6 Budget-Friendly Digital Solutions You Need to Consider

Time is the one commodity we don’t have a lot of in our fast-paced lives. And, as the pandemic has demonstrated, when we do have free time, we prefer to spend it with family and friends rather than on time-consuming and often onerous tasks such as banking, saving, or filling out forms.

So, here are 5 one-stop solutions for tasks or routines that often appear daunting due to the amount of effort required:

1. Purchasing a Home

Purchasing a home is a thrilling experience. However, the prospect of filling out multiple bank application forms and gathering bank statements and other documents can be daunting.

Work with a bond originator who will apply to multiple banks on your behalf to get you the best interest rate on your home loan. “By applying for pre-approval – providing your personal information and submitting the necessary documents – you will learn exactly what you can afford, you may be able to speed up your bond application once your offer on a home has been accepted, and you greatly increase your chances of home loan approval,” says Carl Coetzee, CEO of BetterBond.

A pre-approval also indicates to sellers and agents that you are serious about purchasing a home. You can get your pre-approval online at any time of day or night, it’s free, and it’s valid for 90 days.

2. Saving by passive means

We all know we should be saving for a rainy day, but rising living costs have left many of us so strapped for cash that opening a separate savings account is the last thing on our to-do list. Why not make saving easier by passively setting aside a small amount each day using one of the micro-savings and investment tools and apps available?

“A user has the ability to automatically invest the micro-savings into things like cryptocurrencies, fractional shares, and other traditional and non-traditional investment options through the act of passively setting aside small amounts every day,” says Tony Mallam, co-founder of Upnup.

Signing up for an app that links with your bank account to round up on every purchase made, or adding a fixed amount to each transaction, saves small amounts. This is then transferred to an e-wallet and invested in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

“You’ll be surprised at how quickly your investment will grow with very little effort,” Mallam says.

3. Delegate household chores

We understand that many people cannot do everything around the house because there simply isn’t enough time. Most people work full-time and simply do not have time to clean the house, repair the gutter, or clear the garden. There aren’t enough hours in the day to do housework on top of everything else.

SweepSouth, for example, allows you to book home cleaning with the swipe of a finger. They also provide outdoor services, which are useful when you need garden services or someone to do general house maintenance.

“Resist the urge to do all of the housework yourself,” advises Aisha Pandor, CEO and co-founder of SweepSouth. “To reclaim some of your time, now might be a good time to seriously consider hiring help around the house.”

4. Make additional money

Nowadays, everyone has a side hustle, which can range from selling handmade goods to providing freelance services in various forms. But how can you earn extra money without taking up too much extra time? It is possible to become an Airbnb host.

According to Airbnb data, Hosts in South Africa earned more than R2 billion last year between January and December 2021. Timing is critical for those looking to join the growing Host community and begin earning valuable extra income.

Airbnb recently revealed the best time to open your home based on when Hosts earned the most money in 2021, using new data. These dates include Heritage Day Weekend, Christmas Eve, summer travel in December, and winter travel during the school holiday season.

“Looking back on last year proves there is a real opportunity for our Hosts to welcome guests into their local communities, all while earning helpful cash on the side,” says Velma Corcoran, Region Lead for MEA at Airbnb. With rising living costs, the extra income could be a real lifeline for many.”

5. A smooth transition to solar

Eskom has warned that power outages could worsen over the next six months, so we should consider alternative power sources. Solar energy is a good option in South Africa due to the weather, but with so many solar providers on the market, finding the right solution may be difficult.  “There are so many fly-by-night providers who will do the job with shoddy components,” says Tim Ohlsen, CEO of Hohm Energy.

“Instead of spending hours on Facebook or Googling for solar solutions and comparing prices, go online and generate a bespoke quote on a user-friendly platform like Hohm Energy that you know will ensure you of a solar option that meets industry standards.” You can get a custom quote and proposal for a solar solution with an accredited installer, as well as an all-inclusive maintenance plan and warranty, in less than five minutes.

6. Start your own business

We are frequently told that entrepreneurship is critical to securing Africa’s future, particularly in terms of providing the jobs that the continent so desperately requires. There’s also no doubt, according to Ndagi Job Goshi, GM, Liferay Africa, that the continent has a plethora of entrepreneurial stories to draw from.

“The technology sector, in particular, has made enormous strides in recent years, but technology’s role isn’t limited to glamorous billion-dollar startups.” It can also be used to enable entrepreneurship in a variety of settings, from bustling city corners to isolated rural villages.”

Goshi goes on to say that technology should be used to solve problems. “Whether it’s sending and receiving money across national borders, ensuring people get to scheduled health appointments, or assisting store owners in accepting and tracking payments,” he says. However, technology can only solve those problems if it understands and works within the contexts that have created them. The best way to achieve this is for people in communities to be exposed to new technologies. While this does not guarantee entrepreneurial success, it is clear that the more people who have access to entrepreneurial opportunities, the more successful entrepreneurs will be.”