*One question that I keep asking every day is, "Why are we always faced with the unending responsibility of making ends meet?" I can remember vividly those moments when I couldn't wait to just grow up and carry out certain decisions on my own without the interference of my mother. I was so eager to grow up without the thoughts of the reality that was ahead of me. Deep down, I thought everything was gonna go smoothly because all the adults I knew back then were making it big; I never saw any one of them sad; they were all excited in my presence, and that built a thing inside of me that "when you are an adult everything becomes smooth for you".*

**"What do you want to become in the future?" My friend Amanda asked.**

**"I just want to be a grown-up," I replied, with butterflies dancing in my stomach whenever I uttered those words.**

*What a dream I had about my adulthood, but then nobody warned me about the unending responsibilities that come with being in adulthood. The moment the adult stage of my life stepped in, I didn't want to grow up any longer. I just wanna be with my mother and let her take care of my bills for the rest of my life. "why isn't that even possible?". After finishing the university and I was posted to go serve my nation, those were the moments that I realized adulthood isn't for the faint-hearted.*

*One major responsibility of this thing called "adulthood" is the making ends meet part. "Why can't I skip this particular part?" I asked myself, facing my responsibilities.*

*For many people, making ends meet is a constant challenge, "proudly being in that category." I thought such wisdom would just come to you the moment your adult life steps, but then I was wrong. And often I ask myself why there isn't any manual telling us how to face life amidst adversities.* 

*Before now, making ends meet was very difficult. Often, I would write down the things I wanted to get when my payday came. And avoid every extravagant spending so I don't go broke and look like my problem before the month runs out. For me making ends meet is all about creating that delicate balance that is needed between my income and expenditures, with no room for errors.* 

![woman-5585332_1280.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/young-tari/23vsHwnXkDLEVe3MPrFYHS3gpmPPQApP6mefL2hhwqFRz9zMhUR3mQs4mHbbTW3pzU8At.jpg)
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*I haven't been really good with managing my finances, I thought every money needed to be spent on survival for my stomach, I never thought about investing in my savings and growing it, all I wanted was for me to live and enjoy every penny I was making because why not "I worked hard for it".* 

*One cozy evening, I was going home from work with my friend when I came across a fancy pair of heels.*

**"Ooh, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" I asked with excitement enveloping my face.** 

**"Nope, not the heels," my friend said, holding my hands tightly.** 

**"Let's go check it out, please!" I said forming a frowning face so my friend would accept my offer.** 

**"We are not checking it, and besides, you don't have enough money to buy the heels; what you have currently is the money that would sustain you till the next payday, so we are not stopping.  Forward forever". My friend replied as she walked forward dragging me along.** 

**"Those heels would have been fine on my legs" were the only words dancing in my head at that moment.** 

*I got home, checked my wallet, and realized that the little money I had at that moment was everything I had both at home and abroad. Immediately I called my friend and thanked her for not allowing me to check the heels.* 

*That same money I was having, saved my life for some days. Making ends meet is something I've been trying to work on for a while. I know most times, it feels like every paycheck disappears the moment it's being deposited, and it becomes very hard not to feel overwhelmed.*

*whenever I remember the stress of paying bills and purchasing those groceries, "something always hits me hard," and then the unforeseen expenses that come from nowhere into my life when I didn't expect them. Forcing their way in like they owned me.* 

*Despite all the challenges that accompany making ends meet, I still find myself making those ends meet as they arise. What has helped me so far is "budgeting." For every penny I make; I'd be sure to attach a budget to it so I don't spend like the big girl when I should be spending like the small girl that I am.* 

*I cut out certain expenses, and I only go for the most pressing things at every moment, so I won't find myself falling back from my budget.*

*Making ends meet isn't an easy thing to do but then they said "In life, you have to make sacrifices" and that is the sacrifice that I've made right now not forgetting the most important factor and that is "determination" Yeah you heard right, without determination I don't think I would be able to put myself in place in making ends meet.* 

**Thanks for reading 🧡** 

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