Grace’s Journey to Finding Her First 5%: From Wasted to Wealthy

 The Tap-Tap Trap 

Grace, like many of us, loves the convenience of tapping her card. A cappuccino here, a quick chocolate bar there, an Uber ride for a short trip because why walk when you can ride? It all feels harmless, right? 

The Tap Tap Trap

Then the end of the month arrives. Boom! 💥 The credit card statement lands in her inbox like a horror story with a terrifying twist—she’s spent way more than she thought! She can’t even clear the full balance, so she makes the minimum payment… again. 

And the next month? The same. 

And the month after that? Even worse! 

The interest is growing faster than a toddler on a sugar rush, and before she knows it, she’s drowning in debt with no extra cash left to even breathe. 

Then the end of the month arrives. Boom! 

“Find 5% of my salary? You must be joking!” 

When I tell Grace she needs to start investing just 5% of her net salary, she looks at me like I just asked her to donate a kidney. 

"Debbie, are you serious? I can't even make my credit card instalments, and you want me to put away 5%?" she exclaims, half laughing, half crying. 

I smile. “That’s exactly why we need to find it.” 

She shakes her head, unconvinced. But I have a plan. 💡 

The Hack: The Spending Journal Challenge 📖✍️ 

I challenge Grace to start a Spending Journal. Not a fancy app, not some complex budgeting spreadsheet—just a simple notebook or a notes app on her phone. 

For one month, she must track every single rand she spends. Whether it’s a tap, swipe, or cash in hand, she must write it down. 

"Fine," she sighs, rolling her eyes, "but I already know I don’t have any spare cash." 

Oh, Grace. You’re in for a surprise. 😉 

Where is your money going?

The Big Reveal: Where is the Money Going? 

After a month, I hand her a red marker and a blue marker. 

🔴 Red = "Nice but Not Essential" 

🔵 Blue = "Essential" 

She sits down and starts circling. That daily R45 coffee? Red.  

The impulse snack at the petrol station? Red.  

The Uber for a trip that could have been a 10-minute walk? Red.  

That bar tab where her friends mysteriously disappeared when the bill arrived? Bright. Red. 

She tallies it all up. 

And then it hits her. 

"Debbie… This is more than 5% of my salary!" 😳 

From Wasted to Wealthy 💰 

With her eyes wide, Grace realises—she wasn’t broke, she was unaware. The money was always there, slipping through small cracks, disguised as “treats” and “just this once” expenses. 

So now, instead of letting the banks get rich off her credit card interest, she’s reclaiming her financial power. To do this, she follows a step-by-step plan: 

1️⃣ Pause Before You Tap – Before handing over cash or tapping her card, she asks herself: Is this a treat/nice-to-have or is it essential? This moment of awareness helps her cut unnecessary spending.

2️⃣ Budget for Credit Card Debt Smartly – She moves her large credit card balance to the budget facility, which calculates a fixed monthly installment (including interest) based on the period she selects. This prevents the bank from adding more interest to her ongoing spending while allowing her to structure repayments in a controlled way.  

3️⃣ Double Up on Credit Card Payments – Each month, she makes two payments: 

• The first covers all her essential expenses in full. 

• The second is a dedicated budget installment to pay down the remaining debt. (Tip: Never pay less than planned, or the debt will continue to grow!) 

4️⃣ From Debt to Growth – As soon as her credit card debt is fully paid, she redirects that amount into an investment account. She sets up an automatic transfer of 5% of her salary each month. It’s not about saving—it’s about growing. 🌱 

And just like that, Grace takes her first step from poverty to an investor mindset. 🚀 

And just like that, Grace takes her first step from poverty to an investor mindset. 

What’s Next? 

Now that Grace has found her first 5%, what will she do with it? Stay tuned for the next part of her journey, where we talk about making her money work for her. 💸 

Until then, grab a notebook and start your own spending journal! You might just surprise yourself. 

Let’s get financially fit together! 💪💰 

💬 Have you ever tracked your spending? What was your biggest “red marker” shock? Drop a comment below! ⬇️ 

G - Get clarity on your vision.

R -  Rediscover the joy in your journey.

A - Achieve sustainable goals.

C - Change your mindset.

E - Empower your financial future.