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THE cost of living is increasing and even the price of bread will be a burden for the average men who have to buy enough bread for a family of eight every single day. Everything is yet to become expensive and it is unfortunate that no manual to cope comes with this change, especially in an economy that cannot afford to and will not increase the wages of civil servants among the total working population.

This constitutes that changes need to be made on the part of people as means for survival, however, it may be hard for the man who has to keep up his standard from ‘amagents’ and buy the most expensive bottle of whiskey with two bottles of champagne for the ladies who must be impressed in front of the guys. After all, it is the man’s dream to lead the pack and be the grootman of the crew so that everyone respects him. This type of man has to sustain a V12 engine of the latest car because everyone knows he drives a ‘machine’ and so everywhere he goes other men wish to be him and women wish to be with him – a typical picture of having to keep up with social standards as a man.

There is also the woman who has to buy a 24inch Brazilian wig of the best grade and service her car while at it because she cannot show up at her friend’s baby shower in public transport and using any phone – she is already stressed about the purchase she needs to make of the latest iPhone.

We often demean peer pressure to a problem of children, and ignore how much it suffocates grownups because they have to ‘maintain the standard’ that they have set or so they think they have set, even when it is expensive to do so. As the cost of living increases, it is a reality check for many who will no longer be able to afford the lives they have so diligently afforded and maintained for years.

Fear

This comes with an image that we create for those around us and the pressure we place on ourselves in fear of being of a lower standard or as to how people will perceive the change or what is commonly referred to as ‘downgrade’. And perhaps it is because of this that we negate a negative connotation to making the necessary changes in order to survive financially in this economy.

These negative connotations we have placed towards making smart financial decisions out of the fear of what people will say have forced many to suffer in the gist of situations that they cannot afford and this has pushed many to sink claws deep into debt. Instead of moving into a smaller house to

afford groceries and other things, you will probably take a loan to save the furniture instalment that is already behind by a month and cover the house bond in fear of losing a big house or as a guy you could take a loan to finish off your latest Mercedes model loan rather than selling it and settling for a cheaper car to maintain. This is because it sounds more reasonable to suffer in debt and discomfort, to keep up a façade, than it is to cut down here and there on spending.

War

Overall, we are in a financial war, everything that has not yet increased is yet to and there is nothing wrong with cutting down costs in order to live within our means. The pressure we place on ourselves, to live up to the standards we have portrayed to our friends and family, is by far merely a personal bullet because the suffering experienced behind closed doors is personal. It is okay to downgrade and give yourself time to figure out where to go from here, what you need to make it past this economic period and to use public transport on some days to save on petrol.

It is okay to go out once a month as opposed to every week like before, to buy a case of beers and drop that branded expensive whiskey or to do braids and cancel that Brazilian weave. Anything to stay afloat and breathe through this period is not downsizing, it is not a reflection of your standard and capacity, but it is a reflection of having healthy financial habits and boundaries. A lifestyle should be as good as your mental health. As soon as it starts to bite at your mental health and go beyond your pockets, then it is okay to cut down on the things that are not important and change a few things to fit your needs.