By Rorisang Modiba and Palesa Matlala
- Keabetswe Lennox Seerane, 25, an IT support intern, says family pressure shaped every financial decision he made with his first salary of around R7,000.
- Salem Nyati, a consumer financial education specialist, warns that trying to match other people’s spending habits can quickly stretch a young earner beyond their means.
Keabetswe Lennox Seerane got his first salary and did not spend it on himself. He could not. His family had nobody else bringing in money, and he was it.
“You are prompted to spend a huge chunk on them,” the 25-year-old IT support intern said.
“It influenced my decisions in a way that I even forgot about all the things I had planned for myself.”
His salary was around R7,000. Most of it went home. He does not regret it. The goal, he says, was to put a smile on the people he loves. He did that.
But the balancing act did not get easier. Seerane says saving consistently has never been simple.
“Keeping up as a young person with just a salary is a challenge nowadays. There are so many expenses and responsibilities. I do try to save a certain amount every now and then, just not consistently,” he said.
Salem Nyati, a consumer financial education specialist, says a first salary is bigger than most young people realise in the moment.
“Your first salary is far more than a deposit notification on your phone. It is the beginning of your financial life. Whether it becomes a foundation or a fleeting moment depends almost entirely on the choices you make in those first few months,” Nyati said.
She says most people enter the workforce without any formal financial education, and understanding how money works is the first step a young earner must take. That means learning how to earn, spend wisely, budget, invest and grow wealth over time.
One of the most dangerous habits, Nyati says, is spending according to what you see around you.
“Social media, peer pressure and the visible lifestyles of colleagues can create a distorted picture of what is normal or expected. You often compare yourself to a filtered version of other people’s lives. You do not see the debt, the financial stress, or the compromises behind the scenes,” she said.
“Trying to match someone else’s spending habits can quickly lead to overstretching your own budget.”
Nyati recommends the 50/30/20 framework. Half your salary goes to needs such as rent, groceries and transport. Thirty percent covers personal wants. The remaining 20% goes to savings and debt repayment.
Seerane’s advice to other young earners is simple. Plan before the money arrives. Save for emergencies. And give yourself permission to enjoy some of it too.
“It is very difficult to find balance in all that, but you will be fine. Trust,” he said.
Pictured above: Keabetswe Lennox Seerane, 25, whose first salary went mostly to his family.
Image source: Supplied
