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When you are too polite to say no!

The other day, I walked into our office complex and found a gentleman selling perfumes. A few office mates were around him admiring. Coincidentally, my perfume had ran out and I was already planning to buy one. I stopped to take a look.

I am allergic to strong aromas and so I go for mild ones. My favourite was not there and those available were strong scented. I started walking away when one of my workmates called me back to see one particular set.

She talked highly about it even telling me how she fell in love with her husband because of it. But when I had a smell of it, it did not appeal that much to me. Just as I was about to leave again, another colleague told me he knew somebody who sold all sorts of perfumes and would be ready to supply me at the office if I told them what brand they wanted. So, he called the vendor right away.

That afternoon, the perfume vendor came into my office, smelling really good himself. But he did not have the brand I wanted. However, he had a couple of perfumes which he said were some of the best in France—the home of perfumes. I sniffed one, it really smelt paradise and mild. I asked for the price—oh! It was a whole gross salary for a senior clerk in the public service.

Then two of my colleagues came into my office and took one each from the same brand I liked. I looked at them and for fear of kunyozeka pa town (to avoid being looked down upon), I got one. But truthfully, my heart was pounding—mavuto anga anali kale ambiri (my financial problems were already huge).

So when the workmates were gone, I kept on staring at the perfume. It was also staring back at me—it was in the shape of a man with a big chest and small stomach (not like most Malawian men who have the reverse—small chests but big stomachs). I started applying my intellect towards what I would tell my wife that evening on such unsolicited whooping expenditure.

I went home a bit late that day, but I still had to go home anyway. I arrived home, greeting everybody and even going to the servants quarters to greet them. I made it to the lounge, took my jacket off and started rehearsing how I would break the news of the perfume. Should I tell her (my wife) the truth about the cost of the perfume or let her ask first? We had a big construction project running and how was I to justify this, especially being a bonafide economist myself?

Going by Job 13:13, ‘…let me speak and I will face the consequences’, I gathered courage. I called my wife to the bedroom and pulled out the perfume. Before I could speak, my wife went ‘Oh! This is a nice perfume. You have decided to spoil yourself this time? It’s worth it sweetie—you are worthy more than K35 000 yourself. I am sure this will help because the perfume you were wearing before was staining your clothes’. I just laughed and made my way back to the lounge wondering how she knew of the brand and let alone the price of the perfume—I let sleeping dogs lie.

However, this just reminded me of how many other people get themselves to spend in such a manner. Sometimes, we are too polite to say ‘No, I can’t afford this now.’ We want to be showy and, in the process, we end up losing our hard-earned money on luxuries.

This is not to say that you should not spoil yourself once in a while if you can afford, but save money whenever you can—you will need it one day.

One may sometimes have to think long-term when it comes to spending—it is all an issue of timing. Look at your own problems before you join the bandwagon of those buying luxuries—your time may not be ripe yet. Some of the important questions to ask include: Do I really need this now? Can I manage with a cheaper product which can offer me more less the same utility? Is this an important expenditure among my priorities for the month?

Remember the money you spend on luxuries could have made all the difference to your family.

Have a blessed week-end!

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