Ann was having lunch with her friends at the new restaurant Bisi recommended. It was indeed an afternoon to unwind, catch up on each other, try new food, and of course, spill all the gist. “I heard there are some stores on the third floor with really nice stuff, we can check them out after our meals” Eunice casually mentioned. “That’d be great” Bisi and Lara chorused. Ann wasn’t sure she was interested in shopping anymore in the month. She had spent a lot already and she didn’t want to go broke before the month ran out.
“Their collection is so beautiful” Lara commented as the four friends checked through the first store. “Ann, are you not picking anything?” Eunice asked. “I am done shopping this month” Ann laughingly replied. “You can’t afford to miss this 40% discount the store is currently running. Do you know how much their stuff would be after the discount?” “I can lend you the money till the end of the month if that would make you change your mind” Bisi interjected. Ann couldn’t help but give in to their appeals while inwardly beating herself up for allowing her friends get into her head again to make another impulse purchase. She couldn’t count the number of times they had done this before. “These girls have been a negative influence on my finances”. She thought to herself.
Who is the problem here?
Ann or her friends
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Your friendship circle can be a huge influence on your finances, which can either be good or bad. If you have a friendship circle with a negative influence, you need personal discipline when it comes to money decisions. Don’t be afraid to make your own personal decisions, even when it is against the crowd. Have a budget and stick to it. Know when to say no!
If your friends have conversations with you that spur you into managing your finances well & growing wealth, that is great! However, if this is not the case, there is a need to introduce money conversations in your friendship circle. You can create a money circle out of your friendship circle.
With your friends, you can read finance books together, set savings/investment goals together, keep track of each other’s progress, analyze investment opportunities together and be accountable to each other.
Make a money circle out of your friendship circle!
To your financial independence and freedom!
