The Easter Holiday is already here and for many of us, it is time to take a break from work, spend some time with family, or go for a long overdue vacation.
After three months (Jan to Mar) of hard work, the easter holidays give you an opportunity to take a break from the daily hustle and relax. For the majority of Kenyans working and living in towns, the holidays offer a chance to travel home and reconnect with family.
Easter for Kenyans
In Kenya, Easter is highly regarded as a religious holiday and a time to spend with family. On Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, many people attend church services, and some churches host special activities or services during this time.
Apart from religion, everyone spends the holiday differently, for some, it might be taking a trip home, “ushago” to spend time with relatives, for others it is to take a trip to popular destinations like the Maasai Mara or the Coast (Mombasa).
For others, it may be time to stay home or indoors to reflect and relax.
No matter what you decide to do this Easter, we all know that you will have to spend some money. Whether it is traveling, taking the family out, buying goods, or treating yourself to a night out with friends you will need cash.
Many businesses such as hotels, store chains, supermarkets, and tourism companies take this chance to offer promotions and special deals to attract customers in an Easter holiday mood.
If you have not planned well, you could find yourself spending more money over the holidays. Some of us may even end up taking unplanned loans or borrowing from friends to meet our expenses.
Today, we are all struggling with the high cost of living where affording basic commodities is getting harder. For example, the price of fuel is high at Kes 179 for Petrol in cities like Nairobi, and the price of food such as “Unga” (maize flour) remains high.
In addition to the tough times, parents with school-going children need to consider that the second school term begins in May and they will need to pay school fees and purchase additional supplies for their kids.
Easter is an important holiday for many of us, therefore it is not something we can skip. This does not mean you have to spend a lot of money or get into debt to enjoy the holiday.
You Can Still Enjoy The Holidays While Spending Less
With proper planning, you can enjoy the Easter holiday while spending less money. Here are some ways you can enjoy easter to the fullest and even save some cash.
- 1. Go on a picnic
One of the best ways to enjoy Easter on a budget is by going on a picnic with family and friends. You can choose a scenic location such as a public park with little to no payment at all.
By taking your family out for a picnic to public parks such as Uhuru Park, you can have some fun while spending less.
If you do not live in the City, I believe there are many scenic places around you where you can go and spend quality time with friends and family. All you need is to bring some food, drinks, and snacks and you are all set.
Kenya is a beautiful country, with rivers, mountain ranges, and vast grasslands that provide a serene environment to spend time outdoors. You can take nature walks or a hike.
For some, you don’t even have to go anywhere, if you have a garden or a farm you may decide to take your family outdoors and spend some time together.
- 2. Attend a church service
Easter is a religious holiday, and attending a church service can help your spirituality. Many churches have Easter services, and some even have special events such as choir performances and drama/acting performances.
For churchgoers, the Easter holidays are a great time to connect not only with family members but also with members of your community.
The best thing is church services are free and you don’t have to spend a shilling to have a good time and enjoy the performances or partake in meals. (some churches cook for their members to celebrate the holiday).
- 3. Cook at Home
During the Easter holidays, most hotels and restaurants hike the price of food and services. This is because of the high demand for their services and the high number of customers.
To avoid spending a lot of money on hotels you might want to try having the meals cooked at home. The good thing about the holidays is that you have many people around (family & friends) who can help out.
If you do not want to cook all that food at your place, you can get creative and ask family and friends who are coming over for the holiday, to bring home-cooked meals or chip in for the cost of the food and cooking.
- 4. Take part in community activities
Easter is not only a time for joy and happiness but a time to be generous. Most use this time to offer gifts and assistance to the less fortunate and the needy in our society.
Many organizations, businesses, and communities, organize charity events to visit the less fortunate. You can take up this initiative and you and your family or friends can plan to join these events and contribute something small such as extra food or clothing.
This will be a good and engaging event for you to spend family with friends and family while also making a great impact on society.
“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others”
Booker T. Washington
- 5. Have a family barbecue (Nyama Choma)
You can invite family and friends over and cook some “Nyama Choma.” You can also add a budget for some drinks. The good thing about a homemade barbecue is that everyone can contribute some money.
You can also play some music and games to make it a fun-filled day. This can be an affordable way to enjoy good food with some friends and family.
- 6. Take advantage of holiday offers
During holidays Kenyans buy a lot of stuff ranging from gifts to foodstuff to take home. The good thing is that many retail stores and supermarkets offer discounts while producers offer free gifts to encourage bulk purchases.
To reduce the money you spend on buying gifts and other products, you can research discounts and free coupons/gifts and take advantage to reduce the amount of money you spend on purchases.
During holidays, there are always offers for food and drinks but you should also be careful not to be swayed by deals that lead you to buy goods you do not need ( impulse buying).
- 7. Visit local attractions with holiday offers
If you really love the outdoors and want to explore the magical landscapes of our country Kenya, there are many beautiful and exciting places you can visit.
Easter is the perfect time to explore local attractions such as parks and beaches because many attractions offer discounted rates during Easter.
Before you make a decision, make sure that you have researched all the holiday destinations and found out their rates, prices, and special offers for the easter period. Always do your research.
Don’t know where to get started? Here is a list of top holiday destinations that you can research and get their Easter offers.
- 8. Have a movie marathon
If you love staying indoors, you can choose to spend time with family and friends watching popular and favorite movies.
For religious families, you can choose Easter-themed movies such as “The Passion of the Christ.”
To have the best time, you can have some popcorn or snacks and drinks while watching the movies and enjoy a relaxing day with your loved ones.
- 9. Use the money you have (do what you can afford)
Many people get stressed during the holiday by questioning how they will spend their money and time. The question many ask, is, do I have enough money? Or Can I afford this?
During the holidays, do not get pressured by what others are doing or what they are spending their money on. Your number one rule should always be “buy what I can afford”.
By having a budget and a proper plan, you can spend less and still have a great Easter. To know more about creating a personal budget or financial plan click HERE
We understand that times are hard and money is scarce. You may find yourself needing a loan to cover all your expenses.
When it comes to loans, make sure that you have created a plan on how to use the money and how to repay it. Always research the interest rates and any other fees and hidden costs.
Do you own a car?
If the answer is yes, then you can easily access money in just under six hours, using your car as security. You can get as much as Kes 100,000 to Kes 5 000 000 in just under six hours and you continue using your car.
If you need money for the holidays or to cover any costs urgently, you should consider getting a logbook loan. Ngao Credit offers quick logbook loans, with flexible repayment periods of up to 24 months.
Want to know how much money you can get against your car or the amount of money you can pay in monthly installments? Use this calculator and get in touch
For more information or inquiries about getting a quick loan against your car, click HERE
Conclusion
We have all witnessed protests and rhetoric on the high cost of living and its impact on the majority of Kenyans. Although times are hard, you can still enjoy Easter with a limited budget and still have the best time.
Easter is a time to celebrate with family and friends, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money to have a good time. All you need is a plan and you can have a fun-filled Easter without breaking the bank.
Always remember, it’s the memories you make that count, not the amount of money you spend.
