonus should always serve their purpose. Make sure you rest as much as you can and make sure you spend your leave bonus doing something that lifts your spirit up. All the bonuses I get from work this year (part of my resolution) would go into some things that seem like luxury like travels, designer items and fancy meals. don't spend your life saving for others to enjoy, reward yourself from time to time and just be happy you have a job.

Do you have a 9 to 5 job? Does this help? Do you have any other tips? please share below.