Shop trips for dad inspires life-long savings journey

Cape Town – A Fin24 user tells her story of how her savings-conscious behaviour stems from her days as a teenager going to the shop for her father.

“As a teenager in the 1990's my father would send me to the shop to buy a 1l Coca-Cola. At the time it cost about R7. He would give me a R10-note and I would return a 1 liter glass bottle too (R1.50 money back deposit). In the end I would always get R4.50 change,” Fin24 user Arlene Cameron explains.

“My father never asked for his change and I would always save the change in my piggy bank,” she says, adding that R4.50 was quite a lot of money back then - enough money to buy two bars of chocolate and a can of soda."

Rather than asking her parents for money to buy a new schoolbag and Nike shoes, she used the savings which had accrued.

“I believe that my parents worked hard for their money and I did not want to waste it,” she writes.

Earning opportunities

According to Cameron her savings money did not only come from the Coca-Cola change, and she also "seized other opportunities to earn money":

1. My mom used to be a baker for a home industry company and I would do her deliveries by car. She would tip me for it (R10 per week).

2. I also washed my parent's cars every week (R10 for both cars - this was way back in 1999).

3. I used to tutor high school students too in languages (I didn't charge a fee, but the students' parents usually tipped me).

4. During my high school days people wanted to hear me play the piano, I would charge them to hear me play.

Personal savings plan

"I have been contributing a fixed amount of savings for the past 13 years with Old Mutual Group Schemes, since I was first employed.

"I have two bank accounts at two different banks, one that sees to my day-to-day expenses (debit orders) and another exclusively for savings. The savings account (a fixed amount every month) is with Capitec Bank. I can see my money grow on a monthly basis.

"Now that I work abroad I am able to save even more money and I would like to buy property within the next few months. Soon I will be investing offshore too."

Cameron says that she still collects small change in a jar which she only opens at the end of the year.

“This is the number one value that I would teach my children one day...to respect money, to earn it, and to save it,” she says.

Disclaimer: All letters and comments published in MyFin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.

Consider yourself a savings hero? Or just have something on your mind? Add your voice to our Savings Issue: