Do you know what has happened to your first quarter’s results?

Tunde Oyedoyin

Tunde Oyedoyin is a London-based personal finance coach and founder of Money Intelligence Coaching Academy, a specialist academy of personal finance. He can be reached as follows: +447846089587 (WhatsApp only); E-mail: tu5oyed@gmail.com

Folks, it may seem that 2025 is crawling, but make no mistake about it, we’re already in the second quarter. In view of that, do you know what’s happening to your financial goals? Follow the drift.
When yours truly popped over to the doctor’s surgery on the very last day of March, it was to know the outcome of how my internal organs have been performing. Sitting in front of the young doctor of about thirty something, the first question she asked was if there was anything I came for apart from the scheduled review. Told her “nope” and that l was only booked in for a review of my test results.
About two weeks prior to then, a nurse at the surgery had slipped that dreaded sharp thing – needle – into my arm to draw out blood. He did mention the accompanying sharp pain which I felt and thankfully, it didn’t last long. Thereafter, the nurse asked me to get on the scale. Aside from measuring my weight, he also took my blood pressure. Before leaving, one was handed a stool kit and asked to get a sample at home.
Long story short, the reason for going to see the doctor was to hear what’s been happening inside the engine and to know if one’s systems are doing the needful. Though a query I raised made her say she’ll email a particular team, but no surprises, thankfully. She said all the results were good, including another urine sample she asked me to go produce in the restroom.
Here’s the thing, there’s a parallel between the medical and money matters. Sometimes we don’t know what’s happening inside our bodies just as many don’t give a hoot about the state of their financial goals. In the same way I subjected myself to the doctor’s request for routine checks is how we should beam the searchlight on our financial affairs, especially our financial goals. There’s even a compelling case for it because the first quarter of the year is already over.
By now, you should take a glance at the financial goals you set at the beginning of the year and see what’s been happening to them. This review is necessary as it’s to actually give you the needed feedback so that you know whether you’re doing the right things with your money or driving yourself downhill. Please review your financial goals and if you haven’t achieved any, it’s not late in the day to start putting that ten or five thousand Naira away in savings every single month.
Perhaps, reducing your level of dependence on salary advance was second on your list and you still haven’t made any progress, doing the review could make you figure out why. Moreover, it may provide a wake up call. So, it’s necessary to set time apart to review your first quarter results.

Do you recognise a good deal when you see one?
Guess what? Not all deals are made in the boardroom. Some may actually land on you on the street.
While at the local butcher to pick stuff on the third day of last month, in response to my asking for the price of a pack of chicken thighs, the young woman at the counter said “£4, but three for £10.” I left the store with three packs as it was a saving of two quid. Got home and dumped the thing in the freezer.
A couple of days later, it was their turn to enter the grill, and from there to the pot of stew.That was a delicious deal. It pays to recognise a deal when one lands on the table.