Last week, I woke up to a message from my chef requesting financial assistance because the area he lives in was about to be demolished and he would need to relocate, something he hadn’t planned for. As I contemplated what to do, I shared his plight with my husband who in turn forwarded two requests for financial aid he had received that week. Ladies and gentlemen, it was only Wednesday. That week, we saw fuel prices go up. Dollar rate go up. Cost of living go up. But not income. Billings everywhere. Like someone recently tweeted, cost of living wan kill the living. But that’s not all. Do you know what else is about to go up that you probably haven’t paid attention to? Your black tax.
What’s black tax you ask?
It’s not on your payslip but it’s a tax you unconsciously pay without budgeting for it. The dilemma here is, everyone is going through it. The helper and the helpee. Life isn’t really a bed of roses for anyone, matter of fact, it’s like the roses refused to bloom and we’re all lying on the thorns. But how do you say no? Because no matter how bad it is you think you’ve got it, someone else has it worse. How do you deal with your religious conscience that tells you to help the needy when you yourself need help? Does it get better at any time in life? Will it?
Another thing, why do men face the burden of black tax more than women do? Is this y’all reaping the fruit of the patriarchy?