“Please Add R1”: Mom Gives Son R50 Birthday Gift, Asks Him To Buy Groceries

• A TikTok user showed the note a mother wrote to her son for his birthday, which came with a R50
• In the note, the mother wished her child and instructed him to buy three grocery items for the house
• While some social media users felt sorry for the birthday boy, other internet users sided with the mother, who they felt was struggling financially

A mother gifted her son a R50 for his birthday, writing a note to wish him. However, the note came with instructions on using his birthday money for groceries.

On 12 August, 2025, the TikTok account @user6981725481563, which is dedicated to posting memes, shared a picture of the note, which read:

"Happy birthday, Kyle. Please buy Blue Ribbon (bread) (R20), 1l milk (R14), and half a dozen of eggs (R17). Can you please add R1 because I don't have. NB: Only eat four slices of bread.

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"May God spare you many more years. Love from Mom."

Details of the birthday boy and his mother were not provided.

Birthday present divides South Africans

While some social media users felt sorry for Kyle, others considered the mother's feelings.

@carlylefraserofficial wrote in the comment section:

"People don't see the pain in this. The mom doesn't have enough, but she still left him a note to make his day special. She is possibly struggling, but gets up every day to provide for her son. A woman like this must be cherished."

@g_van_den_heever told the online community:

"We get so spoiled in life, we actually forget it's the small things that matter. We might have enough now, but our lives can change in the blink of an eye. Some have been fortunate to never stress about where their next meal comes from, and others haven't been."

@zainunisaesoup shared their plans with the money if they were in Kyle's shoes:

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"That's abuse. I would have spent that R50 and said I only saw 'happy birthday, Kyle' and got excited for the R50 and didn't read further. We will be toxic together."

@chocflirt assumed what the groceries were for, writing:

"The milk and eggs are for his cake that she's going to bake after work."

@mimzo1329, who felt they could relate, stated with a laugh:

"Times are tough. I understand her."

@robben_dinero added in the comments:

"There's nothing wrong here. This thing of celebrating birthdays is something else."

Take a look at the picture in the TikTok post below:

3 Other birthday-related stories

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a woman spent her birthday alone in Cape Town, highlighting the struggles of making friends in the city.
• A man in Gqeberha shared a touching video compilation to celebrate his domestic worker's birthday. The heartwarming tribute showed the pair's close, family-like bond.
• Charismatic singer and dancer Dr Malinga shared adorable portraits of his family's photoshoot after celebrating his youngest child's first birthday. South Africans gathered to wish the little girl.

Source: Briefly News