How I left NYSC with a whooping sum of money

This post is the answer to majority of the questions I got from the last post “How in Gods name did I make such an amount during NYSC?

So sit tight and ride along with me.

After my hunger experience which I shared with y’all in my last post I made a decision never to go hungry.

And for that to happen I needed money.

I went from company to company, I had nothing but zeal and desire. No experience no relations no connections. Just me in an unknown state.

After days of searching I walked into a construction company far from my house and told them I was a copper and I needed a job.

I was fortunate enough to meet the Owner of the business. He asked me a lot of questions about myself. Which I answered with a smile on my face.

Y’all know my smile is contagious laughs

He then went further to ask me, since I was a copper how was I going to properly deliver here. I replied that I only go to my PPA three times a week during the morning hours so by 12 noon I should be at work and the remaining days I’d also resume at the usual time.

I left with the “we’ll get back to you” statement which made me feel less hopeful.

I still went to a mall that day but they said they were full.

The next morning I woke up with a phone call “Come to work now!”. And the call ended.

“Are you kidding me, what kind of person gives someone a job on the phone and asks the person to resume immediately the call ends”. I complained. Obviously irritated.

I rushed out. I can’t remember if I even had my bath that morning haha. I just wanted to find out if it was real or just a prank.

I went and lo and behold it was real.

I had a job.

But…

I never knew it was going to be a very stressful one with…of course, a lot of benefits.

Salary was Ten thousand naira monthly as a copper. Then I was to be given 500 everyday for lunch. And some days I and my colleaque were provided with lunch and much more to eat. My boss was Igbo but the northerners were very hospitable.

I know you’re wondering how it came to a whooping sum of three hundred thousand naira with bills to pay, transport and feeding.

Let me indulge you

I was receiving NYSC allowance of Nineteen thousand, eight hundred niara. Also my salary was Ten thousand niara. For the remaining ten months I never touched my salary and my allowance. So how did I survive?

On my 500 daily lunch money and tips.

I worked under the scorching sun supervising general merchandise. I spent time climbing trucks counting goods. I was always inside the warehouse during offloading and onloading of goods. And if the laborers weren’t around. I did their job and mine. It was gruesome, hard and unimaginable.

No one believed I’ll do the work of a man. But I did it perfectly well. Clients saw this and constantly blessed me. My boss saw this and blessed me once in a while, even though he could be very annoying hahaha Aren’t all bosses that way?

At the end of each day I left work with nothing less than One thousand five hundred, that is if few clients come in. Most days it was between three to five thousand. And it was that money I lived on. It was more than enough and I even had extra change. Do the maths.

I enjoyed myself. There’s nothing sweeter than spending money you worked hard for. So I spent it well. Food was excess. I fed my student once a week. I never lacked my basic amenities. Helped in church. Had fun once in a while since I was a private person. Cooked to my hearts content. I was constantly sending bags of yam and fish to Portharcourt. Life was okay. I saved almost everything I could.

If there’s anything to take home from this story its;

Writing this story and reliving its memiries now, has inspired me to rekindle that work fire I once had. Because its clear I’ve lost it. I seriously want to ignite that hustling spirit in me once again and build the kind of life I truly desire.

How was NYSC for you? Are you still serving? what are your thoughts on this post? What have you decided to do positively from now on? What lessons did you learn? Share them in the comments below