Headline

5 Places To Avoid If You Don’t Want To Go Broke This Christmas

Published

8 months ago

December 24, 2024

Editor

The Christmas season in Nigeria is a period filled of celebrations with loved ones but there are some places to avoid in the course of such festivities.

While you want to adore your homes with twinkling lights and hang out with friends and family, there is always the fear of going broke after the festive season.

This desire to hang out with friends or family can end up making January look like the longest month.

To enjoy this holiday season and still live your normal life in January after the festivities there are some places and certain things you need to avoid.

Here are 5 places to avoid if you don’t want to go broke this Christmas:

Luxury Shopping Malls

During the holidays, shopping malls are one of the places during Christmas that can be a financial trap despite their convenience and abundance of options. With festive decorations, eye-catching displays, and sales campaigns that frequently result in impulsive purchases, these malls aim to attract customers. Even for comparable products, mall pricing is usually greater than those at local markets.

Consider shopping at local markets like Wuse Market in Abuja, Ariaria Market in Aba, or Balogun Market in Lagos rather than in upscale malls. There are reasonably priced options for food, clothing, and even holiday décor.

High-End Restaurants and Lounges

Celebrating the season by dining out is common, but expensive restaurants like The Dome in Enugu, Sky Bar Rooftop Lounge in Abuja, and Hard Rock Café in Lagos can make you go broke.

These businesses frequently launch exclusive holiday meals or activities with high prices. Organize a small family get-together where each person brings a dish. It not only saves money but also strengthens bonds among people. If you must eat out, pick less expensive eateries or street food vendors that nonetheless provide delectable meals.

Exclusive Holiday Resorts

Avoid vacation spots this festive season if you are not financially capable because these places often increase the cost of their accommodations, travel, and other activities. Even though a vacation at La Campagne Tropicana or Obudu Cattle Ranch looks alluring, visit nearby vacation sites close to you that are equally entertaining but more affordable. For example, think of going to nearby historical places, nature parks, or beaches.

Concerts and Events with VIP Tickets

In Nigeria, activities and concerts are linked with the holiday season. There are many interesting performances over the Christmas season you will love to see. If you must attend these converts, avoid choosing the VIP or VVIP tickets; instead, choose standard tickets over the more expensive ones. Or you how to local cultural festivals, carol, and free or inexpensive community events.

Luxury Boutiques and Designer Stores

Shopping for holidays can be expensive and keep you broke if you visit high-end stores, especially those located in wealthy neighborhoods like Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos or Wuse 2 in Abuja.

If you want to shop for good quality items at a low cost, visit thrift shops and open markets like Okrika, where secondhand clothing is available, or bend-down select markets in Katangwa or Super Market in Lagos. Online secondhand shops can also be convenient and cost-effective.

You can celebrate this Christmas and New Year without being broke afterward by staying away from this expensive location and activities or by coming up with other options.
VANGUARD

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”