How To Survive A Month With SASSA Grant As A Family

SASSA usually does not pay very high amounts to recipients in grant payments. Therefore, it is a big challenge for them to raise their family on these small payments.

I will explain the amount you receive in different SASSA grants, a complete guide to making a household budget for the SASSA grant, and tips to survive on this grant money. So, read through the blog to learn how to survive a month with a SASSA grant as a family.

Amount of Different SASSA Grants

Before deciding the household budget for grant payment, know the exact amount you will receive for every SASSA grant type in this table:

Grant Type	Grant Amount
Old Age Grant (60 to 75)	R2,180
Old Age Grant (75 & Above)	R2,200
Disability Grant	R2,180
Child Support Grant	R530
War Veterans Grant	R2,200
Care Dependency Grant	R2,180
Foster Child Grant	R1,180
SRD R370 Grant (Formerly R350)	R370

These grant amounts are not enough to spend openly on your expenses. You have to manage your necessities with limited income. For this purpose, you will make a monthly household budget.

Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Monthly Household Budget

After knowing the grant amount, you need to follow these simple steps to make a monthly budget to manage your household expenses with SASSA grants:

Step 1: List Your Monthly Income

In the first step, list all the monthly income you will receive. It should include the SASSA grant you receive, income from a side hustle, income of other family members, or any other income expected in the month.

Step 2: Figure Your Monthly Expenses

Now enlist all the expected expenses for the month. These can be fixed and variable.

Fixed Expenses: These will remain the same as in previous months. These expenses will be house rent, transportation, electricity, water, and school fees.
Variable Expenses: Groceries, medical expenses, clothing, and home repairs are variable expenses. These expenses will change every month.

Step 3: Prioritize the Needs

Next, you need to prioritize your necessities according to your budget. Make the Fixed Expenses (basic needs), such as food, house rent, child education, and electricity a priority. Now, fulfill these basic requirements with the most secure income source.

For most beneficiaries, the SASSA grant will be the permanent source of income. So, pay the expenses of your necessities with grant money and plan them accordingly.

Manage your variable and avoidable expenses, House maintenance, new clothes, etc, with the extra income source (other than SASSA grant money).

Step 4: Follow the Budget Strictly

Now, follow this monthly expenses budget strictly. Track your monthly expenses. Write them in your expenses book to make this budget plan successful. You can follow this household budget next month or make changes according to your requirements.

Tips to Make Your Monthly Budget Successful

Making a monthly household budget is not enough. Making it a successful is another part. So, I am listing few tips for you to make your budget successful:

1. Shopping Tips to Manage Expenses

The first thing you can do to survive in the SASSA grant is to reduce your monthly shopping expenses. You can follow these practical tips to make wise shopping decisions:

Do not Buy Extra Food: Buy food only according to your needs and avoid food wastage. For this purpose, you can plan your weekly meals.
Buy in Bulk: Do bulky shopping for non-perishable food items to reduce costs and save money.
Do Discounted Shopping: Try to buy from the stores that offer discounts on groceries and sell at low prices.
Eat Home-Cooked: Always eat home-cooked food because restaurant food will be expensive.
Do Kitchen Gardening: Prefer to eat food grown at your home. Do kitchen gardening if possible. It will save your vegetable, fruit, and cereal expenses.

2. Reducing Household Expenses

After managing shopping expenses, cutting household expenses is also necessary. So, You can use these ways to reduce your household expenses:

Saving Electricity Cost: Use electricity-saving devices. Do not turn on extra lights, fans, or other devices to reduce your electricity bill.
Reduce Water Bill: Remove or fix all the leaking water supply pipes and taps. Collect rainwater and recycle washroom water to use for non-drinking purposes. It will reduce the water supply cost.
Cut Transportation Expenses: Use public transport or carpool to commute out of the city. Walking and cycling for inter-city movement and other short distances will save transportation costs and keep you healthy.
Save Communication Cost: Use free messaging apps and public wifi to communicate. It will reduce your communication bills.

3. Managing Healthcare Expenses

Another way of spending SASSA grants efficiently is controlling your healthcare expenses. Here are some tips that I personally used to reduce my healthcare cost:

Public Healthcare: Go to public hospitals and healthcare facilities to save on health expenses.
Health Insurance: If you can afford it, buy a health insurance plan to arrange your unexpected health expenses.
Exercise and Hygiene: Do regular exercise and maintain hygiene while eating food to avoid diseases.

4. Saving Educational Cost

It is also important to reduce educational expenses to live on a monthly household budget. Therefore, You can follow these tips to manage the educational expenses of your child:

Public Educational Institutions: Enroll your child in public schools, colleges, universities, and libraries to get an education at the lowest cost.
Education Scholarships: Apply for governmental and private education scholarships for your children to maximize relief in educational expenses.

5. Seek other Income Sources:

Apart from all these other things, you need to also try to make extra income sources. You can learn new skills to sell online, start a small side business, or get a part-time job to earn additional income.

6. Future Financial Goals

Another way to manage your monthly finances on the SASSA grant is to do long-term planning of your income. So, follow these tips to set lifelong financial goals to get out of poverty :

Make long-term goals to save money and end financial dependency on SASSA grants.
Save a small amount out of your income for any future emergency.
Invest in education and skill development to get a high-paying job or to start a service-based business. It will increase your income.

Conclusion

In conclusion, surviving a month with a SASSA grant as a family requires careful planning and wise decision-making. By creating a household budget, prioritizing essential expenses, cutting unnecessary costs, and seeking additional income sources, you can make the most of your grant money.

Always remember to plan ahead, save for emergencies, and focus on long-term financial goals to improve your family’s future. With smart strategies, it’s possible to stretch the SASSA grant to cover your needs throughout the month.

FAQs

It’s tough, but try to put aside even a small amount each month for emergencies. Also, look into local community support or public resources that might help when something unexpected comes up.

You could try things like selling homemade goods, offering services like tutoring or cleaning, or even learning online skills that you can do from home. Find something small that fits your schedule and adds a bit to your income.

Absolutely! Even small amounts can go toward learning new skills or improving your education. These investments can lead to better job opportunities and higher income in the future.

How to Survive a Month With SASSA Grant as A Family

Amount of Different SASSA Grants