Living on R2,320 a month: Here’s how a pensioner spends her grant
“Sometimes by the 15th of the month, the groceries are all done,” says 61-year-old Noah Libbie
Noah Libbie buys meat in Parow. She says it is hard to make her social grant last to the end of the month. Photos: Marecia Damons
- 61-year-old Noah Libbie from Bonteheuwel is one of roughly four million South Africans who receive the Older Persons Grant.
- On Tuesday last week, GroundUp followed Libbie as she collected her grant. R120 is deducted for a life insurance policy. She spent nearly R1,500, leaving her with about R700 to get through the rest of the month.
- Most of her money went to groceries, meat, and household cleaning items.
- While she is grateful for the grant, she said it’s difficult to stretch it through the month.
Pensioner Noah Libbie, 61, left her home in Bonteheuwel shortly after 9am last Tuesday to catch the bus to Parow Centre and collect her Older Person’s Grant. She was one of about four million people who received the grant. GroundUp followed her as she collected her grant, seeing how she stretches it to cover the needs of her household.
She receives R2,200 of the R2,320 grant, after R120 is deducted for a life insurance policy. Libbie chose to do her shopping at Parow Centre because it’s the closest big shopping centre. It’s also close to butcheries and other food stores that she says charge less than other stores.
Libbie worked as an examiner at a shoe factory for nearly 40 years. “I had some tough times … It wasn’t always great working in the factories. Sometimes you want to just leave and walk out, but then you think of your children.”
She lives with her three daughters, her son-in-law, and three grandchildren. One daughter receives the R370 Social Relief of Distress grant. The other two and Libbie’s son-in-law have jobs. “We look after one another. If you don’t have, I give and you give me,” she said.
Shopping on a grant
After withdrawing R1,000, she started her grant-day errands. Her first stop was Checkers, where she picked up essential groceries and a few treats for herself and her family. Her grandchild’s 16th birthday was coming up, and the family planned a braai.
What she bought:
- 1 x box of 200 tissues – R24.99
- 1 x 750ml Housebrand dishwashing liquid refill – R22.99
- 2 x Blue Ribbon bread – R33.98
- 1 x Albany loaf – R16.99
- Parmalat cheese – R66.15
- 4 x packets of boerewors – R221.52
- 1 x Lunchbar – R15.49
- 1 x 2-litre Darling full-cream milk – R29.99
- 2 x Eastern Highlands Still Water 750ml – R19.98
- 1 x 750ml Housebrand all-purpose cleaner – R24.99
- 2 x French large rolls – R33.98
- 3 x checkout bags – R3.90
The original total was R514.95 but with Checkers’ Xtra Savings she paid R501.97.
She also bought a few personal items at Fashion World for R75.
“I try to get myself a nice dress every now and then when I get paid,” Noah Libbie said. She didn’t find the dress she wanted but bought a few personal items.
Next, she headed to Fairfield Meat Centre, stocking up on meat, fruit, and spices:
- 1 x Box of Dhania Grillhouse Burger patties – R59.95
- 1 x pack of lemons – R10
- 1 x box of pizza bases – R25
- 1 x corned beef – R323
- 1 x box of nectarines – R20
- 1 x box of plums – R20
- 4 x 11-in-1 spice pack – R100
- 2 x checkout bags – R2
Total: R559.95
Further down Voortrekker Road she stopped at Vis Fabriek to buy seafood
- 1 x checkout bag R1.80
- 4 x packets of Seafood mix - R239.80
Total: R241.60
She made her final stop at Sumthing Meat where she bought three packets of polony.
- 1 x Ham and Tongue - R38.50
- 1 x Chicken Polony - R30
- 1 x French polony - R18.50
Total: R87
The bus fare was R30 from Bonteheuwel to Parow and back. By the end of the day, Libbie had spent R1,495.52 of her R2,200 grant, leaving her with about R705 for the rest of the month.
“I must keep that for electricity, bread and milk,” she said.
“You buy what you need. You’re not going to buy meat every month because you can’t afford that.”
Pointing to her trolley, she said, “Look, I don’t have potatoes or onions, I must still buy toilet paper, and more dishwashing liquid and Jik for the household … I’m thankful for the money I get, but there’s a lot of things I still need,” Libbie said.
Some of the items Libbie bought at Checkers, which totalled about R500.
Her children’s help is essential, Libbie said. “Each one gets me something … When I go out, they’ll give me breakfast money or money for clothes.”
The family shares what they have. “Maybe if I prepare food for two days, then on Sunday, one of my daughters will cook. You must just learn how to work with what you have.” The household also splits electricity which costs about R1,000 a month.
“If the children don’t help it’s a struggle. But you can’t complain, because everybody struggles.”
Libbie also gives her grandchildren R10 each when she can.
To get through the month, she sometimes sells sweets, eggs, doughnuts, or rotis. “Sometimes I make R70 to R300 per day … sometimes I make R30, which is at least bread money for me.”
Although Libbie is very careful with her grant money, the last stretch before month-end is often hard. “By the last week of the month, we really feel it… Sometimes by the 15th of the month, the groceries are all done. But then my daughter will help.”
Still, she finds reason to stay hopeful. “Life has ups and downs. It can’t be bad all the time.”
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Letters
Dear Editor
I came across your original article and found it interesting.
I had a stroke in 2020 which left me disabled and unemployed. I stay with my eldest daughter who owns the property, but she is still in high school and will complete Grade 12 in 2026. She gets a R370 SRD grant and a child support grant for her 8-month-old son.
Her two incomes is not enough for baby expenses.
My grant is spent in its entirety on the day I get it. I shop at Spar in Belhar and Shoprite in Delft.
I buy bread at the Golden Crust Factory Shop throughout the month as it's in expensive enough at R8 each for sliced white bread.
My shopping list includes cheese, 10x 750 gram polony and rolls (sometimes Spar has the 2kg rolls on special). There's never money for meat – breakfast, lunch and supper are basically a pressed polony and cheese sandwich.
On the rare occasion, I can buy a pocket of potatoes and a R45 tray of eggs, which is a rare luxury.
I can't even afford a small chocolate bar or a packet of chips – let alone clothes. My sole personal expense is the purchase of the mints.
Dear Editor
What more is there to say? I am also a SASSA pensioner and would never ever survive without help.
Our psychotic leaders live with gold and too much to mention, while their people that they are responsible for, who chose them to lead, are dying slowly without money for medicine (hospitals and clinics are judgemental and ignorant), food, school, clothes...
They feast on their labour, yet they pay under breadline like vultures. They put laws to steal more from the poor for their own riches. Is there hope? Let us stand together and pray that our Lord GOD Almighty will restore our country in peace and righteousness.
Dear Editor
We are saying please help us. We are the citizens of this country. We are not supposed to suffer with this small amount you give us. Please increase it to at least R5,000 a month. Please. Thank you.
Dear Editor
We South African pensioners are suffering but overseas pensioners get far more than triple this little pension money we get. There is no chronic medication money. What must a person do? We must just suffer. The dates are so far apart – there is no date to pay our pension.
Mr President, we need our money every end of month. Pensioners date was 2 December now it's the 6th of January. Please make a plan and increase our pension!
Dear Editor
After my rent and electricity have been paid, it leaves me with less than R1,000 a month. As I am in a rural area, there is only a Spar close by and some spaza shops. I buy from the spaza shop all my cleaning materials, toilet paper and soap. Unfortunately, they don't stock everything and I am forced to buy from Spar with their inflated prices... The meat I buy I have to divide in three meals for myself so it could feed me for three times. Veggies are also expensive. God is great as he provides for me every single day.
There are so many pensioners in the same boat as me. We worked all our life and paid our taxes to receive this pittance at the end of the day. Cut the politicians' salary in half and there will be money for us to survive.
Dear Editor
The money we receive from the government pension is useful, we would really appreciate it if you will increase it to R5,000 at least to cover the increased cost of living. We are struggling to feed ourselves. We're depressed old people. Please, may my message be received with appreciation.
Dear Editor
As a pensioner I'm paying R800 for an Estimated Electricity bill which is already in arrears by R15,000 to R17,000. How on earth do you survive if it's the only income? My daughter with her four kids are staying with me and my wife (who is also not working). The last electricity reading was last October but every month the bill is more than R1,000 even though the geyser and stove been switched off to use less electricity for more than three months now. There is no money left to buy any groceries, as the rent and basic stuff for during the month has to come from the rest of the grant.
Dear Editor
I can understand and relate to what pensioners are saying. It's true that as pensioner, we can't cope with this money. Really, it's not enough. It's Christmas one of these days and I can barely cook a decent meal for Christmas day. We worked all our lives and paid our taxes now in our old age we are being treated like dirt and must live on a pittance.
Dear Editor
Not one pensioner can get through on R2,300 a month. It's impossible. Most pensioners stay in cheap shelters.
My husband and I still rent a small room 3x3 meters, for R1,400 pm. We don't buy meat too expensive at R123 p/kg of mince. We live on porridge, bread and coffee all month, every month.
This woman still buys seafood mix, where and how? Impossibly expensive, really.
We may eat a portion of wors once a month if our money allows it.
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