“Emotional Spending”: Man Shares 5 Shopping Habits Keeping South Africa Poor, SA Reacts

• A popular content creator highlighted the major spending traps that are draining the bank accounts of South Africans in 2025
• The breakdown shared on TikTok highlights how brand loyalty, convenience food, and ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ services create a cycle of debt
• Social media users flooded the comments with mixed views, debating whether these habits are a result of poor choices or the high cost of living

A man sparked an intense online debate after identifying five specific shopping habits currently keeping South Africans in a cycle of poverty.

The video shared on TikTok by @officialjandredebeer resonated with many viewers, gaining 42K views and a significant amount of comments from viewers who felt the weight of his financial warnings.

The content creator’s breakdown starts with brand loyalty over price, specifically shopping at premium retailers when items are 40$ cheaper elsewhere. He noted that South Africans often cannot resist specials, which trick consumers into spending more, and highlighted a growing addiction to convenience food. He emphasised that takeaway spending is now overtaking grocery growth, making it a major drain on monthly income.

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The danger of daily top-ups

The creator also warned against the habit of daily top-ups, explaining that buying in small amounts daily instead of in bulk adds up to massive hidden costs over time. Finally, TikTok user @officialjandredebeer ranked "buy now, pay later" (BNPL) services as the number one culprit keeping people poor. He explained that these repayments quickly stack up alongside essentials like rent and petrol, creating a dangerous debt trap that is difficult for most shoppers to escape.

SA debates the cost of living

The video gained over 42K views and a significant number of comments from social media users who were quick to share their mixed feelings on the advice. Many users agreed with the creator, noting that “buy now, pay later” spending is addictive and hard to stop once it starts. Some blamed emotional spending and financial illiteracy for the crisis. One user humorously defended their habits by noting that cooking sometimes works out to be more expensive than buying ready-made food when considering the cost of electricity.

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User @Rendie said:

"Take-out can be cheaper than cooking, considering the price of electricity."

User @Joe added:

"I buy takeout food once a month, maybe. I make the same stuff at home for way less money. It tastes way better, too."

User @Lockheart shared:

"That buy-now-pay-later spending is addictive."

User @Brett& commented:

"Yeah, but South Africans get totally overcharged by internet companies, obscenely so, you don't realise how bad it is till you move nearly anywhere overseas 🥺."

User @stephen shared:

"Emotional spending and financial illiteracy 🥹."

User @lyndonappalsamy added:

"Buy now, pay later is not bad if you're disciplined."

Watch the TikTok video below:

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• A wealthy businessman pulled up in a helicopter to gift rural kids with stacks of cash and warm generosity, earning much praise online.

Source: Briefly News