How to tackle your biggest financial stress in 2026

Every January, South Africans make familiar promises: “I’ll save more,” “I’ll budget properly,” “I’ll get my finances under control.” But by March, life has happened, unexpected bills arrive, debit orders pile up, and the good intentions fade under the weight of real financial stress.

 The problem isn’t just a lack of discipline. It’s that most resolutions are too vague to solve the specific pressure point that keeps people awake at night. The real breakthrough comes when individuals focus on one financial stressor at a time and tackle it with a clean, practical plan.

In a landscape where many households juggle rising living costs, high credit usage, and unpredictable income cycles, reframing financial improvement as a manageable, targeted journey offers a more realistic path to stability. Instead of chasing a broad idea of “better finances,” this year could be the year South Africans confront and conquer, the exact issue that weighs them down the most.

Understanding what you owe and how to budget will help you reduce money worries. By creating a monthly budget, you are able to see your financial commitments and plan for them. The path forward becomes far more manageable. Real progress will come from small, deliberate steps, not trying to focus on everything at once.

Here is a three-step plan to help individuals move from being overwhelmed to progress:

Identify the financial responsibilities holding you back

Instead of drawing up a long list of financial goals, start by asking a direct question:

“What is the single financial stress that affects my life the most?”

For some, it’s a retail account that never goes down. For others, it’s the pressure of supporting a family. Identify the biggest financial stress you have and how you will tackle this in your monthly plan.

Acknowledging that spending beyond your means is never the answer. It will only put you in a worse situation. Listing your expenses and knowing exactly what you owe is important for identifying the largest financial stressors. 

When people pinpoint one priority, they can ensure that they budget accordingly and not overspend.

Map a realistic, step-by-step plan

Once the problem is clear, break it down.

For example, a person struggling with overdue accounts may need to restructure payments or renegotiate timelines. Your budget helps you stay on track. Never go beyond what you have budgeted.

This step transforms the issue from an emotional burden into a practical roadmap. Know exactly how much you owe and how much you need to pay this back every month. Follow your map.

Follow the plan and track small wins

Progress in personal finance rarely happens through big, dramatic changes. It happens through consistency.

Setting up simple accountability structures, like a budget, checking your plan weekly, speaking to a financial adviser when needed, or using tools to track what you owe, keeps goals on track.

More importantly, celebrating small wins makes the journey sustainable: paying off one store account, finishing a month without borrowing extra, or sticking to a spending boundary.

These moments build long-term financial confidence and help people see themselves as capable, rather than constantly behind.

* Caminsky is the finance director at Atlas.

PERSONAL FINANCE