4 Ways To Make Ends Meet With a Sh 30,000 Salary

By Lilian Wamaitha

I was having coffee with a friend of mine – let’s call her Purity and she opened my eyes to the sad reality that is life for people earning a 30, 000 or less salary. Most of the people in this salary range happen to be fresh graduates and it makes sense to talk about this topic now.

“I have been working for seven months now and there are times when I feel like am better off staying at home. After the deductions, rent and other expenses my 30, 000 salary seems like peanuts at the end of the day. I barely have enough left to even cater for my transport the following month. I have had to accumulate debts in the name of surviving this harsh economy.”

The first thing another friend told me when I narrated Purity’s ordeal was “What is she complaining about? Does she know how many would work for less just to be attached somewhere?” I believe your first response was similar. Right?

Well, we got discussing her situation and felt like most people in that situation can actually make it. All it takes is strategic planning.

How To Survive On A 30K Salary

1.Live within your means

Most of us have thrown the living within your means idea to the dogs. After all we all want to appear like we are doing better than that friend in college who thought we would never succeed since we weren’t as bright. Take for instance Purity, she lives in a one bedroom house where she has to cough up 15, 000 at the end of every month. With a salary of 30, 000 am assuming she gets about 25, 000-26,000 in her account after all the deductions are made.

And mark you she still needs fare and food money from the 11,000 that remains after paying rent. Someone who is living within their means would get affordable housing somewhere close to their work place where the fare would amount to something very small.

At the end of the day you would find that you would still have enough left for you survive on and even save until the next pay day.

Read Also >>> 5 Ways To Live Within Your Means And Make Your Salary Work For You

2. Budget for everything

I know most of us don’t consider budgeting as something so important especially when you are not making six figures. The truth is that, that 30, 000 salary is what you need to budget on more than anything else. Budgeting is everything since it allows you to track your spending and make better financial decisions in future.

When you budget, you won’t find yourself buying things you don’t need and some that are way up your earnings. Take for instance if you are working in Nairobi where every single day, there will always be things selling on the streets.

If you do not budget, you will find yourself filling your closet with a lot of clothes and shoes you will never wear.

3. Save before you spend

Every financial advisor will tell you that the richest people in the world today stated off by practicing one habit- saving before spending. With that 30, 000 salary believe me you can do so much. Saving goes way back before even civilization. It is an old age practice that is not likely to die soon and one you should take advantage of.

Nowadays the banking sectors has made it so easy to save since, you can now open a fixed deposit account where you can just save money and watch it accumulate interest. This not only takes care of future but it also makes you feel certain and comfortable that you have an amount in the bank for that rainy day.

4. Start a side hustle

The side hustle thing has become soothing common in Kenya and one many people are getting into. You can take your one month salary for instance and decide to invest it in a small business where you would have at least 500 at the end of the day while still working your job.

You will find that at the end of the month you have close to 15, 000 from your side hustle alone. That’s money that can pay your rent and cater for other expenses in the house. You wouldn’t even have to touch your salary. Who wouldn’t want that? So go ahead and think of something you can do to supplement your salary and see how far you will go. You can thank me later.

We are living in hard economic times in Kenya today and from the increased prices of commodities from time to time, it can be hard to survive on a 30, 000 monthly salary. However at the end of the day it’s all about the strategic decision you make that matters.

Related Article >>> 3 Clever Ways I Survived On A 7K Salary

Lilian is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Contact her via lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke