“Why do you keep 1 bob? Is that even money?” My friends would randomly collect coins from my bag, and floor or see me save those, most of the time they would rhetorically ask why. When younger, I had a jumbo account where I was taught to put my coins, the ones I would happily buy ball gums or patcos.
My mother always insisted that money is money no matter a coin or a note; combined together it would make a difference. As I grew older a certain mentality emerged, having too many coins would seem to mean that I am broke, because seeing too many coins in my wallet would seem wacky. Since I didn’t want to have coins unnecessarily in my wallet I would always put my coins in a tin and didn’t pay that tin any attention.
Psychologically if I would put a fifty note in the coin tin, it would never last. Because of the idea that coins would not make a difference in my life financially I never struggled to remove any coins. Though broke days do come at times with a harsh bang. No notes were to be seen peeping from my wallet, and then there it was the tin! I sadly removed all the coins with a mellow look. All I thought those coins could do was probably buy a bamba 100 or milk. I was wrong. 2,000 coins later, I had somewhat resurfaced. The experience taught me one thing, that ignorance is foolish. My friends could not believe that after a month’s time of jokingly putting random coins from 1 bob to 20 I had unknowingly saved 2,000 shillings.
Finance people would tell you that no money is unimportant. If you have 999 shillings, you would need 1 shilling to make a difference. Currently, sweets have been given to us instead of our change is because we do not have enough coins. Though it may not annoy you, it bugs me to bits that my change has been kept even if it was two shillings because I have a 498 in my wallet and tropical sweets will not give me a 500 note. If you have children, eliminate the idea that coins are not important.
Depending on where you live, as long as you have a kiosk or mama mboga keep a tin whereby you decide it shall only be used for occasional runs to them. My aunt keeps coins solely for veggies and eggs, she said she would rather do that than give a 100 bob note and there’s no change. Eggs are usually 12-13 shillings, what an uneven number, but do not be ashamed, count your 10+2 and you won’t be waiting for change.
The other thing is, on a rainy day; especially if you are a student and have a home bank you would have to use a lot of commitment and a very strong knife to cut. These can be found in Toi market for 20 or 50 shillings depending on the size. Do not under any circumstances open this tin unnecessarily. Most people would also not steal your coins, because they like you and think that those shiny coins are not treasures. Keep in your mind that every day you come back from school or work put your coins in that tin.
If you don’t need to save, do it as an experiment and shock yourself with how much coins can actually make a difference, this is when you learn that all coins and notes team up in finance.
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