If the year 2020 taught us anything, it’s to be as prepared as possible for any situation. Without sounding too alarmist, this year doesn’t seem to be much different from the last, with the pandemic still in full swing, and many people still struggling to make ends meet. The best way to get through 2021 financially sound is to plan ahead. Read on for three easy tips to budget for this year.
Save money in the kitchen
Many families around the country grew up watching mothers and other family members take part in a stokvel. Perhaps this serves as the perfect time to do this with a group of friends, or your family. It saves heaps of money, and removes the hassle of having to do frequent shops once you have your groceries come the end of the year. With so many curve balls thrown our way, it only makes sense to look for the smartest ways to save money in every aspect of our lives – especially when it comes to household goods.
Local retailers are now making it easier for anyone to buy in bulk and save while doing so, for example, Cape Town-based Yebo Fresh that has an amazing catalogue filled with affordable combo deals, which would work perfectly for a stokvel.
Not keen on starting a grocery club? That’s fine too. You can also check out the Yebo Fresh website for great combo deals. They have options of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as combos big enough to feed a family of four for a month. They have plans for expanding coming up later this year, but currently deliver to all areas in Cape Town within 40km of the CBD, including townships. Having your groceries delivered to you is a great way to stay safe as we ride the second wave, and gives you the opportunity to save on going out to eat.
Track the money you’re spending
While we’re all still social distancing and staying indoors, we’ve become accustomed to the boom in e-commerce nationwide. Groceries and other food can be delivered with the touch of a button, and it can sometimes be easy to forget how much exactly you’re spending. Besides the essential household items you need to get by every day, it’s important to keep track of how many times you’ve clicked ‘Checkout’ on things you don’t need. And, no, this doesn’t mean just doing loose calculations in your head before you decide on another pair of shoes, it means actually knowing how much is going towards items that could have been bought at another time, or maybe are not needed at all.
As always, there’s an app for that. If you love to do your shopping from your phone, a budgeting app will be the easiest and most convenient way for you to stay responsible with your spending. From GoodBudget to 22Seven, there are quite a few options available for both Android and iOS users – many of them for free! The few minutes it takes to download the app and enter your details will save you a headache when it’s time to work out your monthly budget.
Look into new ways of owning household items
Is it Murphy’s Law or just bad luck that the same time your eldest needs a laptop for school the fridge stops cooling and the washing machine just refuses to even switch on? “If you’re thinking high-interest debt is your only option, think again – think rent-to-own,” Saul Gur, financial manager at Teljoy, the country’s foremost rent-to-own provider, recommends. Rent to-own offers consumers a flexible and convenient way to rent appliances, electronics and furniture on a monthly basis, with no upfront costs, no repair or maintenance costs, and no fluctuating monthly fees as interest rates fluctuate. Once you reach the end of the rental contract, the item becomes yours.
