In 2020, a year destined to be etched in the memories of many as one of the most unforgettable. During this year, numerous individuals who had been striving and fighting outside their hometowns had to leave the cities where they had been working hard, returning to their hometowns with a sense of helplessness due to unemployment and pay cuts.
"I can't hold on anymore, I should just go home..."
Xiao Zhang is a young person who had been working hard in a second-tier city. After graduating from school, he made up his mind to take root in a big city.
Xiao Zhang quickly found a job, and although he lived in a rental apartment, he was looking forward to the future, and life was filled with anticipation.
His salary was not low, earning 7,000 yuan per month. His parents advised him to save some money for a rainy day.
However, Xiao Zhang felt that since he was working so hard outside, he shouldn't be too hard on himself. Moreover, there were many expenses in life that were simply unavoidable: rent of 2,000 yuan per month, utilities (water, electricity, and gas) of 150 yuan per month, communication and internet fees of 200 yuan per month, and occasionally treating himself to a seafood feast or watching a movie he enjoyed.
Everything was going according to plan, and although he didn't have much savings, his everyday life was quite comfortable, and Xiao Zhang was quite satisfied.
Even during the pandemic, Xiao Zhang did not feel too much pressure, as he still had a few thousand yuan in savings. But all of this changed after the resumption of work.
The first shock came when companies around him began to lay off employees and go bankrupt one after another, followed by a notice of pay cut. His salary was reduced by 40%, and the 7,000 yuan he used to earn was now only a little over 3,000 yuan. Faced with the nearly halved salary, Xiao Zhang began to panic.Salaries have dropped, but expenses can't be reduced. Rent is due, and the cost of living is rising: beef noodles that used to cost 15 yuan a bowl now cost 18 yuan, and milk tea that used to be 20 yuan a cup has risen to 25 yuan. All aspects of life are becoming more expensive.
This month, Xiao Zhang has thought a lot and considered many ways to stay, but in the end, he realized that leaving this city of dreams might be his only way out.
Today, Xiao Zhang posted a status update on his social circle: "I can't hold on anymore, it's time to go home..."
A large number of young people who have been striving and working hard have no choice but to flee.
Xiao Zhang's experience is just a microcosm of the many who are fleeing. There are many like him who, due to pay cuts and unemployment, have no choice but to leave.
Now, if you search for "leaving Beijing" or "leaving Guangzhou" on Xianyu (a second-hand trading platform), you will find a plethora of alarming listings: sell cheap, sell for any price, and so on.
These are mostly young people who have been working hard in big cities. They once dreamed of taking root in these cities, but due to the impact of the economic environment, many businesses have closed, and many young people have lost their jobs.
The items they once considered as enhancing their happiness in life can now only be sold off, because they can't take many things with them. Selling them on a second-hand platform is their only option.Among these items that are being sold off, the majority are daily necessities, including tables and chairs, sofas, kitchen utensils, and so on, and there are even pets that were kept for companionship.
From these goods being sold at a discount, we can sense their helplessness; many are being sold at 50% off, and some large items are being sold at a 5-fold discount, with smaller items given away for free.
The drawbacks of overconsumption are becoming apparent, and neither toxic motivational quotes nor pseudo-elegance can save you; only savings can.
Faced with such a phenomenon, it is inevitable to reflect on what has led to this situation. Is it merely because of a poor economic environment?
I believe there is also an issue of overconsumption at play here.
Nowadays, whether it is the media or friends around us, everyone is promoting the "toxic motivational quotes" of overconsumption, and you must have encountered such quotes in your life.
For example: "The house may be rented, but life is not," "Life needs a sense of ritual," "Life is already tough enough, don't make it tougher on yourself"...
Between the lines, they are all encouraging people to consume. Is consumption wrong? No, consumption is not wrong, but it should be rational and within one's means.The pursuit of a refined lifestyle is commendable, but if it's a facade of sophistication, it's better to let it go.
When it comes to purchasing a sofa, if you have a stable residence, there's no issue; the sofa can enhance your quality of life and provide a comfortable living experience.
However, for someone renting a place, buying a sofa is unnecessary because you won't be living in the rental property indefinitely. When you eventually move out, the sofa will have to be sold at a low price. How many people have actually considered this issue?
Similarly, for someone earning 10,000 yuan a month, buying a 5,000 yuan smartphone can bring a sense of satisfaction, which is not a problem.
But for someone with a monthly salary of only 3,000 yuan, purchasing a 5,000 yuan smartphone comes at too high a cost for that sense of satisfaction.
These young people, who are drifting and striving in the outside world, on one hand, they are working overtime to earn a meager salary, and on the other hand, they spend money recklessly without ever considering or weighing the costs.
A 4,000 yuan sofa sold for 1,000 yuan; a 3,000 yuan gym membership card hardly used; these excessive or ineffective expenditures are draining the wallets of young people.
If these excessive expenditures were saved, your savings would gradually increase, starting from 2,000 yuan, 5,000 yuan, slowly growing to 10,000 yuan, 50,000 yuan, or even more.
With these savings, even in the face of the current dire situation, at least it could buy you some time.Perhaps, you have encountered a pay cut, but this savings can help you get through the current difficulties;
Perhaps, you are unemployed and have no source of income, this savings can maintain your daily expenses until you find the next job, if one month is not enough then two months, and if two months are not enough then three months.
People often say that opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared. Regular savings is actually a form of preparation, and with such preparation, even in the face of today's dire situation, you can face it with ease.
