The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 9,600 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
If there is a single rule that underlies everything I’ve written about on Today’s Naira, it’s this simple sentence:
Spend less than you earn.
It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Yet there are many people out there burying themselves in debt (spending more than they earn) or living purely paycheck to paycheck (spending exactly what they earn). Yesterday fuel subsidy was officially removed with a litre of fuel selling within a range of N138 - N200. This is an astronomical increase and it’ll require an effort to save in 2012.
Simply spending less than you earn has a cascade of positive effects.
First, you begin eliminating your debts. Spending less than you earn frees up the money you need to make larger payments on your debts. Over time, they begin to disappear, reducing your monthly bills and giving you even more breathing room.
Second, you begin to save. First, you build up some cash savings in your savings account, enabling you to roll through emergencies (like a car breakdown or a job loss). You’ll also have the breathing room to start saving for retirement, paving yourself a great future for your golden years.
Third, your stress level falls. Knowing that you have fewer debts, your emergencies are covered, and your retirement is being planned for reduces your stress level. You sleep better, your overall health improves, and you feel happier about life.
Finally, you are now able to explore possibilities closed to you before. When your debts are gone and you are spending far less than you’re bringing in, you suddenly have many more career possibilities. You don’t have to stick with your high-stress job – you have the financial freedom to move on and chase your dreams. You can live where – and how – you want to live.
All of that comes back to one basic principle – spend less than you earn.
That statement actually has two parts, though.
Spend less refers to the fact that you do need to cut your spending. The first step doesn’t need to be anything drastic – nor should it be. Many of the more extreme money-saving tips come from people who have already tried out the basic tips and love them, so they seek out more intense strategies to further cut their spending. I do this myself – I’m always trying out new money-saving strategies, discarding the ones that don’t work for me and keeping the ones that do.
Here are five big ways to get started.
First, go through every monthly required bill. Ask yourself if you really need that service at all. Do you really need to take your car to work everyday or could you start a car pooling service with colleagues who live nearby to cover the cost of fuelling the car? With the fuel subsidy issue, I forsee the era of filling up the tank eroding. Also, more people will become circumspect about fuel management. Then, go through each bill and see if there are any optional services you can eliminate. Do you really need a washman or consider the options of purchasing a washing machine and ironing your clothes yourself?
Second, keep diligent track of your spending. Keep a notebook in your pocket and write down every expense you have. The simple process of doing this will make you think twice about unnecessary expenses. When you do have a month’s worth of expenses written down, take a careful look at them. Ask yourself whether or not each of these expenses actually contributed to the value and joy of your life. That process will offer a lot of insight for you as to where your spending is going to waste.
Third, look carefully at your routines. Watch what you do every day (or most days). Are there things you do each day that cost money? Those things are the most powerful ones to adjust, as trimming just N100 from your daily spending saves you N36,500 a year. Do you stop at fast food restaurants each day? Why not cut down your daily order a bit, or start bringing your breakfast or lunch from home? Do you splurge on Coke every day? Perhaps you can start considering making your own Sobo drink or Chapman twice a week. Look at every regular expense you have.
Applications close November 8th 2011, at 2pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (GMT +11)
WorldNomads.com and National Geographic Channel are giving one exceptional individual the chance to go on assignment with renowned wildlife and natural history photographer Jason Edwards to South Africa!
This is your chance to photograph in Kruger National Park on an 8-day trip with Gap Adventures. Step into the heart of Big 5 game country with lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo, as well as zebra, giraffe, kudo and monkey…to name a few. You’ll also photograph Cape Town in all its vibrant colour and visit a pre-school community project on the outskirts of Cape Town, offering you a well rounded view of modern South Africa, courtesy of South African Tourism.
A selection of your best photos will be published on National Geographic Channel where they will be viewed by thousands of travellers worldwide, offering you a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get your foot in the door of one of the most revered exploration organisations in the world!
Highly regarded for his wildlife and remote landscape photography, Jason Edwards is represented by National Geographic Image Collection.
Jason Edwards, National Geographic
* We’ll fly you in from your country of residence to Johannesburg where you will meet your mentor and small travel group for your bespoke 8 day trip with Gap Adventures. You’ll need to be available to be in South Africa between January 18-25, 2012.
* On the trip you will work alongside Jason Edwards photographing wildlife and landscapes in Kruger National Park at various times of the day and night. You will also work through a specific shot list as part of your assignment.
* You will gain invaluable mentoring and hands-on experience in everything from shot set up, technique and composition through to insights into his many years of diverse experience as an award winning photographer.
* Your assignment will involve observing and assisting Jason as well as undertaking your own photographic work. This will involve long days, early mornings and late nights working!
* You will keep a daily diary about your time on the trip and upload this to a WorldNomads.com travel journal, including pictures you’ve taken.
* On your return you will work with Jason Edwards through the editorial process to shortlist your top photographs and colour balance to achieve professional looking shots for submission to National Geographic Channel for publication.
* Most of all, you’ll be experiencing what it’s like to be a photographer on-assignment with National Geographic!
See past travel photography scholarship winner Dat Vu’s photos (2010) on the Nat Geo Channel website, and Anna Zhu’s (2009) exhibition with Jason Edwards in Sydney.
Jason Edwards, National Geographic
* This opportunity is open to any non-professional trying to start a career in Travel Photography - photography students or keen amateurs/pro-amateurs looking for a foot in the door.
* Minimum age 18 with a good level of physical fitness.
* This is a global opportunity – you may be a resident of any country.
* You should be an exceptional photographer with a lust for adventure, have a strong desire to be mentored and grow your photographic knowledge and skills, an ambition to forge a career in Travel Photography, and of course a desire to travel to South Africa.
* Remember this is a scholarship, a learning experience, and therefore will not be suitable for professional or semi-professional photographers.
* Find out more about eligibility in our FAQ video blog
Jason Edwards, National Geographic
Please look carefully at the 4 steps required to complete your application.
If your photos are not ready, we suggest you come back later to complete this entry.
1. Shoot a series of photos (maximum of 5)
They must tell a story about a place you have visited. ‘Place’ may be anywhere; somewhere in your own community or much further away. The judges will be looking for:
* originality
* ability to convey a story through photos
* excellent technique
Each of the 5 shots must have accompanying caption text to help contextualize the shot (see Point 7 in Jason’s Judging Criteria).
Please see our FAQ video blog about the theme, making digital adjustments and Jason’s judging criteria.
2. Add your photos to WorldNomads.com.
Firstly create a journal, which is where your photos will be hosted, and fill in the entry form. Upload your photos either as a Flickr set or directly in the journal. (If you are already a member or have a journal, please sign-in.)
*Please don’t remove the tags and title of the gallery we have set up for you – this is how we find you*
3. Tell us in 300 words or less about yourself and why you should be chosen.
Your written response will have significant weighting in the judging process, so think carefully about why you should be chosen. Tell us about yourself, your passions, why you love photography, what drives you to take a better shot, where you would like to go with your photography etc. Help us form a picture in our mind of you as a person with your text (see Point 8 in Jason’s Judging Criteria).
Remember this is a once in a lifetime learning opportunity, not a junket for professional photographers.
4. Finally the legal bit.
You know the Terms and Conditions of entry.
One entry per person
Applications close: 2pm November 8, 2011 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time)
The recipient of the Scholarship, along with the best entries, will be published on WorldNomads.com on December 1, 2011.
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