The budget has been announced. There are some “ooos” and “aaahhhs”… carrots behind tall glass panels. Oh yes, that is where the hippity hopping comes into play…and here, we’ve been thinking about dance music of the 1960s and frogs. And I remember seeing a picture of this announcer…the scene… the floods of late 2021. It was a few days after the heavy rain. People were still on rooftops and stranded without food.

The picture was of the announcer in a large wide motorized raft / boat, standing at the front end of the raft / boat and pointing…”the flood, the flood…look at all those people stranded and suffering! It is a pity we did not bring any relief or supplies because we do not have space on this vessel. What with all you 10 or 15 media people with cameras and equipment crowding out the space.”

Back to the budget…what was that again? People are generally excited about the coming budget due to the hype that builds up leading to the day. This year, the hype was intensified by daily bombardment of news in almost every nook and corner that one would be hard-pressed to escape it for even an hour.

Budget 2023 is better known as an election budget. Up to 80% discount as the sale of big stores would advertise. Thousands of items to choose from – 107 inch televisions, flying cars, furniture, electrical items and the list go on. People rush to these stores hoping to grab that mega tv or super-luxurious, expensive leather furniture sets hoping to get 80%. They search and search for these items hoping to get them with the 80% discount or close to it.

“Up to” 80%. You will find the 80% discount on items such as a $1.50 wall plug, a plastic vase costing less than $5… The big ticket-priced items have a 5% or 10% discount only.

So, election budget… carrots behind glass panels.

While the greenback is strengthening against the local currency, and the central bank is raising interest rates to curb further consumer spending; the consumer is enticed to spend more.

Where does the average man go from here? Reduce spending. It only makes sense. (Haha, get it?) Will this affect the country’s coffers? Yes, for a short while… in the transition period of being a spending nation to one that saves. Otherwise, our financial position will head south.

Speaking of south, we have our southern neighbor as an example to emulate. It may be too drastic to do an about turn and head north to be debt free. Who came up with these “head south” and “head north” idioms.

I am all for working with the finance minister, central bank governor and all those that have an interest in helping re-build the nation’s wealth and people. It may look like a tough balancing act to follow, walking on a tight rope. Just make sure the balancing pole of ideas keep growing longer and evens out on both ends.

Purely coffee shop talk with just a couple of sips of coffee, today, so far.😉