I’m Honestly Tired. The More I Try, The Worse It Gets

“Fuel is now ₦1,300.”

I said it out loud inside my car like maybe hearing it again would make it sound less ridiculous.

“What is even happening in this country?”

The attendant was already standing beside my window, waiting patiently. There were two cars behind me. Everybody looked tired in the same way, like people who had had no food in weeks.

“How much?” he asked.

That question used to be easy for me, atleast 5 years back. Before, I didn’t even think about it. I would just say, “Fill am,” or sometimes “₦5,000.”

Now the question feels like someone asking you to declare your networth in public.

I looked at the pump again.

₦1,300.

Just staring at it made my chest feel tight.

“₦20,000,” I finally said.

The attendant nodded and brought the POS machine for payment. As he pushed the nozzle into the tank, I sat there watching the numbers climb.

₦5,000.

₦10,000.

₦15,000.

By the time it got to ₦20,000, the fuel gauge in my car had only moved a little above half.

I just leaned back in my seat and sighed.

“I’m honestly tired,” I muttered. 

My name is Dare.

I’m forty-five years old. Married. Two children. One in SS2 and the other in Primary Five. I work in an office that pays me a salary that used to feel decent a few years ago. I won’t say I’m a rich man, but I dey try.

Though, it doesn’t feel so anymore. These days, everything feels expensive.

I drive a Toyota Corolla that has been with me long enough to be called a family member. You know those kind of cars naw, very high maintenance. My mechanic’s number is on speed dial. Iykyk

This is not even funny, because of this fuel hike, my children’s school transport fee has increased, the price of food items has increased, almost every expense in my life.

By the time I reached home that day, my head felt heavy, my wife and I sat down to strategize and calculate, trying to re-arrange my finances, because the outflow was increasing while the inflow remained the same.

Later that night, as I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling fan slowly turning above me, my head was still heavy with numbers.

School fees.
Transport.
Food.
Fuel.

Everything seemed to be increasing except the salary. When will it end?

Gentle Reader,

Dare’s story might sound like one man’s frustration at the fuel station, but in truth, it reflects what a lot of people are dealing with now. Things are getting more expensive, but income is just there… standing still like it didn’t get the memo.

And that’s why this conversation is changing.

Because more people are starting to realize that surviving on just salary alone in this kind of economy? It’s tough. Very tough.

But here’s the interesting part…

There are people around you, same country, same fuel price, same market wahala, who are somehow still staying afloat. Not because they have everything figured out, but because they didn’t stop at just earning. They started building alongside their income.

These people take small intentional steps like:

• Saving a fraction of whatever they get
• Keeping aside money for “just in case” moments. This is called an Emergency fund.
• Investments and passive income, creating money streams that continue working in the background.

Over time, these things start to add up. So when life does its usual “surprise increase,” they’re still stressed, yes, but not completely stranded.

That’s the difference.

It’s not about escaping the economy (because who will escape it?), it’s about not letting every single change knock you down.

And this is where Open Space platform becomes useful in a more practical way.

Beyond helping you navigate your daily finances, it opens the door to something bigger. With Open Space you can plug into smart systems that help you build consistency with savings, and you can explore investment options right on the platform with as little as ₦100,000.

This is not a quick fix, but a small step in the right direction.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about trying to keep up with rising costs… it’s about slowly putting yourself in a position where those changes don’t hit as hard.