How to manage your finances with two salaries left before the festive season

With just two salaries left before the festive season, many South Africans are heading into crunch time and a period that decides whether January feels calm or chaotic. This is the perfect moment to take small, intentional steps that can make a big difference in the months ahead.

It’s tempting to think we’ll deal with budgeting after December, but that’s how the financial hangover starts. With careful planning and making a few smart moves now, before the festive chaos begins, you’re less likely to be dealing with ‘Janu-worry’.

I recommend starting with one simple shift: treat your future self like a priority expense. That could mean automatically moving a portion of your next salary into a festive spending fund, setting aside money for January school fees, or even topping up a long-term savings product.

Here are the money decisions recommended with just two salary payments left before the festive season:

Create a festive fund now

Set aside a fixed amount from your next two salaries for December expenses: gifts, travel, eating out, and family gatherings. Separating this from your everyday account helps prevent overspending and panic borrowing later.

Plan for January today

January brings big expenses like school fees, uniforms, and debit orders. Start transferring a little each payday into a “January buffer” so that your new year starts calmly, not in catch-up mode.

Automate your savings

Use your bank app to set up an automatic transfer into a short-term savings account or investment product. When you treat saving as a non-negotiable expense, you’re less tempted to spend what’s left over.

Make your money work for the future you.

As the end of the tax year approaches in February, Hope-Bailie adds that this window is also an ideal time to consider tax-efficient ways to save. “Even something as simple as a Tax-Free Savings Account contribution before the February deadline can help you start 2026 stronger,” he notes. The goal isn’t to overhaul your finances overnight; it’s to make small, sustainable choices that give you more control.

* Hope-Bailie is the founder of Fynbos Money.

PERSONAL FINANCE