Tips and strategies for South African families to manage their finances effectively.
There is a moment every single parent knows. It is the end of the month. The account is nearly empty. The kids need something — school lunch, a new pair of takkies, data for homework. And you sit there, doing the mental gymnastics, moving money around in your head like a puzzle that simply does…
A widow in Kenya lost her husband suddenly. She had a young son, no income and rent due at the end of the month. Her chama — the Kenyan equivalent of a stokvel — stepped in. The women paid her rent. They bought food for her son. They sat with her through the grief and…
Let me tell you something that no one tells you when your child’s birthday is approaching: You do not need to spend R3000 on a birthday party to make your child feel special. In South Africa, birthday party culture has become increasingly expensive — venue hire, catering packages, jumping castles, professional entertainers, themed decorations and…
Most South African families do not have a budgeting problem. They have a budgeting HABIT problem. The money comes in. The money goes out. And somehow — no matter how hard you try there is never enough left at the end of the month. Sound familiar? The truth is that most of us were never…
You do not need a big salary to be a good parent. In South Africa, millions of families live on salaries between R5000 and R15000 per month. General workers, shop assistants, domestic workers, security guards, factory workers — the backbone of our economy — are raising children, paying school fees, buying groceries and trying to…
Let me tell you a story. When I was a little girl, I had a habit of picking up money I found on the ground. To me, finding a coin or a note on the floor felt like a small miracle; free money! I would pick it up excitedly, already imagining the sweets I was…
Managing money as a parent in South Africa can feel overwhelming. Between rising grocery prices, school fees, transport costs, and unexpected expenses, it often seems like your income disappears before the month ends. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Where did all the money go?”, you’re not alone. According to Statistics South Africa, the cost of…
Every new school term, many South African parents step into what feels like a silent financial storm—back-to-school season. On the surface especially in January it looks exciting: new uniforms, fresh stationery, and children ready for a new school year. But behind the scenes, many families are calculating, adjusting, and trying to make limited budgets stretch…