7 Very South African Ways to Save Money Every Month

Most of us don't lose money through one big bad decision. It goes through small leaks we stopped noticing years ago: bank fees, an insurance premium nobody has questioned, a phone contract that ended but kept billing.

Here are seven South African habits that can plug those leaks, plus a bonus for anyone who shops online.

1. Stop ignoring your bank fees 🏦

Open last month's statement and add up everything your bank charged you. Look for ATM withdrawals, instant payments, cash deposits and your monthly account fee. On their own they look small. Over a year they add up.

A few things worth checking:

• Your account type. Check whether a bundled account or pay-as-you-transact actually suits how you bank. Your bank publishes a pricing guide every year.
• Cash withdrawals. Taking cash at a till point when you pay for groceries is often cheaper than using an ATM, especially another bank's ATM.
• Instant payments. If a payment isn't urgent, a normal EFT may cost less. Check what your bank charges for each option.

The goal isn't to never pay a fee. It's to know what you pay and why.

2. Pick one grocery rewards programme and actually use it 🛒

South Africa has three big grocery loyalty programmes:

• Checkers and Shoprite: Xtra Savings
• Pick n Pay: Smart Shopper
• Woolworths: WRewards

Signing up for all three and then ignoring them doesn't help. Pick the one that matches where you already do most of your shopping. Then check your personalised deals in the app before you write your list, not at the till.

Shopping on autopilot is how the same trolley quietly gets more expensive every month.

3. Compare the same basket before your big shop 🛒

Your usual supermarket isn't automatically the cheapest for everything. Before your big monthly shop, compare the prices of the expensive staples you always buy at Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths and Shoprite. Think coffee, cooking oil, meat, nappies and cleaning products.

You don't have to split your shop across four stores. Even knowing that one or two big items are much cheaper elsewhere can change where you do your main shop.

4. Understand your prepaid electricity tariff ⚡

Many municipalities use block tariffs for prepaid electricity. That means the price per unit can go up as your usage for the month goes up.

To be clear, buying electricity in a different pattern won't magically make it cheaper. Understanding your tariff does help you in two ways:

• You can see why your last few purchases of the month seem to get you fewer units.
• You can budget for how much electricity you actually use, instead of being surprised at month-end.

Check your municipality's current tariff (or Eskom's, if Eskom supplies you directly) so you know what you're working with.

5. Use your fuel rewards ⛽

If you're spending thousands on petrol every month anyway, you should be getting something back.

Many banks, medical aids and rewards programmes offer cashback or points when you fill up at particular fuel brands. Check which ones you already have access to, and whether they have conditions like minimum spend, linked cards or a certain tier. The best fuel station is often the one where your existing rewards count.

6. Requote your car insurance 🚗

Your car gets a year older every year, and it's usually worth less than it was. If your premium hasn't moved, or has gone up, ask for a new quote.

Get quotes from a couple of competitors, then go back to your current insurer and ask them to match or beat the best one. While you're at it, check that the value your car is insured for still makes sense and that your excess is one you could actually afford to pay.

7. Check your cell contract 📱

If your phone contract has ended, look at what you're paying now. Some people keep paying the same amount long after the handset is paid off.

Moving to a SIM-only deal or prepaid could be considerably cheaper for the same data and minutes. Ask your network what options you have once your contract term is up.

Bonus: search before you buy anything online 🇿🇦

The first price you see is not always the best one. Before you check out, search for the exact product (same model and same size) on:

• Takealot
• Makro
• Game
• Amazon.co.za
• the brand's own website

The same product can have very different prices depending on where you buy it, especially around sales.

Know where your money actually goes

Every tip above starts with the same step: seeing what you're actually spending. That's hard when bank fees, groceries, fuel, insurance and your phone bill are spread across different accounts and statements.

FinWise brings your accounts together so you can see your spending by category, spot the fees and subscriptions that keep creeping up, and plan what's left for the rest of the month. It works in South Africa, and we never sell your data.