As negotiations on student residence accommodation between the University of the Western Cape and students continue in efforts to address complaints lodged by the students, one of the university’s students is fast running out of money and literally going hungry.
In April, Philani Ngcobo* told News24 of how his studies were suffering as he battled to cope with the cost and living conditions at a university-approved private residence, and of a Nsfas loan that was yet to buy him meals, despite numerous trips and enquiries to the university’s financial aid office.
“With …

Student Village went onto campuses around the country to find out how much cash students have, where they get it and what they do with it
By: Anele Mdzikwa and Fay Humphries
If you’re studying full-time, get less than R1 500 in spending money a month, don’t have a credit card or a savings account, and are more upbeat about 2010 then you were about last year, then…guess what?
You’re a typical South African student.
We know this because some of our colleagues here at Student Village spent time on campus recently asking students …

Sugar daddy.  A term that sounds harmless enough and somewhat even flippant, but the truth is that this is can be a social phenomenon that is far from sweet.
It seems sugar daddy relationships are becoming a big contributor in fuelling the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the African continent at large.
‘Girls are after the three C’s’, says one sugar daddy: “Cash, Cars and Cell phones.”  But how high is the price and how low are women willing to go for them?
The Star newspaper notes that poverty often plays a role in some …

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his team at the national treasury are optimistic they will defeat South Africa’s job crisis. Youth employment nose-dived by 13.6% last year, leaving almost half of young South Africans without work.
Delivering the budget speech to parliament, Gordhan identified putting young people in jobs as the state’s top priority as a way of improving economic growth and reducing poverty.
Here’s how the 2010 Budget Speech affects you:
Job Creation
“Jobs for young people” could create another 500 000 jobs for people in the 18-24 age group over three …

1. Reaching the end of a job interview, the HR Person asked a young engineer who was fresh out of varsity, “What starting salary were you thinking about?”
The Engineer said, “In the range of about R200,000 a year, depending on the benefits package.”
The interviewer said, “Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years – say, a red Ferrari?”
The Engineer sat up straight and …

We are slowly approaching the holidays! When they’ve wrapped up their work and you’re back at home, students become bored and often don’t have much to keep them busy.
This is however a great time to start organizing your CV and start applying for holiday jobs!
Like the festive season, Easter holidays are filled with so many activities, social events, family gatherings and these require one to be financially fit. As much as it is about getting the job, it’s also a good start for students to gain experience while still studying …

As a college student going to school in a tough economy, it’s important to manage your money wisely. After all, it seems like everyone these days is completing varsity either broke or in debt. My answer is simple! In addition to working year round, avoid the following spending habits:
1. Always buying new
When you’re in varsity (and even after you graduate) you shouldn’t be purchasing everything new. You should look for used textbooks, used furniture, and even used school supplies.
Likewise, when you move into your dorm or apartment, you should challenge …

By: Olwethu Mlotshwa
Valentine’s fever hits around the end of January when shops begin putting up decorations and putting forward products to do with Valentine’s Day. There are students out there whose main concern is the money they will have to spend that day. People put off the money issue in hopes of making a plan by the time the 14th of February comes. Before you know it, the 11th is here and those people have little to work with.
For anyone finding themselves in that situation, here are a few …

It’s been a tough financial month that seems to be dragging. Good news is that while you impatiently wait for registration week, you can still have a blast without spending a dime.
Being young and lively means we do still get hung up on having fun. When tough times get going, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being anti-social. Remind yourself that having money is not everything. There are still countless ways to do more (and have fun) with the less that you have.
Having a movie marathon using your …

There’s life after the holidays – believe me.
As you plan for your awesome holidays you need to bear in mind that most of your activities will be governed by the money you have to spend. A comprehensive budget will help you cope and prevent having the post-holiday bills from governing your life. Fortunately, with all the costs you have to incur while you’re on holiday – there are shortcuts (and I know we all have a willingness to save a rand or two).
If you get anything out of this blog, …