You’re probably thinking it’s too late for this as dreary January is gone but you know what they say, better late than never so I’ll go ahead and share some survival tips I’ve learnt over the years and you can always take notes for next year!

Stick to the plan. If you spent the bigger part of the previous year planning to buy a new car, do it however challenging that may be. What most people do is scrap their plans, thinking, "Oh I can still buy the car next month or the month after that.”

Next thing you know, there’s a family emergency and you withdraw some of the savings and won’t be anywhere near to accomplishing your goal. Been there, done that, trust me!

So try to get the big spending out of the way, whatever that is for you. Is it Medical or Car Insurance? Because some things can’t wait and as I mentioned earlier, you planned to spend that money anyway so just do it.

For those of us still renting, you have to take care of that too. The last thing you want is the Landlord pounding the door and you can’t blame them because that’s their investment and if they must hound you, they will.

Do you really want to deal with that stress on top of everything else going on? If you’re lucky enough to get an annual bonus, use it to cover the next three or so months’ rent so you can "breathe” for a while.

There’s nothing like the peace of mind knowing you have a roof over your head for the foreseeable future. Clear your water and power bills as well as your outstanding credit with the local shop! For most parents, it’s School Fees.

You’d be surprised how many kids are still sitting at home because their parents are yet to find the money to send them back to school. It’s like people wait for money to magically appear. It won’t unless you plan ahead.

Others count on running to friends and colleagues for emergency loans but you don’t know what your buddies are struggling with.

You probably won’t go through life without asking someone for help but you can’t make that a habit and I say this as someone familiar with January Blues and whose own parents sought their friends’ help a couple of times.

The funny thing is that many times, parents actually had the money but all that crazy spending at Christmas, and it doesn’t even matter if you spent it all on the family. You have to prioritize.

Toys or schools supplies? Lavish clothes or School Uniforms? You get the idea. One other tried and tested trick. Buy in bulk. This works for both small and big families.

There would’ve been lots of discounts over the Festive Season not just on Tablets and Plasma Screens! Take advantage and stock up on grains, lentils, detergent and whatever else you and your family will surely need.

Works every time for me!