It is December, the very last month of the year, and boy aren’t we splurging already; from cab rides to take-outs, hosting parties to fun getaways with friends and family, we are chopping that hard-earned mullah!

And, to top it all off, there are a gazillion events lined up for every other weekend this month alone

But see, here’s the thing, we’re already up in concerts screaming ‘Chop my money’ yet it’s merely the first week of December. Truth be told, it’s all fun and games until it all comes tumbling down and one is stuck running on fumes with a blinking bank account by mid/end month.

Which begs the question; how do you keep afloat this month with all these needs and limited cash with saving in mind as well?

The answer, smart/responsible partying, and here’s how;

Carpool

See, cab rides can be considerably pricey, so the other relatively cheaper alternative I would highly recommend is to carpool with friends; which means you and your entourage take a cab and everyone contributes equally to the total amount.

Also, you could get to the event using public transport and only opt for a cab when heading home after a night of fun since it is most likely to be late by then, for both safety and convenience.

Pregame

Have food and drinks in the house before going out. Why? Snacks and drinks are ridiculously priced at events. Hence a pregame sees that costs are minimized by almost half, hence you will not spend as much at the event.

Keep it indoors

Switch it up this festive season and have fun indoors. Buy eggs, juice, fruits, food and other niceties and make homemade brunch, then go for your favourite drinks and turn on the T.V. Invite friends over and have a good time, all at a cheap cost.

Share costs

A more economical way of enjoying the festivities is planning for events in groups. This way you are able to share costs – which are, many a time, also discounted for people travelling or attending events in large numbers or as we say, mbogi.

A group of five friends or so would be perfect to get you saving them coins.

Prioritize

With events packed all through December, a great way to have your cake and eat it is prioritizing on which ones to go to and which ones to avoid like a plague.

Invest in those events that mean the most to you. How do you do that? Identify the main performers, are you a fan, have you heard of them before, is the genre of music your cup of tea or not?

This way you are not easily influenced by friends to attend events that you would otherwise not have given the time of day.