Here is a list of people you will require the wisdom of an owl to handle this 'Njaanuary'

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

The festive season whirlwind has finally settled down ushering in the typically dry, 'lengthy' and unforgiving month of 'Njaanuary' that many of us like to hate for almost similar reasons.

By Ndung'u Wa Gathua.

As it is the norm, many during this period, find themselves without a shot in their lockers owing to among other reasons, overspending during the holidays leaving little or nothing for the subsequent month of 'Njaanuary'.

But remember they say, "when you make your bed, so you must sleep on it". This, notwithstanding though, I will assist you to mitigate the impact of your self-inflicted financial wounds and perhaps save you from sinking further into economic abyss.

As such, here are three sets of people you will require the wisdom of an owl while dealing with this 'Njaanuary' lest you cry yourself dry sooner or later.

1. Informal money lenders/Shylocks

They know that you are back from your usual December wild money-spending sprees and after 'sobering up' from the festive frenzy, you have realized you have no dime left to take care of your January expenses. They are, therefore, waiting for you patiently to make your way into their 'lairs' so that they can deal with you like a hapless, helpless gazelle inside a lion's den.

Avoid them like plague and if you must seek a loan owing to your badly-tattered financial situation, in Kenya currently, there exists a whole lot of digital loan apps that are convenient to your immediate financial needs and user-friendly. Let's be real, in this age and stage, do you really need to subject yourself to the 'bloody' callousness typical of many local Shylocks?

A screenshot showing 3 simple steps of getting a loan in 2 minutes from OKash, a local digital loan app.

2. Buyers of second-hand items

This is another bunch that is sure to make a kill from you if you happen to bump into their shops with any item that you want to sell to them. Very aware that many of their January clientele are usually very desperate for cash, they buy whatever items you present to them like recycling waste.

You must, therefore, be sure of the value of the item you intend to sell them lest you end up with more pain than gain.

3. Landlords/ladies

As for these ones, I don't have much to offer you as regards to how to deal with them because you are in their properties and their decision is final. However, depending on your past rent payment records, there may be or may be no room for compromise with them.

But irrespective of where you think you fall under, do not wait for your landlord/lady to come to you for rent, instead, go to them in advance and make your case known. They might listen to you if God's sufficient grace rein in their ever-insatiable appetite for cash.