33 Money-Saving Tips For South African Couples

Technical recessions, rolling blackouts and retrenchments are probably not high on the list of words you would use on a first date, would you? But after the initial cuddles turn into a long-term commitment, South African couples who plan together are more likely to stay together in financially turbulent times like these.

Let’s have a closer look at money-saving tips that could free up some much-needed cash in your budget.

1. Plan your meals so you save on your monthly grocery bill and be ruthless about wastage.
2. Cancel those gym memberships unless you are seriously committed to getting to the gym regularly.
3. Now that you have your eye on the gym membership, what about all the other subscriptions you never use?
4. Pack each other a work lunch and save the combined R100 per day on canteen chow.
5. Don’t eat out for an entire month.
6. Delete the Uber Eats app from each other’s phone.
7. In fact, delete all retail shopping apps from each other’s phone.
8. Pick one – Netflix or Showmax?
9. Cut out mid-week drinks and save the beer and wine for the weekend.
10. Take the plunge and move in together. Rather than running two places, share one.
11. Don’t “tata ma chance” with a lotto ticket, rather back the “tata my save for sure” strategy.
12. Sign up for free customer rewards programmes (grocery stores, banks, clothing outlets, insurance companies) and maximise your ability to earn from your usual monthly spend.
13. If you are going to do date night, pick a mid-week evening and find a restaurant running a special.
14. Delete any useless apps from your cell phone and rather sign up to a budgeting app like 22seven.
15. Check your banking fees and see if you can save there.
16. Audit your cell phone usage and make the right call about your plan type.
17. If you haven’t claimed in a long while, push your car and home insurer for a discount.
18. Review your medical aid plan once a year.
19. Entertain family and friends at home rather than meeting out.
20. Don’t do the coffee run in the morning and save yourself R600 a month.
21. Try and only have one car repayment at a time.
22. Plan to kill off those clothing accounts.
23. Avoid impulsive shopping splurges.
24. If you are visiting the GP, try and get a generic equivalent if you’ve been prescribed medicine.
25. Get the high-pressure hose out the garage and give the cars a wash on the weekend.
26. Travel on the cheap using Apps like Airbnb and follow websites like MTBeds.
27. Cancel the golf membership and sign up to a programme like Playmore golf.
28. Visit the library and don’t buy a book for a while.
29. Find out if you can join your spouse’s company medical aid which is subsidized.
30. Take the dog for a walk on the weekends in a beautiful park and pack a picnic basket for lunch.
31. Make time to do fun activities at home with your kids rather than buying them toys and things they don’t need.
32. Don’t pay for an expensive landscaper, get into the garden and make it a project you can both enjoy.
33. Don’t do birthday or Christmas gifts for an entire year.

Do you have any money-saving tips you would like to share? Feel free to leave them below.

If we can be of any assistance, feel free to drop us a line.

Until next time.

The Wise About Life Team