“Shouldn’t Have Doubted You”: Woman Challenges Herself to Get 2 Days’ Meals for R50, SA Impressed

• A young South African woman challenged herself to a strict supermarket run to prove how far a minimal budget could stretch
• The video was filmed in Cape Town and shared on TikTok on 18 June 2026, impressing many social media users
• Despite a tight budget, she managed to buy real food ingredients that would provide her with substantial meals for at least two days
• Briefly reached out to Azukiwe Gwentshe, affectionately known as Jasper Zee, to find out more about her meal on a budget content

The creator went on the shopping challenge after people online questioned whether she ever cooked for herself. Stepping into Pick 'n Pay, she stated her goal was to find ingredients that would formulate a hearty meal to last two full days rather than spending all the money on a single fast-food takeout option.

The woman stretches her minimal budget

Her first selections included a container of frozen chicken livers and a small packet of rice. Deciding to complete her meal prep at a local shop for better deals, she bought items she needed to thicken up the dish. At the end of her mission, TikTok user @jasper_zee laid out her ingredients on her kitchen counter to explain the longevity of home-cooked staples.

Read also

Phumeza Mdabe shares profound life advice amid bitter divorce: "Life is to be lived"

Watch the TikTok video below:

The Briefly News team had the pleasure of speaking with Jasper Zee and asked what originally motivated her to start the meal-on-a-budget journey and film it for TikTok. She shared:

“Honestly, there wasn’t a big plan. One day, I had very little money and needed to figure out meals for myself, so I filmed it to pass the time. When I posted it, people connected with it and engaged like crazy. Seeing those comments made me realise how many South Africans are in the same boat, so I kept going.”

We asked if she thinks planning meals on a daily budget works better than buying groceries and cooking every day. She responded

“For me, yes. If I buy groceries for the whole month or week, they often go to waste because my schedule is hectic and I don’t always get time to cook. Doing small, quick shops for 2-3 days means I only buy what I’ll actually use. It’s faster, cheaper, and I don’t end up throwing food away.”

Read also

Helen Zille hops onto DJ booth at grroove in video

When asked what the absolute minimum amount of money she’s ever had to buy food with, and what she bought. The young woman laughed and said:

“R5, and I bought a banana. That was it for the day. It sounds funny now, but those moments teach you how far you can stretch even the smallest amount when you have to.”

Viewers were impressed by how she managed her budget and still had R3 left.

User @Zintle commented:

"Back in my university days, I would buy medium-sized slap chips for R25 and a loaf of bread. It would last for three days😩😂. Times were rough."

User @dxnii.exe said:

"I honestly need this type of budgeting in my life."

User @Priscilla ✝️ joked:

"Zee, tell me, queen, how can I travel on a budget of R259 😩?

User @Sphamandla shared:

"Wow, I shouldn’t have doubted you!"

User @Katea added:

"Queen Zee is living large 😭🖐️."

User @Zaza commented:

"You are realistic ❣️. This will help so many people in this unemployment phase."

3 Briefly News articles about meals on a budget

Read also

"Kids' lunches are sorted": Pretoria woman praised for strategic Shoprite trolley dash selection

• A South African chef shared a viral video after challenging herself to buy a meal for four at Woolworths for just R150, impressing many viewers.
• A woman challenged herself to get a proper lunch for under R30 at Woolworths and made it work, surprising many viewers with her choices.
• A local man left Mzansi in stitches after joking that Shoprite does not have chefs and that even the cleaners were allowed to cook, following his disappointment with their rice, cabbage, and chicken livers.

Source: Briefly News