Winter Budget in South Africa: Where Extra Costs Hide and How to Cut Them

Winter does not just feel colder. It costs more. Electricity bills climb, children outgrow their jerseys, and hot meals use more gas and power.

If you plan for it with a winter budget, winter is manageable. If you do not, it feeds the debt cycle.

Where do the extra winter costs come from?

Look at your bills from last winter. They are the best guide for this year’s winter budget.

How do you plan the electricity part of your winter budget?

Electricity is usually the biggest increase. Prepare in three steps:

1. Check last winter’s usage and note the highest month.
2. Set a higher budget for winter months and save towards it from summer.
3. Find the big users: geysers, heaters, stoves and tumble dryers.

Here is a hypothetical example. Summer electricity is R900 and winter is R1,400, so the extra is R500 a month. Over three winter months that is R1,500. Saving R250 a month for six months before winter covers it.

Our guide to saving electricity has more ideas.

How can you keep warm for less?

• Insulate. Close gaps around doors and windows, hang thick curtains and use a geyser blanket.
• Heat the person, not the room. Layers, blankets and hot water bottles cost far less than a heater on all day.
• Use heaters wisely. Heat one room, use a timer and keep doors closed.
• Cook in bulk. One large pot of soup or stew uses less energy than several meals.
• Dry washing smartly. Use the sun on dry days and avoid tumble dryers.

How do you cut clothing and blanket costs?

Buy second-hand from thrift stores or swap groups. Buy good items for the oldest child and hand them down. Check end-of-season sales in late winter for next year. Wash and mend before you replace.

What about food in your winter budget?

Plan meals around cheaper, filling ingredients such as lentils, beans, pumpkin, cabbage and maize meal. Buy staples in bulk and use leftovers.

What should you avoid?

• Loans for heaters and winter extras. They add interest to a cost that returns every year. A first one-month R1,000 loan costs about R309 at the legal maximums. See emergency loans.
• Layby you cannot clear.
• Unsafe heating. Never use charcoal or open flames in closed rooms.

How do you pay for winter without stress?

Save a small monthly amount from summer. Even R150 a month adds up to R900 by winter. See sinking funds and winter expenses.

What if you are already behind?

Call the municipality or utility about a payment arrangement before a disconnection. See what to do when you cannot pay your debts. Your municipality’s website lists its tariffs and indigent support options. The Eskom website explains tariffs for its direct customers.

What does a winter month look like next to a summer one?

A side-by-side shows where the winter budget needs room. Here is a hypothetical household.

The winter month costs R1,200 more. If you save R200 a month from May to October, you have R1,200 by June. The earlier you start, the smaller each payment.

That is the whole idea of a winter budget: turn a spike into a series of small steps.

What does it cost to run a heater or a blanket?

Running costs differ widely, and the cheapest way to feel warm is rarely the heater. Here are approximate hourly costs at a hypothetical R3 per kWh. Check the label on your own appliances, because wattage varies.

Running a 2 kW heater for four hours every evening costs about R24 a day, or R720 a month. An electric blanket for the same time costs R1.20 a day. If you heat the person instead of the room, the saving is large.

Use blankets and layers first, and a heater only in the room you are using. See saving electricity.

What are the safety basics for winter heating?

Cheap heating can be dangerous if used badly. Keep these points in mind:

• Never burn charcoal or use a braai indoors. It produces carbon monoxide, which can kill without warning.
• Keep paraffin and gas heaters away from curtains and bedding, and never leave them on while you sleep.
• Ventilate the room a little, even when it is cold.
• Do not overload extension cords with several heaters.
• Check that smoke alarms work, if you have them.

A heater is not worth a fire. If a safe option is beyond your budget, add layers, close the room and use hot water bottles.

How do you keep damp and cold out for little money?

Small fixes cost less than heating a leaky house. Here are the cheapest first steps.

Damp and mould are health risks, especially for children. Open windows briefly each day to let moisture out, and dry washing outside when you can. These steps keep the cost of a winter budget in check, because a warmer house needs less heating.

What should you do when the first cold front arrives?

Do three things on the first cold night: check the blankets and heating you already have, move the heaviest electricity users to timers, and look at your winter budget.

If you used prepaid electricity, buy a little extra, so a cold week does not leave you without power. A short, calm check on day one avoids expensive decisions on day ten.

Frequently asked questions