I am in my late 20s. I graduated last year with a degree in education. I have been working as a casual / part time teacher employed at a private school in the Westlands area, Nairobi. My net salary is around Sh24,000. I live in Kinoo and I am really struggling to survive on this salary. I pay Sh10,000 rent and I am one month behind on rent. I have also been taking debts to meet short term expenses. I currently have debts of more than Sh30,000. I don’t have any savings for the four months I have been working. Maisha ya Nairobi imenishinda! Should I just quit this job and return to the village to start afresh? If not, how do I budget and survive on this salary? Should I quit and look for another job altogether? I am desperate. Mandy
Gertrude Njeri is an accountant, personal finance and investment consultant and the founder of Financial Buddy Africa Ltd.
Now let’s focus on what needs to be fixed first. Right now, your biggest, immediate, problem is rent. You’re already one month behind, which means pressure is building up. This is not something to ignore because it can escalate quickly.
Deal with this directly and early. Talk to your landlord before things get worse. Be honest. Let them know you’re working and trying to catch up, and propose a simple plan. For example, you could continue paying your current rent on time, then add a small amount, say Sh2,000–Sh3,000 monthly, towards clearing the current arrears.
Most landlords respond better when you communicate early instead of going silent. At the same time, you need to seriously think about your rent going forward. Sh10,000 on a Sh24,000 salary is too high. Even if you manage the arrears, you’ll keep struggling every month.
So ask yourself honestly, can you: Move to a cheaper place in the Sh5,000–7,000 range, or share a house temporarily with someone you trust. It may not be comfortable, but it can stabilise your situation quickly.
Now let’s talk about your debt. Sh30,000 feels heavy right now, but it’s something you can clear step by step. The most important thing is to stop adding new debt.
Then use the debt snowball method. List all your debts from the smallest to the largest. Focus all your extra money on clearing the smallest one first while paying minimums on the rest. Once that’s cleared, move to the next. This gives you small wins, and right now, you need that motivation. Even if you’re only managing a few hundred shillings extra each week, it still counts.
About your spending. Right now, money feels like it disappears because it’s not being tracked. For the next month, track everything. Every fare, every snack, every small expense. This will show you where your money is actually going, and you’ll likely find small leaks you can plug.
Now, let’s address something important you mentioned. You don’t have any savings. Right now, that’s okay. Don’t pressure yourself to save immediately while you’re behind on rent and dealing with debt. That’s too much to handle at once.
Your first phase is: Stabilise rent. Stop new debt. Start clearing existing debt. Once you’ve cleared your debts, or done so partially, you can start to gradually introduce saving into your finances. And I mean very slowly. Like Sh200 or Sh500 set aside consistently. The goal is not the amount at first; it’s the habit. You build it step by step once the pressure reduces.
Now, about your job. Don’t quit immediately. You need that income, even if it’s small. But at the same time, this job alone is not enough for Nairobi, so you need to treat it as your base while you look for something better. When all is said and done, some problems demand that you scale up your earnings or income streams.
You have a degree in education. That’s valuable. Start actively looking for: A better-paying school and additional income through private tuition. Start with neighbours, the church, or parents at the school where you work.
For instance, getting two or three students paying around Sh2,000 each per month will give you an extra Sh4,000 to Sh6,000. That can be the difference between surviving and stabilising. Now let’s come back to your big question.
Should you go back home? Only if you have a clear plan. For example, a guaranteed teaching job, or a way to earn consistently. Not just to escape pressure.
If there’s no clear income plan there, you might just find yourself in another difficult situation. So, for now, stay, but change how you’re operating.
Focus on stabilising your situation over the next two to three months. Handle your rent proactively, start clearing your debt using the snowball method, track your spending daily, and actively look for ways to increase your income.
Then reassess from a stronger position. And Mandy, one last thing; What you’re going through is very common for people starting out in Nairobi. That feeling of “maisha imenishinda” hits a lot of people before things start to make sense.
You’re not stuck. You’re just at the stage where things need structure. And once you start putting that structure in place, things will begin to shift positively for you.
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.
