Here in South Africa, where times are tough and always seem to be, stress plays a big role in daily life. First of all, you are close to the edge, living with criminals around you. They could be hijackers, house robbers, or people who try to rob you on the streets as a pedestrian. Then there is road rage. Motorists in South Africa are quick to turn into animalistic criminals on the roads.
And that’s just for starters.
Then there is a government and political parties, with members all dressed in suits and driving swanky German luxury cars, who add to the stress and the overall mood of the country as they fight for money. We then get down to the reality for the ordinary South African living here, and that is the “other big five”: electricity, water, rates and taxes, fuel price—and you can add medical expenses.
Why call them the other big five? Because these are administered prices—costs you can’t escape because central and local government force them onto the consumer.
The next level is trying to save money. And it’s strange, isn’t it, that after all these major expenses, there are write-ups in newspapers, online articles, and TikTok videos telling you how to save money on food. Yes, food makes up a large portion of monthly expenses now, because prices have increased so sharply over the past few years that it’s almost laughable. A jar of jam or a bottle of sauce can cost close to a hundred rand. If you don’t believe it, just look at the supermarket shelves.
Food is always the first target when budgets get tight—but should it be? Cutting back on groceries often means cutting back on nutrition, while other expenses—like subscriptions and non-essentials—go untouched.
Other costs keep eating away too. You can try to save on food, but what about data costs? How much data are you using? Then there are banking fees—unless you’re with one of the banks that doesn’t charge for every transaction, like Capitec, you’re in for a hiding.
So everywhere you turn—from government (central and local), to banks, to data companies—there’s a hand in your pocket, even if you’re not an extravagant spender.
Pity those with health problems. Not only do they have to deal with their health, but also bigger financial pressure. Medical aid is expensive, and medical schemes are often reluctant to pay for even basic procedures. You still end up covering a large portion of what gets done at a hospital or clinic.
Now, emotional flooding—emotional overwhelm—is often spoken about online. But here in South Africa, it’s not occasional. It’s daily.
So how do you de-stress? How do you get away from it all?
Well, try. A holiday will cost you heavily—flights are expensive, driving means a massive fuel bill, and even a bus trip isn’t cheap. Then there’s accommodation. A guest house, even self-catering, can easily cost around a thousand rand a day. Who has that kind of money?
So most people settle for simpler ways: walking their dogs, walking along the beach, spending time in parks, or going for a jog. Cheaper ways to cope.
Sleep helps too.
After a recent incident where I was nearly the victim of a hijacking, I experienced emotional flooding on a massive scale. The next day, I slept almost until midday.
We have to be sensible and do what we can to cope with emotional flooding.
