With the festive season hype and madness over, it is now back to business as usual albeit for those who broke the bank during the festive season, they are financially squeezed.

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This is the time those who overspent their money, are reflecting on their poor choices. But as a Kikuyu proverb warns, "gakîyoha nîko koî urîa karîina" (s/he that ties themselves knows how they will dance), such fellas will always have a way out of their 'perforated-pockets' situation.

One of the tactics many employ to survive the hard times in January is ensuring that they are loaded with all manner of foodstuffs available when they are leaving their village.

Here are some of the things you are likely to find inside a tightly packed 'ngunia' of a broke Central Kenya native returning to Nairobi from upcountry after the December holidays. 

1. Green bananas/Potatoes

Green bananas and potatoes while cooked together, are considered a valuable delicacy by the Central Kenya natives especially those with young kids.

A cash-strapped townfolk from this region will, therefore, walk into their grandmother's homestead, pretending to inform them of their departure with the hope of being sufficiently supplied with the two food products.

2. Arrowroots (Ndûma)

This delicacy is a common must-carry foodstuff among many Central Kenya town dwellers due to its versatility. It can be served at different times, prepared using different methods and it can last for long.

3. Avocados

For a penniless urban fellow from Central who knows the exorbitant price at which this fruit is sold at in town, it is a must-carry thing instead of leaving it behind to be freely feasted on by marauding village dogs.

4. Grade 3 sifted maize flour

With no cash left to buy the expensive packed maize flour in town, most people from this region will prefer to take some dried maize from their village to the posho mills so that they save up some coins when they get back to Nairobi.

5. Milk

This is a must-carry beverage even for those town dwellers whose rural households have no cows. Their relatives will go round the village looking for a homestead to by the milk from and pay for it later.

The milk's perishability won't be a source for concern because once it goes sour, it will be a great accompaniment for ugali made from the 'ordinary' maize flour.