How to clap back at the rising cost of living

Gumtree South Africa GM Claire Cobbledick pointed out that there is definitely more positive sentiment among South Africans towards buying second-hand goods.

“People are starting to realise and appreciate the value of choosing to buy pre-loved or gently used goods in good condition, instead of spending their hard-earned money at the mall,” said Claire.

She added that a past Gumtree survey showed that the average household has as much as R35 000 in unused goods in their homes including old textbooks, electronics, and exercise equipment.

“Getting rid of these items not only helps declutter your space, it’s also a way you can make some extra money that you or your family can use to navigate this uncertain economic period. Other in-demand items include old winter clothes that your children have outgrown. If nobody is wearing them, why are you keeping them? You might also consider joining freecycle groups and setting up watchlist alerts on online classified advertisement and community websites as another creative way of repurposing secondhand goods for profit. You can find items that people might be giving away for free, repair them and flip them in your own community.

While making extra income is one way you can counter the cost of living, finding ways to save on expenditure is another way to do it.

“A consequence of the latest fuel hike is that motorists now have to deal with the fact that the average cost of two tanks of petrol is now about R2 500 a month. And considering that for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, more full-time employees are driving to and from work, instead of bearing the burden alone, why not be smart and split the cost of petrol four or five ways?

“A quick search showed that there are already 500 rideshare opportunities up for grabs. It might just mean sharing the aux cable more than you’d like to, but if it means saving on fuel costs, why wouldn’t you? You can also create your own or put up a notice for colleagues or around your office park.

“Keeping your car parts is also a way you can save some money. If you plan on taking or have taken your car in for repairs or service, you can ask for the replaced parts to be returned to you. Service shops and centres often assume that customers don’t want old parts and tyres, so they keep them. Technically those parts still belong to you and can still be sold second-hand as used items on online classified advertisement and community websites.

South Africans are also taking a DIY approach as they choose to repair their own cars and goods instead of taking them to shops. However, if you don’t have the skills to do it yourself, you can still save money by purchasing these goods second-hand and getting a professional to assist with the repairs.

“Most of us are already feeling the pinch of the recession, and while there isn’t much more we can do to shave from our budgets, we can boost our income by turning to the informal economy because it’s cheaper and much easier to go second-hand.”