Let’s face it, Abuja is quite an expensive place to live in. The cost of rent in most areas is literally off the roof. Restaurants are quite pricey, and one could exhaust their monthly salary in a night out at the club if not careful. The high cost of things is quite problematic especially for a city with a high youth population and an equally high unemployment rate. Little wonder there are a high number of adults who still live with their parents, older relatives, or in their cars, if stories on #AbujaTwitter are to be believed.
Being broke is not alien to youths, even youths who earn high salaries experience the doldrums of being broke due to financial emergencies and bad spending habits. So how can one have fun, go on a date or just chill in the most expensive city in Nigeria without breaking the bank?
Hike:
Abuja is blessed with scores of hills and rocky terrains that are perfect for hiking. There are trails for beginners and trails for the more experienced hikers. With hiking, you get to keep fit, see the best of nature, and best of all, it’s free! You can choose to go alone, with a group of friends, or hike group. If you choose the latter, there are a couple of hike groups that hike on Saturdays and public holidays. The most active hiking groups in Abuja include Hike Nation, Naija Adventurers, and Tha Outdoor tribe amongst others. So take some water and snacks and go chill on a hill!
Go To The Park:
Thankfully, Abuja has a couple of “green” spots that are easily accessible. One of which is the millennium park. Cook some food, get a bottle of cheap wine, take a mat/or blanket and go chill in the park with a loved one or some friends. Entry into millennium park and most of the parks in Abuja is free.
Chill with Lions:
Most people don’t know this but Abuja actually has a zoo. The zoo is home to animals of all kinds ranging from lions to Buffalos, crocodiles to Ostriches. Some of the reviews of the zoo on TripAdvisor decry the state of the animals, some feel the animals are underfed and could be treated better, which is why you need to visit as the N400 you pay at the entrance goes a long way in taking care of the animals. The zoo also has Aso rock as a backdrop and a small lake nestled right by the rock. Perfect for long walks, animal lovers, and of course lovers of cheap thrills!
Relive Your Childhood:
Who says you can’t have fun at an amusement park? Take off the expectations of adulthood and spend hours taking fun rides at the Magicland Amusement park. Nestled by the Kukwaba hills, the park has a number of rides for kids and adults. Through the Ferris wheel, you can get a good view of the city, and if you’re up for an adventure, you can climb the hills by the park after the rides. Wanna relive your childhood but you’d rather do it indoors, then head to the first board game cafe in Nigeria and play board and card games with a loved one.
There’s food at home:
If you’re broke broke, the kinda broke where you can’t even head out, don’t be disheartened. You won’t be broke forever. Remember the wise words of your mother from childhood “There’s food at home.” What else do you have at home? A laptop/tv? Binge watch on movies or if you have access to the internet, watch something educative on YouTube. You can turn this dark stage into something good. Start a blog about being broke in the most expensive city in the country. Start a journal. Shoot videos. Fry plantains. learn new skills. Prepare yourself for better days. Someone will be inspired by you someday.