By JACK MWEWA –

ITS January again! The common cry among parents and guardians is that it is a month in which financial demands seem to be more than in any other month.

Some parents start singing the January financial fears a month before it dawns, they put up all workable measures to ease the strain.

But what makes January a bad financial month? Among the reasons which aid to suffocate January financial demands are school fees, rentals and food scarcity.

Peter Temfwe, a parent in Ndola knows the point from which he always gets it wrong; “The mistake I always make is spending my December salary and Christmas bonus on buying presents for my family, my wife and I then drink our way through into the New Year.”

December 2013 month-end was business as usual for Mr Temfwe, who arranged to meet his wife at an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in town, where they drew the salary and proceeded to buy new clothes for their children.

On the Tenfwe budget included their 20-year daughter who is married in the same township on whom and her son they spent K450.

Seeing that they had clothed their children anew, the Tenfwes began collecting bottles of whisky and wine for Christmas and New Year celebrations that were forth-coming. At the dawn of 2014, the Temfwes lay in repose penniless.

Responding to this interview, Mr Temfwe was awakened to make profound resolutions never to repeat his past mistakes and promised to be tight on his cash.

His wife Theresa however, does not believe him, she blames him for being irresponsible and in the habit of getting ‘mad’ each time he smelt money.

“He behaves like a mad man when he has money, you cannot control him. Though I am the one who keeps money during our drinking escapades, he makes sure that we spend every coin on us before going home,” Mrs Tenfwe said.

Her confession however, does not justify reasons for accompanying her husband for drink ups which she claims was a way of monitoring his expenses in drinking places.

Brenda Muntemba-Sichilenbe, who is Chief Programmes Officer, Zambia National Commission for UNESCO at The Ministry of Education said; “I don’t want to be quoted but this truth holds that to everything there is a time and a season under heaven.

A time to have money and a time to be broke! It appears that January is that season to be broke! Exactly it is the time to settle hiked house rentals and school fees. Probably it would be a different story if the school year started in September and ended in July.”

She said that knowing that January would come no matter how much we wish it away and how long we fast and pray, parents needed to prepare for it? Which is a better way than to SAVE?

“Many financial institutions have introduced products such as ‘Education Fund’ which allow parents to save a little per month and prepare for the proverbial rainy day.

It is true that when the account is first opened, it doesn’t hold much promise but come January you will be the first to count your lucky stars and congratulate your genius! Never despise the day of small financial beginnings.”

Mrs Muntemba-Sichilembe said the other way of beating the January education blood pressure is to buy school requirements throughout the year.

Suggesting that parents could purchase supplementary readers for the following year whenever they had ‘spare change’ and those thick exercise books much needed in secondary schools.

They could also collect pens and other stationery throughout the year. 

That parent ought to be like ants which collect its food in summer, knowing that winter will surely come. 

She suggested that one unlikely way of attracting financial blessings is to help out another school-going child other than your own.

Helping out with whatever you can, will definitely make heaven look your way. It is true that he who waters others will himself be watered and he who helps the poor lends to The Lord.

An early preparation for school-going children is another way of encouraging them to even perform better.

She said; “When a child reports to school without shouts of how much was spent and how they ought to pay back, they perform better than learning under threat.

Teach your child the value of education as opposed to the mere necessity of going to school. When you participate in their learning process, attend Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meetings and sports days etc, your child is more likely to appreciate the money that goes into their learning. And you can also benefit by holding school authorities accountable.”

Meeting school requirements should extend to meals, breakfast, lunch and supper are as much a part of school needs as are books. 

As for parents with children in examination years, plan to pay examination fees way before the deadline in order to avoid being penalised.

Ideally, we do not learn in order to pass an examination but our education system requires that our children pass examinations.

Therefore, we would do well to finish what we start. A good finish is as much a show of commitment as is a good start.

She concluded that one cannot avoid this year’s January woes in this year, but start planning a year early and adopt a culture of paying for next January expenses, months before the actual month.

Chisha Sichangwe is a self-styled theologian who out rightly said the best way to avoid rental blues is one to build his or her own house. He feels that there would be no peace in the mind of anyone living in a house they did not own.

“It is a kind of slavery to dwell in a house that does not belong to you, as much as one live in someone else’s property, there would anxiety to pay the dues at an appropriate time,” Pastor Sichangwe said.

Quoting from the Bible Book, Isaiah 65:22 NIV “No longer will they build houses and others live in them, or plant and others eat.

For as the days of a tree, so will be the days of my people; my chosen ones will long enjoy the works of their hands.”

Pastor Sichangwe urges every parent to strive to build and live in their own houses as a way of avoiding pleasure of paying rentals.

His conclusion is that bad planning was the route course of every January financial blues and that working around the calendar would turn the situation for better.