The Two-World Money Fatigue — we’re really glad you’re here.

If you’ve been feeling a bit stretched lately, you’re not alone. This time of year can feel especially heavy: the bills are still landing, winter’s not quite done with us, and somehow the numbers just don’t seem to add up the way we hoped they would.

Even once you’re settled in the UK, part of your brain still does the rand conversion. You see a price, do the maths automatically, and feel that familiar little jolt. Add flights home, helping family, and the quiet pressure of earning in pounds while worrying in rands — and it can feel like you’re working hard just to stay level.

If that’s where you are right now, this isn’t about failure or bad decisions. It’s about living between two worlds, carrying responsibilities in both, and doing the best you can with what’s in front of you.

This week’s edition is here to sit alongside you — to make things feel a bit clearer, a bit lighter, and a bit less lonely.

South Africa’s SPAR Proteas beat England 65–50 at Ellis Park to take the series 2–1, with Sanmarie Visser named Player of the Tournament. It wasn’t flashy or dramatic — just calm, disciplined, and quietly confident.

And that’s exactly why we love stories like this.

As South Africans living in the UK, these moments land a bit deeper. Beating England on home soil isn’t really about bragging rights — it’s about pride, resilience, and that familiar sense of “we still show up.” It’s a reminder of where we come from, and the steady strength we grew up seeing as normal.

Sometimes, when you’re far from home, a result like that feels like a small tap on the shoulder saying: you’re still part of this.

We’ve learned that if you book holidays earlier, before half-term and spring plans really start kicking in, you can sometimes get surprisingly good prices — especially around Easter.

Easter can also be a lovely time to travel. With a bit of planning, a few well-placed leave days around the bank holidays can stretch into a longer break than you expect, whether that’s a trip home, a short UK escape, or simply some proper time off to reset.

It’s one of those windows that fills up quickly once people start thinking about spring, so it’s worth having a look now if Easter is even loosely on your radar.

Access to the Vault costs less than a cup of coffee a month, and one good tip usually covers the cost on its own. Everything after that is pure upside.

This week, we’ve added:

The South African’s Guide to Saving Money in the UK — practical, no-nonsense ways to cut everyday UK costs.

The Ultimate Job-Upgrade Toolkit for South Africans in the UK — how to move up (or move on) faster and more confidently.

Locked: The Vault — our growing library of the most useful SA Connect UK insights, all in one place.

This week, we spent time looking at the everyday systems that quietly shape how much you spend in the UK — fuel, council tax, energy bills, and the support that’s easy to miss if you don’t know where to look.

These aren’t extreme budgeting tricks or lifestyle overhauls. They’re practical, real-world checks that can make a noticeable difference to the month — especially at this time of year.

Here are four that felt genuinely worth sharing.

Fuel retailers in the UK now have to update their prices within 30 minutes, which means apps and maps are finally showing much more accurate prices nearby.

It’s not about chasing pennies — it’s about avoiding the most expensive pump when there’s a cheaper one a few minutes away. If you’re commuting, doing school runs, or driving regularly, this can quietly save a fair bit over the course of a month.

Many councils bill council tax over 10 months (usually April to January). If that’s how yours is set up, February and March may be £0 months.

It doesn’t apply to everyone, but checking your statement or direct debit schedule only takes a moment — and if it does apply, it can free up some cash right when winter costs tend to peak.

Deadline: 31 March 2026

This one is often missed because people assume they won’t qualify. In reality, many eligible households receive the £150 credit automatically — but it’s still worth checking your supplier and the criteria.

If energy bills are one of the heavier pressures right now, this is meaningful help.

This official UK hub brings together the different forms of cost-of-living support available, who they’re for, and how to check eligibility.

It won’t apply to everyone — but it does remove the guesswork. And knowing what’s there can stop you paying more than you need to.

Know a Saffa who is still doing the "Rand-to-Pound" heart attack at the till? Or a mate who’s definitely overpaying their Council Tax?

We’re a community-run newsletter with zero big-corporate backing. We grow purely when one Saffa tells another, "Hey, read this, it actually helps."

Forward this email to one person today. It takes 5 seconds, it’s free, and it might just save them £150 on their energy bill or a lot of stress this winter.

The Men’s T20 World Cup gets underway this week, with England’s opening match listed as against Nepal on 8 February, and fixtures running into early March.

For many of us, cricket is tied to summer back home — long days, warm evenings, radios on in the background. Seeing cricket back on the calendar can feel like a quiet marker that we’re moving through winter here too, even if it doesn’t quite feel like it yet.

T20 is easy to dip in and out of. You don’t need a whole afternoon free or deep knowledge of the game. Even half-watching while supper’s on can be enough to lift the mood during a heavy winter stretch.

Sometimes that familiar rhythm is a small reminder that spring is on its way.

Friday 13 February | London

We’ve spotted a relaxed South Africans in London Meet & Greet happening on Friday 13 February, and it feels like one of those events that could land at just the right moment for some people.

If you’ve been feeling a bit lonely, a bit homesick, or you simply miss hearing familiar accents without having to explain yourself, this could be a really gentle way to reconnect. There’s no agenda and no pressure to be “on” — just a chance to chat, listen, and be around people who get where you’re from.

Sometimes all it takes is one conversation, one laugh, or one “oh my word, same here” moment to feel a bit more grounded again.

If you’re in London and that Friday’s free, it might be worth going along.

We know “side hustle” can sound exhausting — but these are two options we’ve seen work quietly and steadily for people, without taking over their lives.

Schools and colleges across the UK recruit exam invigilators ahead of the May and June exam season. It’s structured, calm work — you’re there to supervise, keep time, and make sure everything runs smoothly.

What people like about it is that it’s predictable, low-interaction, and fits neatly around another job. You’re not selling anything, performing, or rushing — just doing a clear role for a set number of hours.

For many, it’s a simple way to bring in some extra money without draining energy.

As families travel during half-term and into spring, demand for reliable pet sitters picks up. We’ve got friends who do quite a bit of pet sitting, and they love it — not just for the income, but because it gets them into different parts of England they might not otherwise see.

It can mean staying in a new area, spending time with animals, and earning at the same time. Some people use established platforms, others work through trusted local networks.

If you miss pets from home, this can be a surprisingly comforting way to earn a bit extra.

Next week, we’re going to talk about that quiet homesick feeling many of us carry — not the dramatic kind, just the low-level ache that can show up out of nowhere. A smell, a song, a season change… and suddenly you’re missing people, places, or a version of yourself from before.

We’ll also share two simple things that have genuinely helped people ease everyday pressure:

One that helps stretch food budgets without vouchers or lifestyle changes and one flexible way some people are topping up income without giving up their weekends

Nothing overwhelming. Just steady, practical ideas — and a bit of reassurance that what you’re feeling is normal.

Separate from the newsletter — with SA recipes (chakalaka, bobotie), Memory Lane map, practical resources, mobile data tips, and more.

This is a work in progress. Tell us what you need.

After chatting to hundreds of Saffas across the UK, we’ve noticed a pattern. The people who feel the least "squeezed" aren't necessarily earning more—they’ve just mastered these 7 quiet shifts:

None of these fix everything overnight, but stacked together, they regularly create 10–30% more breathing room in your budget.

If the UK has been feeling tighter than it should… you’re not imagining it. But you’re also not stuck.

Troy & Sarah