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HAVE YOUR SAY: Rising cost of living touching everyone’s pockets

The cost of food, transport and sustaining debt has stirred up financial insecurity in some households.

October 13, 2023

Tayla Smit 2 minutes read

A basket of basic groceries costs over R200.

Many South Africans are struggling to make ends meet due to the ever-increasing cost of living.

In most cases, these costs rise against a fixed salary, which means people are left with less disposable income and very limited recourses to cover their monthly costs.

Some South Africans have even resorted to turning their hobby into a side hustle and into a business to try keep their heads above water.

In light of this, the Boksburg Adverstiser visited a local Pick n Pay, SUPERSPAR and Checkers to compare the cost of a basic food basket:
Checkers
Milk (1 litre): R16.99
Rice (2kg): R34.99
White bread: R16.99
Eggs: Sold out
Sugar (2kg): R32.99
Sunflower oil (2 litre) R84.99
Maize meal (2.5kg): R29.99
Total: R215.99 (without the eggs)

Pick n Pay
Milk (one litre): R16.99
Rice (2kg): R37.99
White bread: R16.99
Eggs (6): R29.99
Sugar R29.99
Sunflower oil (2l): R79.99
Maize meal (2.5kg) R35.99
Total: R247.99

SUPERSPAR
Milk (one litre): R18.99
Rice (2kg): R35.99
White bread: 14.99
Eggs (18) R64.99
Sugar: R27.99
Sunflower oil (2l): R78.99
Maize meal (2.5kg): R29.99
Total: R271.99

How are you coping with the rising cost of living?

The Advertiser asked a few locals if they are coping.

Thato Phasha: It’s terrible and I’m not coping. I look for specials and have a Smart Shopper card to get points, but it doesn’t help when prices keep increasing.

Muhammad Najeeb: I’m thankful that I’m coping and making ends meet. I don’t really know anything about saving, but I try not to spend money unnecessarily.

Chris Landsberg: I’m coping. I always plan my routes to save money on petrol and I’m always looking for specials. I also moved to a cheaper gym.

Simphiwe Mathebula: Now that I’m working again, I’m coping. I always check which stores have specials so that I can save money where possible.

Ayanda Mathebula: It’s difficult to cope, especially since I have kids to take care of. I save money by cutting costs on luxuries, like expensive cars and going out for dinner.

Five ways to cut down expenses:

1. Keep your food bill lean: If you don’t already, start purchasing groceries in bulk to cut down on your monthly food bill – and avoid buying fast food, takeaway coffees, or eating out. The average cost of a takeaway coffee is around R30. If you do this daily, five days a week, you’re spending around R600 a month just on coffee.

2. Get thrifty: If you need new clothing, consider thrift stores or second-hand items sold through Facebook Marketplace. Avoid buying anything on store credit (unless they’re interest-free accounts) and, if possible, pay these off as soon as you can and close the accounts.

3. Declutter your subscriptions: Cancel any unnecessary subscription services. These days, it is common to have subscriptions to multiple streaming services. Try to limit your household to just one at a time to save a couple of hundred rands each month.

4. Opt for pay-as-you-go: If your cell phone contract is nearing its end, switch to pay-as-you-go instead of opting for an upgrade.

5. Don’t be a slave to the brand: It is worth finding cheaper alternatives for your daily consumables, such as perfumes, deodorants, make-up, cleaning and food supplies, as this will go a long way to helping you reduce your monthly expenses.
(Info: RE/MAX of Southern Africa)

Also Read: Savvy saving tips to reduce living costs

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