As South Africa marks Mental Health Awareness Month, research highlights the extent to which financial pressure continues to affect emotional wellbeing. A 2025 index which polled 6 800 South Africans with healthy income levels found that 42% are constantly worried about money, and 29% say financial pressure has negatively affected their mental health, sleep, productivity and relationships.
Tali Anderssen, Legal and Compliance Executive at RCS, says these findings confirm that money-related stress is not limited to people experiencing severe financial difficulty. “Many of us spend a significant amount of mental energy thinking about money every day, whatever our financial position,” says Anderssen. “The root of that worry is rarely a single problem. It’s the ongoing job of juggling competing priorities and not knowing what’s coming next.”
Anderssen calls this the mental load of money: the time and energy that goes into managing money, day to day, month to month and year to year. It tends to come in three parts.
The three loads we carry
The planning load. The constant need to plan ahead - from school fees, transport, the festive season, the costs nobody sees coming and longer-term financial goals. The average South African is continuously trying to anticipate what is coming next and whether they will be prepared when it arrives.
The decision load. Every month involves choices about what to prioritise, what can wait, and how to balance immediate needs with future obligations. These decisions may be small in isolation, but together they can become mentally exhausting.
The responsibility load. For many South Africans, this is the heaviest of the three.
Money that stretches beyond one household
“We live in a society where money often stretches far beyond one person or household,” says Anderssen. “Many people support parents, siblings or extended family while managing their own financial commitments. It’s something they do willingly and with pride, but it adds up when several people depend on the same income.”
Helping with a family funeral, a nephew’s school fees or the long stretch of January: these moments shape daily life for millions of South Africans, yet they rarely feature in international conversations about financial wellbeing.
“You can’t remove every money pressure, but you can reduce how much headspace it takes up,” says Anderssen. She suggests three places to start.
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Three ways to lighten the mental load of money 1. Book a regular money check-in. Pick one set time each week to review your finances rather than carrying financial worries throughout the week. Ongoing worry becomes one task with a clear start and finish. Start with your must-pays, the costs that have to be covered first. If your income changes from month to month, plan around a quieter month and treat anything extra as a bonus. 2. Decide on family support ahead of time. Plan in advance what you can give each month. Each request then becomes part of a plan, rather than a fresh decision made under pressure. Then let family know what you can manage. 3. Build an emergency fund, at your own pace. Whatever you can set aside, however modest, gives you breathing room when something unexpected comes up. If you can, move money into savings on payday so the decision is already made. |
When to reach out
Anderssen is clear that everyday money stress is not the same as mental illness. “But if money worries start affecting your sleep, your relationships or how you get through the day, please talk to someone. Support is available, and you don’t have to carry it alone.”
“For anyone who feels constantly stressed, anxious or overwhelmed, support is available. Organisations such as the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) provide free mental health support services and resources that can help people access the assistance they need.”
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Need someone to talk to? The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) offers free, confidential support. Call the SADAG Mental Health Line on 011 262 6396 (8am to 8pm, every day) or visit www.sadag.org. In a crisis, call the free 24-hour Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567. |
At RCS, employees are supported through an ongoing partnership with Lyra Southern Africa, which provides employee assistance including 24/7 access to wellbeing resources and services. These help employees navigate personal, emotional and financial challenges, reflecting the growing recognition that financial and emotional wellbeing are closely connected.
“Financial wellbeing is not about having all the answers,” concludes Anderssen. “It's about understanding your circumstances, making informed decisions and feeling more confident about the road ahead. Often, reducing the mental load of money starts not with earning more, but with creating greater clarity and control over what you already have.”
