I earn Sh60,000 but my wife has branded me ‘Mr. Sina’ for always being broke

My name is Dennis. I have a family, two children, and a wife. My wife is on an unpaid internship until December. I earn a net salary of Sh60,000.

Here is a summary of my monthly budget:

• Rent: Sh8,500
• KPLC: Sh1,000
• Transport (My Wife and I): Sh6,000
• Monthly shopping: Sh8,000
• Gas refill: Sh2,500
• Monthly expenditure for daily expenses: Sh9,000 
• Daycare: Sh4,000

I have three different savings with insurance companies (Endorsement with profit Sh6,500, Education insurance for my two kids at Sh5,000)

Mother and two siblings (Secondary and university): Sh5,000

I don't have a regular budget for my wife's upkeep or for kids’ clothing and miscellaneous expenses. After paying all these, I am always too broke to even buy myself shoes.

My wife has nicknamed me ‘Mr. Sina’. Could you tell me where I go wrong with my financial plans because I really struggle to survive the last week of the month and sometimes go into debts if my salary delays. 

Rebecca Juma, is the Business Development and Trainer at Enwealth

From your budget, you spend a total of Sh55,500 in a month. This leaves you with a balance of Sh4,500 from your net salary. Your monthly expenditure for daily expenses is Sh9,000 which seems higher and can be reduced to Sh7,000. This will translate to around Sh1,700 per week.

To cut this amount, you need to start getting thrifty with your household spending. This will involve saving by buying items such as cereals in bulk and limiting your expenditure. The Sh2,000 you save from this can be allocated for your spouse and kids’ upkeep in the meantime.  

In the next one year, save at least Sh3,000 monthly. Save this money in a Sacco account to come up with Sh36,000. 

Look for a cheaper house of at least Sh7,000 in an area that will not compromise your transport money. This will save you an extra Sh1,500.

If saved in an interest-earning account such as a money market fund or a Sacco dividend account, you have at least Sh18,000 minus interest at the end of the year. This will take your savings to Sh54,000. The remaining Sh1,500 can be used as your entertainment fund.  

Out of your monthly expenses allocation of Sh9,000 write down and track the amount each expense costs daily to get to Sh9,000.

This will help you realise further cuts on items that are not very necessary especially since you already have an allocation of Sh8,000 for general shopping. 

If you could have your wife take up small businesses or side hustle, and she takes over Sh5,000 from the shopping, and you set aside Sh5,000 from this budget in the Sacco, you will have an extra Sh60,000 at the end of the twelve-month period, and a total saving of Sh126,000. 

This means that you will be eligible for a Sh378,000 loan from the Sacco which can be utilised to create extra sources of income so that you’re not solely dependent on your salary.

It is important, though, that you take caution and do your due diligence before using these hard savings to start a business.

An investment in your line of work that doesn’t take too much capital would be more suitable. Once your spouse completes her internship, find out if she can transition into a salaried vacancy.

If you have any money problems, send us an email via [email protected] and leave your number for contact. Money questions will be answered on this page.