Sometimes you can’t help the responsibility you shoulder. We get it, stress and anxiety go hand-in-hand with being able to provide for your family, looking after elderly parents, paying siblings’ university fees, and still needing to save for rainy days.

Worrying about money makes the anxiety worse. That’s why taking care of your financial health is just as important as keeping your body and mind in good health.

Here’s a few things you can do:

Protect yourself with car and home insurance.

While you may be a super careful driver you have no idea how other road users will behave. Or maybe there’ll be a day when you get a panicked call to say the geyser burst and all the carpets are damaged. Things happen, whether or not we have the energy or money to deal with them. Having an insurance policy means all you need to do is make a call and someone else will sort it out for you. No extra stress or worries.

Open a secret savings account

If the tax man gives you a couple of rands back, or you sell some of your homemade baking to a colleague, or you happen to win a hundred bucks in the weekend quick-pick, simply transfer that money into your secret account and then when you need a little extra cash – it’s there. Easy peasy.

That scary B word – budgets

Budgeting is difficult but even doing a hacked version can save you money. Don’t just grab groceries. Have a look at your weekly community newspaper for the specials from the different retailers. While it may be a bit more effort, buying staples on sale can save you a lot of money.