I work in the private sector as a nurse. I am a single mom of two. I earn a salary of around Sh54,000. I am constantly in debt and I am not making any progress. I have tried different budgeting methods but nothing is working. My expenses are as follows: Rent Sh18,000, Wifi Sh2,000, Shopping Sh15,000, Cooking gas Sh1,200, Tokens Sh1,000, School Fees Sh5,000 per month, Laundry Sh2,000 per month, Transport Sh2,000, after-school care for my kids Sh2,000, loans Sh5,000, overdraft Sh2,000. I don't save anything. I am always running deficits and in case my mom needs help upcountry or a miscellaneous expenditure pops up, I have to get more debt from apps and even shylocks. I want to give my kids a good life but I don't know how to manage my money. Please help. Liz
Gertrude Njeri is an accountant, personal finance and investment consultant based in Nairobi.
You are not bad with money or irresponsible. You are a single mother raising two children on Sh54,000 in today’s economy. That is a tight financial reality.
You earn Sh54,000 after deductions. When we total your listed expenses, they come to about Sh55,200. That means you already have a shortfall. That is why budgeting hasn’t worked.
The biggest pressure point in your budget is rent. Sh18,000 is a third of your income. Financially, that is heavy. I know moving is stressful, but staying in a permanent monthly deficit is also costing you peace . You need to cut down your rent.
For instance, even reducing rent to Sh15,000 would free up Sh3,000 every month. That is Sh36,000 a year. If moving is possible, start researching quietly now. Give yourself three to six months to plan it properly and avoid rushed decisions.
If moving out of your current place is impossible, there are other areas you can look to cut. Your grocery budget is Sh15,000 for three people. There may be room to trim it slightly. If you aim for Sh12,000–13,000 by planning meals weekly, cooking in larger batches, reducing processed snacks, and buying dry foods in bulk, you could free up another Sh2,000–Sh3,000. Wifi at Sh2,000 is reasonable, but in your current financial position, this is not about “sustainable.” For you, the priority is about survival and recovery. If you can pause this expense for six months and rely on mobile data only when necessary. You can always restore this once you stabilize.
Laundry at Sh2,000 stands out. If there is any way to reduce this by washing at home, even partly, that could save another Sh1,000 or more. Now let’s talk about debt.
You are paying Sh7,000 monthly toward loans and overdraft. That is over 12 percent of your income. And the real danger is not the current loans. It is the emergency borrowing from apps and shylocks when something unexpected happens. That cycle is what cost you your TV. And it can easily cost more.
From today, make one firm rule for yourself: no new app loans. None. Even if it feels uncomfortable. Even if it means delaying something. Those loans are not helping you. They are draining your future income.
If possible, explore consolidating your debts into one lower-interest facility, maybe through a Sacco or a bank. Even a slightly lower rate or longer term can reduce monthly pressure. Also prioritize clearing the overdraft first. It quietly eats money.
Once we reduce rent or trim other expenses, and if we free up even Sh5,000 or Sh6,000, do not increase expenditure on lifestyle. Do not fill the gap with new spending. Your first job is to build a small emergency fund. Start with a Sh10,000 goal.
If you saved Sh1,000 per month, you would have that in ten months. If you manage Sh2,000, you get there faster. That emergency fund is what will stop the next small crisis from turning into another loan.
Right now, your life has zero margin, which means that your primary goal as of now is not become rich but to create a margin.
On helping your mum upcountry, you need to understand that as tough as it is, you cannot rescue everyone while you're sinking. It is okay to set a fixed, small amount each month that you can afford. Sh1,000 for example. Have this as your limit until you situation improves. Borrowing to help someone else only spreads your crisis.
You are a nurse. That is a powerful skill. You may feel tired, but even one or two small additional income streams could transform your situation. Home-based care on off days, vaccination drives, short private shifts, or partnering with a clinic for locum work could realistically bring in an extra Sh5,000 to Sh10,000 monthly. You do not need something dramatic. You need something steady.
Even an extra Sh6,000 per month changes your entire budget. It moves you from surviving to stabilizing.
I also want to address something emotional. When you say “nothing is working,” that tells me you are tired and discouraged. When we feel like we’re drowning, we stop believing small changes matter. Then an emergency hits, and the quickest option is an app loan. This is stress decision-making. The solution is not more discipline. It is reducing pressure.
First, research cheaper housing options quietly and plan ahead. Second, trim groceries and pause or reduce non-essential expenses like wifi. Third, stop all new high-interest borrowing. Fourth, build a small emergency buffer before doing anything else. Fifth, explore one manageable income booster without burning yourself out.
Right now, you feel stuck. But your situation is not hopeless. The numbers are tight, yes. But they are not impossible. Even with as little as Sh4,000–Sh6,000 of breathing room, your stress levels will start to drop significantly.
The goal now is to protect your income, reduce financial leaks, and create stability for your children. You are not failing them. You are fighting for them. And with some structural changes, you can win this.
If you have any money problems, send us an email at [email protected] and leave your number for contact. The questions will be answered on this column.
