Ask someone how they are preparing for December and there is a good chance the answer will be, “I’ll just use my salary.” It makes sense. Salary comes every month, so what could go wrong? Quite a lot, actually.
... Food is already taking a significant share of household spending, and recent data shows that the pressure has not disappeared. The National Bureau of Statistics reported food inflation at 20.31% year on year in July 2026. More recently, the SBM Jollof Index put the average cost of preparing a pot of jollof rice for a family of five at ₦29,578 in June 2026, a 14.6% increase from the same period the previous year.
When you think about saving for December, what comes to mind? For some, it is Christmas shopping: clothes and shoes, groceries, gifts and other things to get ready for the season. There may also be home expenses, travel costs or things you have been meaning to buy before the year ends. Then there are concerts, dinners, outings and other plans that come with the season. Your list may look completely different. You may not have any of these on it. But if there are things you want to and will spend on this December, it helps to know what they could cost before the season gets busy.
December Isn't the Time to Start Preparing for December One thing about December is, it has its own economy. And the numbers prove it. According to MO Africa Co.'s The Economics of Euphoria: Lagos' Detty December 2025, Lagos recorded ₦396.5…