I am a 28-year-old single mother of two girls aged seven and four. I live in Thika and work as a receptionist with a net salary of around Sh19,000. My budget has been as follows: Rent inclusive of water and power Sh5,000, food and groceries Sh8,000, maintenance (salon and sanitary accessories) Sh2,000, clothes Sh1,000, bus fare Sh2,000, church Sh500, chama Sh200, balance miscellaneous.
Last month, after a court order, I started receiving child support from my first born’s baby daddy at Sh20,000 per month. He works as a civil servant and the funds are being deducted directly from his paycheck.
My monthly income will now be Sh39,000. How do I budget this new found money to improve our standard of living, support my two girls and start saving? I can’t sue my second born’s father; he is tout at a local matatu terminal and I don’t think he has money. I would like to move to a better neighbourhood, secure both girls’ education, give them a good home with some affordable luxuries and good clothes.
I would also like to start saving now that we will not live hand to mouth again. How do I budget for all this?
Muthoni Njakwe is an accountant and the author of personal finance book Her Shilling, Her Power: A Woman’s Guide to Financial Freedom.
You now have a real chance to build a stable, dignified life for yourself and your two daughters. However, view the Sh20,000 child support as a growth fund.
If you have to make any lifestyle adjustments, let them be minimal and meaningful. Focus should be on stability and growth, not luxury. Many women get comfortable when they start receiving child support, only to find themselves in deeper financial trouble when it stops.
Since part of your income depends on someone else’s goodwill, avoid tying yourself to high fixed costs.
Flip the traditional 50:30:20 money budgeting rule and use a 50:20:30 model instead, where 50 per cent goes to your needs, 20 per cent to wants, and 30 per cent to savings. This mindset keeps you grounded and focused on growth, not comfort.
Here’s how to structure it. Put 50 per cent (Sh19,500) into your essentials. That’s rent and utilities (Sh11,000), food and groceries (Sh7,000), and transport (Sh1,500). These are your must-haves.
Live decently but avoid luxury. If you can, stay near your workplace to cut transport costs and save that extra coin.
Next, 20 per cent (Sh7,800) goes to your wants. This includes clothing and grooming for you and your girls (Sh3,000), communication (Sh1,000), church or chama (Sh1,000), and miscellaneous things like children’s school treats or small outings (Sh2,800). Keep this simple. You don’t have to deprive yourself, but don’t overspend either.
Finally, channel 30 per cent (Sh11,700) toward savings and your future stability. That means Sh6,000 for your main savings or investment fund, Sh3,000 for your daughters’ education plan, and Sh2,700 for your emergency fund.
Your focus now should be to build a solid financial cushion to protect you and your girls from future uncertainty. Save aggressively while the child support money is still flowing. That’s how you move from survival to stability, and from stability to freedom.
Think of a small income-generating activity that won’t interfere with your job or learn a skill that can increase your salary or position you for a better job.
As a receptionist, you can take short courses in computer packages, customer service, front office management, or digital marketing.
These skills can make you more valuable to your employer and even open doors to better-paying opportunities in the future. Avoid activities that will only add new bills. Track your monthly expenses and stay intentional about where every shilling goes.
Finally, remember that your current situation doesn’t define your future. It is just a starting point. Stay disciplined, keep learning, and keep growing. Don’t let comfort slow your progress. Focus on small, consistent steps. That’s how real change begins.
If you have any money problems, send us an email at [email protected] and leave your number for contact. Money questions will be answered on this column
