The term Detty December is credited to popular African music artist, Mr Eazi. It was used as part of promotions for his December 2016 “Life is Eazi, Lagos” concert party. Since then, the word has morphed to mean a period of intense partying, fun-seeking, and other events in December with little worry about excess spending.

The one challenge is: it’s also easy (no pun intended) to appear in January with zero savings or in debt.

But you could enjoy Detty December without breaking the bank. Here are some tips to consider.

Plan how much you’ll spend

Think of an estimated amount that will cover all your detty December shenanigans. It could be a rough sketch, but it should suffice. If you can spend the extra time, I’d suggest breaking down the details on a spreadsheet or notepad. Think of your previous spending habits, consider unavoidable expenses, proposed activities and work that into your plan.

Keep it realistic. You know your current cash flow. You can explore other opportunities for a little extra income but don’t build an imaginary castle with money you don’t have.

Click here to access a sample template for budgeting

Check out the free or cheap, fun stuff

The beautiful thing about December is that there are so many fantastic shows and events happening at the same time, and a good number of them are even free. There are free music concerts, beach events, and food shows all you have to do is show up. You can browse online resources that curate events in your city and work that into your calendar.

For other events that’ll involve some money, it’s best to plan ahead how much they cost and if it’s possible to get a discount. A little awoof won’t hurt.

One other fun thing you can do that saves you some money is a house party. You or your friends can organize a house party filled with food, drinks, music, and fun activities where everybody contributes one way or the other.

Transportation and trips

Perhaps underrated, but transportation costs can easily put a big dent in that December budget. It’s no secret that flight/road tickets are at their highest this time of the year.

It’s common knowledge to book flights ahead; I believe you should start scanning flight costs from now. The roads may not be at their safest, but you may have to consider not flying to save some money.

For in-city transportation, now may be a good time to have a car on standby. It may be personal, a friend’s or sibling’s but the car is in good shape for easy mobility. Or you can always carpool an Uber or Bolt with your friends when going out.

Shopping

Your shopping should have begun well before December. Plan around Black Friday and Cyber Monday or any shopping promotions. You can check out our other post on Black Friday shopping tips to help you save some money while shopping.

For holiday food and drinks: buy in bulk, and use promos where possible. Except you have deep pockets, you may want to carefully plan what gifts you’ll buy and who gets a gift.

Spend thoughtfully

Spend with an eye for the future. After December is January with 45 days. Don’t blow your emergency funds on a bottle of wine or finish your savings on endless partying. Have fun, splurge when you can, but spend thoughtfully. In case, you need funds to cater for unplanned expenses this season, make Earlypay by Mkobobank your sure plug. Click here to get early access.

Cheers to a fun, Detty December!