To celebrate and welcome the first day of Spring this year, we decided to visit the Orchid Show on Saturday, 3^rd September at the Garden Shop Flora Farm in Boksburg.

The entrance to this amazing event was free (I like frugal & free!), and so was the one hour talk given on the basic care of orchids, which was very useful and drew an audience of close to a hundred people. All in all, the event was an absolutely stunning display of over 50 varieties of blooming orchids as well as several Ikebana flower arrangement displays.

In true spring style, the day was gorgeous and hubby and I probably spent a good 3 hours there, although I’m pretty sure I could have stayed even longer! I was in absolute awe at the lovely orchids on display. There were so many stunning blooms wherever you looked!

I came back home with several hundred photographs and a Lady Slipper orchid (one of my lovely birthday presents this year!). I love orchids. I got my first Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) a few years ago and it was love at first sight although a slow learning curve thereafter of how to care for it properly even though it’s the least demanding orchid to take care of!

Each year now, I get one or two new orchids as a present (my hubby knows how much I love my orchids!). And each year it’s been an absolute pleasure watching my orchids grow their beautiful stems over a period of a few months leading up to spring so that they are ready to start opening their flowers in August/September.

Although I’m not an orchid expert by any means, I manage to take care of my orchids. They are all in flower at the moment, so if you are a fellow orchid admirer, check back soon for some lovely photos!

For more exciting flower events at the Garden Shop Flora Farm in Boksburg, like their Facebook page to stay in touch.

Disclaimer: Financial compensation was not received for this post. Opinions expressed here are my own.

The post The Orchid Show appeared first on Frugal in SA.

If you know the standard prices of groceries you regularly buy, you can save yourself a nice chunk of money as you hunt for specials and do your grocery shopping each month. Knowing my prices certainly helps me! So I’ve decided to share my list of the lowest prices of grocery items on special. I keep track of each item’s regular price as well as the lowest price on special advertised for in the shops lately. This list includes prices that are valid as of October 2016.

Why is it important to keep track of prices? Well, when the items you regularly buy go on special you would need to know if it really is the lowest price available on that product of if it a reduced price only at a specific store. Quite a few of our local supermarkets run specials on the same items in the same period, and one of those deals will usually be the best deal, so it’s important to know which one it is.

Also, if you don’t know the standard price of items in shops, how can you tell if the advertised amount on special is a good deal or not? I’m sure that many of you have learnt this the hard way, as I have! In fact, I am still learning and I still make a mistake sometimes – just the other day I returned a bottle of shampoo to a shop as it was R10.00 more expensive than in another shop, almost right next door!

Buying in bulk can be misleading. Often, the prices are cheaper per item, yes, that’s true. At other times, the price is cheaper by 20c or 50c which makes you wonder if you are really going to save much by spending money in fuel and driving or paying for public transport to get to a certain shop.

And quite often retailers will advertise buying a certain item in bulk at a certain price when you can actually buy the single item cheaper in another shop! Yes, I know, I am one of those people who walks around the stores doing my end-of-month grocery shopping with a calculator in my hand as I calculate the price per unit of advertised items in bulk but that’s the only way I can check if I am really getting the cheapest deal available!

Whenever I can get items that we regularly buy and use at their lowest price, that’s when I will buy a few, or more if my budget allows it, to add to my stockpile. I’m especially a fan of stockpiling non-perishable items when I can get them at rock-bottom prices and I will usually wait for the specials to come, and stock up as needed, so that I don’t have to buy these items at their regular prices. I will also stash cuts of meat or vegetables in our freezer when I see them at the lowest price possible.

Here is my list of the lowest prices of grocery and household items on special. These prices are up-to-date as of October 2016.

General Groceries

• Sugar (no name brand): R27.99 for 2.5kg.
• Cake Flour: R19.99 for 2.5kg.
• Sunflower oil (non-GMO): R34.00 for 2-litre bottle.
• Eggs: R36.00 for a crate of 30 grain-fed eggs.
• Soya Mince: R9.99 for a 200gr. packet.
• Puff Pastry (Today): R8.90 for 400gr. roll.
• Frozen Pies (Makro): R8.30 per pie (when bought in bulk of 12).
• Noodles (various): R3.30 per 100gr. packet.
• Rice (Tastic): R10.00 for 1kg (bought in bulk).
• Pasta: Fatti & Moni’s R9.99 or Woolworths R10.00 for 500gr. packet

Meat

• Beef shin stewing meat: R39.99 for 1kg.
• Boerewors: R39.99 for 1kg.
• Biltong: R120.00 for 1kg.
• Minced meat: R49.99 for 1kg.
• Whole chicken: R24.99 for 1kg.
• Chicken pieces in brine: R37.99 for 2kg bag.

Dairy

• Long-life Milk (no name brand): R9.99 for 1 litre (in a 6-pack).
• Plain Yoghurt (various): R23.99 for a 1-litre tub.
• Fruit Yoghurt (various): R10.00 for 6 cups.
• Maas (no name brand): R21.00 for a 2-litre bottle.
• Margarine: Blossom R24.99 for 1kg, Canola R36.00/Flora Gold for 1kg.
• Butter: (Woolworths) R39.99 for 500gr or (Emerald’s) R34.99 for 500gr.
• Cream cheese: R17.00 for a 250gr. tub.
• Gouda or Cheddar: (Lancewood) R79.00 for 900gr.

Tinned Food

• Baked Beans (no name brand): R5.30 for 410gr. tin.
• Corn kernels (Koo): R10.99 for 410gr. tin.
• Tuna: R9.99 for 175 gr. tin.

Household cleaning supplies

• Automatic washing powder (Ariel, Sunlight or Skip): R39.99 for 2kg.
• Fabric Softener (Comfort): R25.00 for 800ml bottle.
• Window cleaner (no name): R22.00 for 750ml bottle
• Handy Andy (no name brand): R9.99 for 750 ml bottle.
• Kitchen cleaner (Handy Andy Actifizz): R19.00 per 750ml refill.
• Dishwashing liquid (no name brand): R16.00 for 1-litre bottle.
• Tile Cleaner (Glade): R16.00 for 1-litre bottle.
• Dishwasher tablets (Mr.Sheen): R72.00 for 36 tablets.
• Pine Gel (Westpack): R68.00 for a 5-litre bucket.

Toiletries

• Toothpaste (Colgate/Aquafresh): R7.00 for 100 ml tube.
• Mouthwash (Colgate): R42.00 for 500ml + 250ml bottles.
• Soap (Protex, Dettol or Pears): R7.00 or R7.30 for 200 gr.
• Cotton Buds (Dove): R9.99 for a packet of 200.
• Shampoo or Conditioner (Tres Semme): R49.99 for 900ml.
• Razors (no name brand): R6.00 for a packet of 2 disposable razors.
• Tissues (Twinsaver): R9.99 for a packet of 200.
• Toilet paper (Baby-Soft): R74.00 for 18s.

Fruits

• Bananas: R7.00 for 1kg.
• Oranges: R20.00 for a 7kg pocket.
• Apples: R6,60 for 1kg (when bough in bulk of 3kg)
• Strawberries: R10.00 for a punnet.

Vegetables

• Carrots: R10.00 for 5kg.
• Potatoes: R34.00 for a 7kg pocket.
• Cabbage: R10.00 for 2.
• Lettuce: R10.00 for 3.
• Spinach: R10.00 for 3.
• Butternut: R20.00 for 7kg.
• Mushrooms: R10.00 for a punnet.

I do hope you will find this list useful. There are, of course, once-off specials I may come across from time to time, but unfortunately, these do not repeat (though I wish they did!) and I have not included them in this list.

If you know of any prices that are lower than these though, or if there are any items that you would like to see included in this list, please do let me know by leaving me a comment below.

The post Know Your Prices appeared first on Frugal in SA.

Meal Planning around Specials can be quite daunting at first, especially if you feel that you wouldn’t know where to start or what meals to plan for!

The easiest way to start, though, is to make a list of breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner options that your family likes, and that you know are healthy, affordable and can be rotated as needed. As you begin preparing your lists, ask your family members to contribute.

Next, do you have a stock of tried and tested recipes? Use it! I know I do, and this always helps when it comes to meal planning ideas. In fact, I write down all our favourite recipes in my Recipe Book which is still hand-written! I also stash recipes that I come across in cookbooks and magazines for future use in my Recipes Binder, as well as any recipes which I get from my mom or my friends. This way, I am always covered.

And if you don’t have a recipe book or file of your own? No problem. It’s never too late to start. I prefer to keep a hand-written Recipe Book and Recipes Binder as it’s so easy to flip through the pages and refer to the recipe as I go along. I actually find it quite difficult and messy when I have to scroll down on my phone with sticky fingers as I cook or bake if I am using a recipe I found online!

Keep your Recipe Book or Recipes Binder, and your meals ideas lists, handy and refer to these as you meal plan around specials each month. If you find a vegetable, or protein – meat – for example, that you don’t often cook with and you’re not sure what meals to prepare, do a search online and see what comes up! Or checkout my Thrifty Recipes section for some budget meals recipes and ideas.

For now, to help you get started with meal planning around specials, here are a few helpful ideas for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner that we usually rely on.

Breakfast

Our breakfast list includes low-GI oats (I avoid cereals because of the high sugar content in many although I do occasionally buy plain Cornflakes or Weetbix), homemade bread or the store bought low-GI loaves, eggs, marmalade, muesli and fruit, milk or yoghurt.

Mid-Morning/Afternoon Snacks

I also like to keep a list of snacks options which are relatively healthy and affordable. For us, snacks always include fruit (preferably fruit that doesn’t have such a high sugar content like apples and oranges and I avoid dried fruit because of the concentrated sugar content) and plain yoghurt.

I also consider options such as good old-fashioned popcorn (not the microwave type), crackers and cream cheese, boiled eggs, Provita/Ryevita slices, tuna, biltong and other cold meats, rusks and peanuts (which are much cheaper than any other type of nuts), avocados, tomatoes, etc.

We try and stay away from chips (crisps), Nik-Nax, Corn curls, Tortilla chips and the like. This is not to say we never buy those – we do, but only as a treat!

Dinner

Dinner is pretty much our main meal of the day and when I meal plan for our dinners, I use our list of favourite meals and often rotate those to make sure we don’t get tired of any one meal! I make sure that we have a combination of protein – the meats – as well as staples (rice, pasta, noodles, pap or potatoes) and vegetables.

I rely on my tried and tested recipes (you can find some of our favourite recipes in my Thrifty Recipes archives) but I also like to try new recipes all the time! My mom and my friends are usually my first port of call when I get stuck for ideas. Then I will look through my Recipes Binder and finally, I will search online for recipes with ingredients that are on special this month. Or if all else fails, I will get creative in the kitchen!

Lunch

I usually don’t have a separate list of lunch options as we normally have leftovers from the night before for lunch the next day. If there aren’t any leftovers (which hardly ever happens for us though) I will then resort to packing a light lunch which gets chosen from our list of savoury snacks or I will use some of those options such as eggs, biltong, cheese, tuna, vegetables etc. to make sandwiches.

Consider subscribing to my weekly newsletter now to receive your FREE copy of affordable and easy 20 Sandwich Ideas on a Budget. For us, this is an absolute life-saver on the days when there are no leftovers to pack.

Happy Frugal Meal Planning!

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Today I’m going to share with you how I meal plan monthly around specials in the shops. I have been doing this for so long now that I don’t think it would even occur to me to simply walk into a shop and buy whatever I want and whenever I want! Your grocery spending can be a huge drain on your finances each month (it certainly used to be in ours!) and planning meals around specials in the shops can be a great way to cut down on your total grocery bill for the month as well as help you keep this amount in check.

The “process” for monthly meal planning around specials is really very simple. I don’t have a lot of time on my hands but I make it a point to go through all the monthly specials each month (usually the ones just before the 25^th of the month are the best), and I generally use the inserts in our copy of the Alberton Record. I always look at all the supermarket, butchery and greengrocer specials in our area as you never know what kind of awesome specials you might find! You can try using a local newspaper delivered in your area for this purpose or check out the app called Tindeo (for Android) – they have up to date specials on pretty much all the supermarkets chains in SA and more, or alternatively, have a look at individual supermarket catalogues of specials for the month (a quick Google search should give you what you’re looking for).

Also, remember to check out the Unilever Deals for available coupons that you can use that month as well as the Snap n Save app on your phone. Do you have any Smart Shopper points that you can use? Don’t forget to print your Smart Shopper points voucher before your start shopping at your local Pick ‘n’ Pay as well as to check if you have been given any personalised vouchers that you can print from the kiosk and use immediately. I also usually check if there are any 3 for 2 deals at Woolworths and what additional discounts are available for WRewards members, as well as what’s available from Checkers Eezi coupons and Spar Rewards.

So here’s what to do to start meal planning around specials each month.

Step 1

Always check what you have in your pantry and freezer first as well as fresh produce on the veggie rack. Do you have all the ingredients needed for a meal or several meals? From there on you can plan for the meals you would like to make during the month based on what you have in the pantry and freezer. This is a great way to use up some of the items at hand which means you will need to buy less that month.

Step 2

Are there any items in your pantry and freezer that you might need to top up for a meal or even better, several meals? Look at the specials for the month and check if any of the missing ingredients are on special then plan to buy those. Again, because you will be using some of the items you already have this means that you will need to buy less.

Step 3

Browse through the specials for the month. Are there any staples, proteins (meat) and vegetables that are on special that you could use for a meal? Or a bunch of meals? Then make a note and get those! Is there anything that you would like to buy at rock-bottom price to add to your stockpile (within budget)? Then take a note of those items too! All of this will definitely save you money on your grocery bill each month. I can’t imagine not shopping for food on specials – it really is a huge saving for us.

Click here to download your FREE printable:

Meal Planning Around Specials Shopping List.

Now what about the meals, you might ask? Any suggestions? Check out my post Meal Planning Ideas for a few helpful hints.

The post Meal Planning Around Specials appeared first on Frugal in SA.

As it was my birthday last week, I decided to bring in a few platters to share with my colleagues at lunchtime during the week. I’d included this expense in this month’s budget and I allocated R250.00 in total, for both food and drinks, to serve 15-18 people. The only way I could stay within my budget was to cook and bake and prepare all the food that I was going to take to work, myself. That’s exactly what I did.

You might think now, well, how much could she actually serve for R250.00? Food is generally expensive and I had to make sure I had enough food to serve 15-18 people generously. Had I decided to order platters or even to buy ready-made snacks or food in the shops, I definitely would have paid a lot more! But I didn’t. I spent about R220.00 for all the ingredients (both food and drinks) and probably another R30.00 in electricity costs. It took me a total of about 6 hours to prepare all the goodies as well as arrange it all on platters.

Here is what I served:

• A platter of Cucumber Sandwiches and Sandwich Spread, Carrot & Lettuce Sandwiches

• A platter of Tuna & Corn Fritters, Meatballs & Cherry Tomatoes

• Cheese & Biltong Bread Sticks

• Millie Meal & Polenta Bread

• Banana Bread and Cinnamon Swirl Bread

• Cool Drinks (4 large bottles)

Here is how I saved:

I bought all the fruit and vegetables very cheaply at Apple Tree Fresh Food Market: lettuce, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. I had a couple of carrots in the fridge already (those were part of a 5kg carrot bag which I bought for R10.00!). Instead of Biltong pieces I used Biltong powder in the cheese sticks which is cheaper but still makes for yummy cheese sticks! I used a cheaper cut of Gouda for the cheese sticks as well (I didn’t use processed cheese).

I made plain Millie Meal & Polenta Bread and didn’t add Feta cheese which would have brought the cost up. Instead of using 2 tins of tuna which the Tuna & Corn Fitters recipe called for, I used only 1 and realised that it doesn’t really alter the taste that much. I decided to make Banana bread and Cinnamon Swirl loaves as a sweet treat which altogether cost me less in both ingredients and electricity, and tasted much better, than any of the cheaper cakes you could buy at a supermarket (which I didn’t really want to do anyway).

All the recipes I used were fairly inexpensive recipes which yielded a whole lot of food. I had 2 Banana bread loaves and 2 Cinnamon Swirl loaves as well as 5 trays of Cheese & Biltong sticks, and I didn’t double up on any ingredients! Making vegetarian sandwiches was much, much cheaper too and since we had bite-sized meatballs as well Tuna & Corn Fritters, it didn’t really matter that there was no ham or any other cold meats in the sandwiches. I used only about 250gr. of minced meat to prepare the meatballs and this yielded in total about 40 bite-sized meatballs.

The end result of all my efforts? The platters were polished! Everyone enjoyed the goodies and I was happy to be able to share yummy foods and treats with my colleagues without going over my budget.

What do you think of these birthday treats? Do you have any of your favourite and inexpensive birthday treats that you like to prepare? Let me know by leaving me a comment below.

The post Birthday Party Snacks & Platters for Under R250 appeared first on Frugal in SA.

Today’s Debt Free SA Story, and the very in this feature, is from Mylky who blogs over at Glassofmylk.

Mylky is a South African doctor who has paid off her entire medical student loan, and more, in less than a year after graduating! Mylky is now completely debt-free! Here is her inspirational story.

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I always say I’m a creative stuck in an academic’s body. I love to read and write, I spent a significant chunk of my high school/university free time making music, writing fiction and non-fiction, pursuing photography, just generally being a real art-geek. I come from a non-nuclear family and grew up in almost every economic condition you can imagine – I’ve lived in suburbs and townships – and when I was really young I decided I wanted to do work that made a tangible difference to people’s lives, regardless of their income. So I went the medical route instead of the art route, and now I’m a first year medical intern (that means I’m a qualified doctor doing my first year of real doctor work). But I’ve kept art quite central to everything I do. It’s what keeps me sane after seeing the things I’ve had to see in my line of work.

2. How did you get into debt? How much debt did you have?

Most of my debt was educational, some of it was personal. For the first three or so years of medical school I survived on bursaries to cover my tuition, familial help to cover my living expenses (like res) and part-time jobs to cover the cost of equipment (like stethoscopes, ENT kits, etc.) and textbooks. Then my family situation became really dire financially, and all of a sudden I had to find a way to make it through the toughest (and most expensive) half of my medical education without that help.

Also, fee increments meant that my bursaries were barely covering tuition anymore. My choices were to drop out for a few years and work full time to earn the money (I almost did), apply for NSFAS (I tried, but didn’t qualify), lie a little on application forms for needs-based-bursaries (I never even considered it) or simply suck it up and start digging the debt hole with the aim to graduate on time and pay it back ASAP. I hated it, but with tuition at about R50000 a year, res at nearly R40000 a year (self-catering, with campus being the safest place to live especially since I didn’t have a car and would frequently be walking home from hospital at peak mischief hours) and equipment sometimes going for up to R2000 a piece (a stethoscope, for example), I knew I’d have to just take on the debt. I did this for three years, so you can guestimate how much I owed (I hate thinking about it, even now!).

I wasn’t completely innocent though: some of my debt (about R3000 worth) was purely the result of a poor decision I made. I once went to Johannesburg with some friends to record some music, and loaned money from my best friend for plane tickets and my cut of the recording expenses. It was a great experience, but I doubt I’d do it again knowing what I know now, especially about how I felt every time I saw that friend (who is a young high school teacher) and remembered I owed her money!

3. What was the turning point for you that made you embark on becoming debt-free?

I’ve always been a saver, I’ve always been the “responsible one” in my family. I remember that if we ever got money as kids, I’d spend next to nothing for the first few weeks, and then all my siblings would be broke and asking me for money! I’ve always been really frugal by natural instinct, I just think it’s so much fun finding ways to game the system and have a great life with less money. So initially it was kind of a hobby, optimising expenses.

Then my family’s debt spun out of control, we lost almost everything and I spent a few years living with my grandmother in a township. Those were pivotal years for me. I went from just being a saver, to being debt averse. I learned so much from her wisdom. Things got better before I went to Uni, but it wasn’t too long before we were back in the same position. I very nearly dropped out so that I could earn some money, both to help at home and save up for Uni, specifically because I was so debt averse. I really hated the idea of owing any institution hundreds of thousands. But I hated the idea of owing the government years of my life even more (an alternative via Provincial work-back/service bursaries). I promised myself after that first year, when I saw how much I owed, that I would pay it off the second I graduated.

4. What method(s) of debt payoff did you use and how long did it take you to become debt-free?

I followed a few very simple steps:

Prevention is Better than a Cure. This is a saying in medicine, but it applies to finances as well. I didn’t take on the largest amount of debt I could get away with. I made sure that I owed very little (relatively) in the first place. I didn’t buy new textbooks. If I couldn’t find them used, I borrowed from the library or from friends. I didn’t buy the most expensive equipment, I bought what I needed and only after I was completely sure I needed it.

I did not consider “living expenses” as part of the cost of university. That was a major one. I lived frugally and within my limited means, even before I had to. Being vegetarian, I really studied up on cheap but healthy cooking. I didn’t try to keep up with my peers who went out every weekend or multiple nights a week. I kept my fun local: friends’ homes, church, community projects, parks. I think I ate out a total of six times in six years of University! The key is to minimise the debt while you can still control it, before it becomes a monster that consumes your life. But if that fails…

The Power of Earnings. I think a lot of people understate or underestimate the importance of measuring up the price tag of an education against the potential future payoff. I would have dropped out (temporarily) and gotten a job to fund future studies if I hadn’t been getting a degree with a guaranteed ability to help me pay off my debt. Even though I stayed, I still found part-time work to reduce the load before I graduated. A lot of young South Africans get into hundreds of thousands of Rands of debt for degrees that will mean very little in the workplace.

That’s not to say you must ignore your passion and be mercenary, but it’s important to be practical. If your degree will add little value to your earning power, pick a cheaper institution or pick another degree (that you don’t hate) with better prospects and pursue your passion as a side hustle until it can fund itself. I’ll be the first to admit that my salary played a huge role in me being able to pay off such a substantial amount of debt in such a short time. If I’d needed to, I would have gotten a side hustle or side income to expedite the process. But I didn’t need to, both because I earned a decent salary and because I spent very little of it, which leads me to…

The Power of Thrift. Remember, it’s as easy to be broke earning R35000 a month as it is to be broke earning R3000 a month. It’s about habits as much as it’s about resources. Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” If you lack discipline, your lifestyle WILL inflate with your earnings. I know several people who were earning millions a year (yes, a year!) but were broke every month. They simply spent every last Rand, and there was nothing left to save or put towards decreasing debt. I was really aggressive with my approach. Like, really aggressive. But that’s only because I managed to keep my monthly expenses low.

One month I literally used my whole pay cheque on that and lived on R3000 that I had left. I treated my debt like the emergency I believed it to be, and continued living like a student. I lived in a rather crappy house for R900 a month (I shared with three housemates, but we did eventually get a more decent place for the same price), I didn’t have a car (I walked to work, and took taxis everywhere else) and I only upgraded my grocery budget insomuch as having more fresh fruit and spices. Otherwise, nothing changed. I didn’t buy new “doctor clothes”. I didn’t get new “doctor accessories”. I didn’t upgrade to a smartphone. I kept it simple and focused on staying happy and healthy.

I lived like the broke, negative net (financial) worth person that I was instead of the rich, ballin’ doctor everyone perceived me to be and it paid off. It’s nine months after med school, and I don’t owe a cent to anyone but myself (I’m catching up with retirement contributions).

The Power of Honesty. The second half of Luke 16: 10 says, “…and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much”. A big part of me paying off my debt was being honest. I let my friends and family know what my goals were and why I could not spend how they wanted me to. I never hesitated to pay a fair price for whatever service or goods I required. And, most importantly, I didn’t lie to access financial aid that I wasn’t deserving of (There are hundreds of thousands of young South Africans who can’t afford a decent education). I also refuse to do locum tenens work (it’s like moonlighting for doctors) because it is both unethical and illegal for interns to do this as we are still technically under supervision. I believe part of my success is linked to the fact that I knew honesty and integrity would have benefits so much larger than the benefit of being debt-free.

5. What advice would you give someone who is on their journey to becoming debt-free?

Throw away every excuse you could possibly have. Life is not too expensive by default, you have power and you have the ability to make choices that can put you back in control. Take responsibility. Treat your debt like the emergency it is! Your friends and family might not be 100% on board, but it’s your life and you have an opportunity to make money one less thing to worry about. Don’t obsess over money, don’t stress about money, just sit down, make a plan and stick to it! You can do it!

And focus on the top 3: Housing, Transport and Food. These are the things that make most budgets much too tight: try to downsize until the debt is paid off, and if you think you can’t, get creative. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, or be a little weird or do things others might look down on. Be your own person and ignore peer pressure and status. It will pay off! Also: just start. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to pay off debt once you make it non-negotiable that a certain portion of any money you get goes to that goal.

If you would like to read a more comprehensive version of my method(s), here is a summary.

6. Would you like to share any online resources that you think our readers would find useful in their debt-free journey?

In terms of personal finance, there are so many great resources! Locally, Wellspent is great just for general personal finance. Their Journey series covers the different ways to pay off debt and optimise expenses really well for the South African context, and it’s simple and easy to understand. Internationally, I devoured Mr. Money Moustache. It’s a little over the top and the strong language can be off-putting, but the principles are solid. Start with this article. Then try to learn the life-hacks that make you have more money available at the end of your month.

Blogs that emphasise self-sufficiency and finding ways to optimise expenses and live a really rich, colourful life like Frugalwoods, Pretend to be Poor (the name is mildly offensive, but the principle stands), Frugal in SA (the recipes are my favourite posts, they are epic for my mouth and epic for my wallet!)…the list really is endless. And Google is your friend. There is almost always a cheaper way to get something you want without compromising quality, you just need to be willing to put in a little effort.

Also, if possible, refinance some of your debt so it can be at a lower interest rate. I managed to have my student debt accruing interest at prime, and I would have pushed for an even lower, fixed-rate if I hadn’t been confident in my ability to pay it off within a year. Most importantly, if you can’t understand where all your money goes, you’ll never have enough of it to tackle the debt and you’ll probably just keep sinking deeper and deeper. Start tracking your spending with apps like 22seven.com or with a spreadsheet. I guarantee you’ll be shocked to find that you can afford to put more towards debt if you stop the money from haemorrhaging out of your bank account into that mysterious miscellaneous category!

7. How do you feel now that you are completely debt-free and what is the next step for you?

I feel liberated! I feel like I can finally breathe and I’m in control of my future. My next step is to catch up with where I would have been if I’d been contributing to retirement all this time before the end of the tax year. I also want to start saving up for my little sister (actually my cousin, but Black non-nuclear families get a little blurry) to go to University someday. She’s so smart and vivacious, I really want her to have the start I never had. Next year money should be much less tight, so I want to help out at home more freely and hopefully start saving up for a car and/or for a nice holiday with my mother.

But my key financial focus is financial independence, so most of what I was using to pay off debt I’m going to invest so that future me has options, whether that’s to do medical missionary work or take a few years off to really focus on art. I just want to continue living below my means because it’s forced me to be creative, introspective, and quite badass. Not solving problems with money really makes for happier, better-adjusted people!

Thank you Mylky for sharing your debt-free story with us. For more about her story, check out Mylky’s beautiful blog Glassofmylk.

Are you debt-free in SA? Would you like to share your story to inspire others? Do you have any advice that you would like to give to those who are still on their journey to becoming debt-free? If so, I would love to feature your story on Frugal in SA.

Let me know if you would like to be part of this exciting new series by emailing me info(at)frugalinsa(dot)com and I will send you a list of interview questions to complete.

The post Mylky’s Debt-Free Story appeared first on Frugal in SA.

During our debt-free journey, we used to spend hours and hours reading other people’s success stories. These stories inspired us and helped to keep us going and motivated throughout our journey! However, as fascinating and motivating as all these stories were, none of them featured South Africans who have conquered their consumer, or other, debt and are now living debt-free!

So today, I’m very excited to be bringing you a new feature series on the blog, Debt Free SA Stories, where I interview South Africans who have become debt-free and who would like to share the details of their debt-free journey, and their wisdom, with the rest of us.

You can read the very first Debt Free SA Story in this feature series:

Mylky’s Debt-Free Story. She paid off her entire student loan in less than a year!

Are you debt-free in SA? Would you like to share your story to inspire others? Do you have any advice that you would like to give to those who are still on their journey to becoming debt-free? If so, I would love to feature your story on Frugal in SA. You don’t have to be a blogger to participate in this series. If you are though, I will include a link to your blog and any social media channels that you use.

Let me know if you would like to be part of this exciting new series by emailing me info(at)frugalinsa(dot)com and I will send you a list of interview questions to complete.

And before you go, you can read more about our Debt-Free Journey.

The post Debt-Free SA Stories: Do You Have a Story to Share? appeared first on Frugal in SA.

I’m a huge fan of stockpiling non-perishable items in moderation. We don’t have a lot of space to store food or other items so my stockpile can never get too big, which is a good thing! I do have enough space for stockpiling certain items which we use on a regular basis and whenever I can get these items at their lowest in the shops, I buy as much as my budget allows.

When I meal plan for the month, I always make sure I check my pantry and freezer for items which I already have and which I can use in the coming weeks. This helps us keep our grocery bill in check and also helps us save overall – if I bought an item at a very low price this means that the meal I prepare with it will cost me less overall (you can read more about this in my post Meal Planning Around Specials).

Stockpiling allows you to take advantage of very low prices and this carries on throughout the year. Starting a stockpile doesn’t have to cost you a whole lot. Simply spend a bit extra, within your budget of course, to stockpile certain items when they go on special. I try and look for rock-bottom prices. In August, for example, I bought 4 bottles of Comfort fabric softener at R25.00 a bottle when normally a bottle costs over R40.00 and even on special it comes down to only about R36.00 so. This was a huge saving.

In July I found Alpo Purina dog chunks at R 149.00 per 8kg (normally this bag is over R200.00) as well as Husky tinned dog food at just over R17.00 per tin (normally they are about R23.00 or more each) so I bought as much as I could within my budget that month. This means that I will be saving money on those particular items by not buying them at a higher price.

It is important to check the expiry dates on all your stockpiled items. I do this twice: I first check the expiry date on the items before I buy them and when I store the stockpiled items I make a note of expiry dates somewhere visible in my pantry so that I am reminded of what needs to be used up and by which date. This really does help as it’s so easy for items to end up right at the back of a shelf and you only get to them when it’s too late, and you don’t want to turn your intended saving into a waste!

If you stockpile already, what are some of your favourite items to stockpile when you can? Here are my top items to stockpile in my pantry which you might find useful if you are just starting out with stockpiling.

• Coffee and Tea.

• Tinned meat (tuna, sardines, corned beef).

• Tinned vegetables & fruit (baked beans, for example).

• Tinned pet food.

• Pasta & rice.

• Oil, sugar and flour.

• Rusks & crackers.

• Laundry washing powder & fabric softener.

• Household cleaning supplies.

• Toiletries (shampoo, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper)

Having a stockpile, even a small one, can help reduce your expenses each month. Even if you decide to spend only a hundred or two hundred Rand each month, within your budget of course, to stockpile on items when available at their lowest prices, I’m sure you will find that it does help from one month to the next.

Have you ever taken part in a Pantry and Freezer Challenge in order to reduce the amount of items you have in your stockpile, no matter how small, and to save a bit of money? I have! You can start by reading my post Take the Pantry and Freezer Challenge.

The post Are you a fan of Stockpiling? appeared first on Frugal in SA.

This recipe is part of Take the Pantry and Freezer Challenge series on this blog, and I made this in Week 3 of the challenge.

This is a recipe I often make. It is fairly inexpensive if made plain but with additional variations (see below) it can cost you a bit more. We like the Millie meal and Polenta bread plain. We usually have it instead of regular bread with just about any serving of meat or vegetables. During the Pantry and Freezer Challenge we had it with Beef stew, for example. The Millie meal and Polenta Bread can also be enjoyed on its own, with a knob of butter spread on a warm slice of this delicious bread with a hot cuppa!

My husband’s favourite is to enjoy a slice of Millie meal and Polenta bread instead of plain toast with fried eggs and tomatoes for a hearty, absolutely delicious breakfast.

Ingredients:

3 eggs

½ mug Oil

½ mug Milk

500 ml. Buttermilk (or Maas or Plain Yoghurt)

4 small cups* Cake flour

3 small cups* Polenta

1 small cup* Millie Meal

2 Tsp. Baking powder

Spray ‘n’ Cook

*I use small espresso cups.

To make this recipe even cheaper, you can choose to use 4 small cups of Millie meal instead of a combination of 1 cup Millie meal and 3 cups of Polenta. We just prefer the soft, moist slice when made with a combination of the two so I’m willing to spend a tiny bit more when making this recipe.

I also find that using Buttermilk gives the Millie meal and Polenta bread a much creamier texture. Using Maas is the cheapest option though but to be honest, I use whichever one – Buttermilk, Maas or Plain Yoghurt – I actually have in the fridge at the time (there are no extra trips to the shops for just the Buttermilk!).

Method:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. If you are using any variation ingredients (see below) add those at this time as well. Use an electric mixer to mix all ingredients well, about a minute or two.

Spray a 20x30cm pan with Spray ‘n’ Cook, pour the batter and bake at 180 C° for 40 minutes, or until the bread comes away from the sides. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with a cloth and allow to cool completely. The Millie Meal and Polenta bread can keep for a few days but leave it covered with a cloth which will help retain some of its moisture. It can be enjoyed cold or heated up for 30 seconds in the microwave if you like.

Variations:

You may choose to add any of the following to your batter before baking:

• 100gr. crumbled Feta cheese.
• A handful of chopped Olives and 1 Chouriço sausage.
• A cup of finely chopped, steamed Spinach.
• A cup of finely chopped Chives.

Enjoy!

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This recipe is part of Take the Pantry and Freezer Challenge series on this blog, and I made this in Week 3 of the challenge.

There are many reasons why I love Semolina Cake:

• A slice of this simple, yet moist and fluffy Semolina Cake is very refreshing on a hot summer’s day.
• The ingredients cost about R35.00 (can you buy a whole tray of dessert anywhere for so little these days?!).
• It is sweet but not that sweet.
• Preparation is minimal and there is no mess!

Ingredients:

7 eggs

12 Tbsp. Semolina

6 Tbsp. Cake Flour

5 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 litre Milk

1 cup Sugar (or a bit more, if you prefer)

2 Tsp. Vanilla Essence

Spray ‘n’ Cook

Method:

Bring the milk and 1 cup of sugar to boil, remove from the stove, stir in the vanilla essence and set aside to cool completely.
Separate egg yolk and egg whites. Whisk egg whites until the mixture is firm, and if you turn the bowl upside down the egg whites won’t fall out. Continue to whisk the mixture adding the sugar, egg yolk, semolina, cake flour and baking powder. Your mixture should have a creamy yet fluffy consistency.

Lightly oil a 20x30cm pan with Spray ‘n’ cook then pour the batter. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190 C° for 45 minutes, or until the cake comes away from the sides and the cake springs back when you touch it lightly. Remove the cake from the oven. Use a ladle to immediately start pouring the cooled milk mixture evenly and watch the cake absorb all the liquid.

Refrigerate the Semolina cake for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Even when cooled there will be a tiny bit of milk left over here and there at the bottom of the pan and you will see this as you slice the cake. Slurp it up – it tastes good. Enjoy!

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