December is where most of us begin to create to over zealous Resolutions lists.

They include the “Eat healthy, Save money, start exercising, and stop drinking” subtexts.

LOL, Who is fooling who?

These all sound achievable on the surface, butessentially the resolution list is meant as a sort of comfort. It’s to suggest that we took one step towards self improvement even if it is pending…

Related Article: KeDezembaBoss, let the festivities begin

So #KeDecemberboss is for those who just don’t have time to join the unrealistic crew. Every day is a turn-up.

On the flip side…

University students, e.g. Cape Peninsula University of Technology students, are spending their December days spent in the library to try and keep a focused head as they commence with their end of the year exams 🙁

Due to the #FeesMustFall movement, exam dates were pushed…

Others are still mesmerised and can’t still believe that it’s December because 2016 was so damn hard on them, as Casper Nyovest suggests in his recent video.

On the other hand, working might also have been very difficult through out 2016 but this is the very time where every employee (not every those who have nice bosses) appreciate to wake up every morning.

For some, bank balances double, because you get a bonus. This might only be a temporary decoration, if you are not careful with your spending ability.

Ready yourself for Christmas carols, glitzy outfits and families preparing for vacations. Christmas euphoria makes everyone a little dizzy and spendthrift, and you might make it rain with gifts like father Christmas, without being able to afford it.

Hold it there, before everything else we advise that you first prioritise your needs from wants, and try to save for January.

Remember that in December, you get paid earlier and the month will still drag.

So we urge that you keep a straight mind and start making wise financial decisions.

We are sure that you don’t want to be that person that sits on their coach the whole day because dololo money.

As mind blowing as it is to receive that sms notification from the bank- Don’t blow your bonus away.

Shuuu- luckily we are here to help you to save and ensure that you use your bonus wisely.

via GIPHY

5 Tips to spend your bonus wisely:

1. Set a financial plan

Take note of differentiating needs from wants and draft a list of all your debts. Once you have taken every expenditure into account, use your bonus accordingly, to settle all your debts first.

Once this process is done, first start spending money on the needs depending on your LSM, your needs might be food, the bond or car insurance.

Then with the remaining amount, it might not kill you to at least spend 20% on wants (which might be Christmas gifts).

2. Set aside short-term savings

Split your salary and cater for short term goals that you might have set for the whole year such as family vacation, this will help you not interfere with your bonus or exceed your budget.

3. Sweep away short-term debts

Be money wise and don’t get a carried away by many zeros in your bank account because debts might just kill that excitement in a second.

Try to settle short-term debts with your bonus so that you don’t carry unnecessary debt over into the new year that you might have settled in 2016.

4. Predict your financial future

Like the old proverb, “Make hay while the sun shines.”

Although bonuses might blow our minds, this doesn’t mean that we are obliged to use them on their arrival. If you don’t need to use your bonus, it’s wise to invest it for your future plan.

Remember jobs are not certain, today you might be a hero and tomorrow be zero. So it’s better to avoid this sad equation by starting a retirement plan of some sort, however, if you are covered then it’s fine.

Although we are not New year resolution fans, this might help you save your *ss.

5. Shake it off

Don’t be too hard on yourself. A cheat moment wouldn’t hurt, (rules were made to be broken) shhhh…

We like to keep it real, it’s not logical to expect you to not even spend a cent of your bonus because even the budget obsessive people, I bet, won’t be able to do so.

Put aside at least 10% or 20% and just spend it on yourself- we don’t really care on what or how. BUT, this only happens after you have set aside the needs, from the wants.

Twitter has gone insane with hashtag #KeDezembaBoss bonus and this is what went down:

Categories: Money News