Januworry, Who? Five financial tips for keeping the festive vibes alive

After 38 days of non-stop drinks, food, and fun in the sun, the holiday hangover hits. Picture: Independent Newspapers.

After 38 days of non-stop drinks, food, and fun in the sun, the holiday hangover hits. Picture: Independent Newspapers.

Published Dec 28, 2023

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By Laurian Venter

KeDezemba is finally upon us. Not to be mistaken for December, aka the 12th month of the year, Dezemba is an almost tangible festive feeling that lasts from midnight on the 31st of November to around the 7th of January. After 38 days of non-stop drinks, food, and fun in the sun, the holiday hangover hits. Enter Januworry - the longest month of the year when South Africans must cope with the aftermath of festive season splurges and anxiously await the countdown to payday.

We’ve all been there - staring at empty food cupboards, scraping out the last of our skincare products and being forced to dilute our shampoo with water. Making it through the month is like starring in a real-life season of Survivor South Africa!

To help South Africans avoid Januworry and set them up for a prosperous start to 2024, she shares her top five tips for making it through KeDezemba like a boss:

1. Budget, budget, budget: Develop a bulletproof budget covering expenses like school fees, bills, insurance premiums, groceries, and other necessities. Having a clear financial plan will help you allocate your money wisely.

2. Devise a festive gifting game plan: Spoil your loved ones, not your bank account, especially with South Africans expected to spend an extra R5,707 per person on expenses these holidays. Make a list of people you need to get gifts for - check it twice to see who's naughty and nice - and set a maximum spending cap for each recipient.

3. Opt for affordable celebrations: With food expected to account for over 33% of this year's festive season budgets, why not have more ‘Bring and Braais’ when hosting guests? It could also mean that the festivities won’t be dimmed by load shedding.

4. Proactive post-holiday shopping: From gadgets to groceries, some retailers are giving shoppers the option to pre-order their post-holiday necessities now. This will allow you to take advantage of special holiday season discounts which might not be available later on. It also guarantees that the products you want will be attainable when you need them –FOMO is so last year. Plus, you won’t have to contend with the post-holiday rush.

5. Start a Januworry support group: Surviving Januworry should be a team sport. Form a support group with friends or coworkers to share budgeting tips and encouragement. It can make navigating Januworry way more enjoyable.

We need to do what we can now to beat the Januworry blues so we can enjoy a stress-free start to the year with only the echo of festive cheer on our minds.

* Venter is the sales director at OneDayOnly.

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