'Most South Africans borrow money for food'

[moklet]

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20061206033618436C239502

The main reason South Africans borrow money is to buy food. This is one of the findings of a study conducted by Research Surveys to monitor financial behaviour on behalf of the National Treasury, the major banks and insurance companies.

One in five South Africans claimed they could not afford to eat properly and a third of black people said they often went without food.

Funerals, school fees and medical expenses are among the most pressing needs, while the most likely source of the loan is family or friends.

 

[DWPTA]

And with the price of food going to rise, things aren't looking too rosy

 

[Syndyre]

Scary, especially since borrowing money for food is pretty unsustainable!

 

[Cara]

I'm not so sure I believe this ... would like to see the study before I swallow this one down whole.

 

[Syndyre]

I'm not so sure I believe this ... would like to see the study before I swallow this one down whole.

True, could be a case of "When you go to the shop buy me a loaf of bread and I'll pay you when you get back", now suddenly thousands of people are borrowing money for food!

 

[Nod]

If it is true, it doesn't say much of our "booming" economy. It will mean that only part of the population benefit from the economy while more than half is left out of it.

 

[dlk001]

I can relate to this. When shopping at Woolworths, I often see people paying groceries with Woolworths cards. I was once shocked at Checkers Hyper when a lady wanted to pay groceries (below R300) with a credit card (6 months to pay). She could not believe it when the teller told her that there was a minimum amount on which people could buy using the budget facilities. She took out another Gold Credit card from another bank to pay for the purchases. Unbelievable!!!

 

[Syndyre]

If people are paying for groceries on credit cards though they could just as easily be paying them off at the end of the month. Not talking about the budget case! They've asked me before whether I wanted to put the groceries I was buying on straight or budget, wondered at the time what you do next month/week when you need food again! Its clearly not sustainable.

 

[baasvandieplaas]

it is true
ive spoken to some of the ppl at pick n pay...and most ppl buy food on the budget facility of their credit cards.

scary...

 

[Cara]

I just don't see many skinny people around, in fact the SA's I'm looking at look rather healthy. Plus I read something the other day about obesity in SA on the rise ... so something has to give. Either we're starving or we're becoming more obese but surely we can't be cursed with both at the same time

 

[noswal]

I buy all my food with woolies or spar card, averages around R1200/month - I am skinny

 

[Nod]

People can get fat because they can't afford the healthy food. Healthy food is always more expensive than non-healthy food. People should start to plant vegetable gardens again.

 

[GavinMannion]

it is true
ive spoken to some of the ppl at pick n pay...and most ppl buy food on the budget facility of their credit cards.

scary...

Oh come on... What a load of nonsense.

Most people who shop at Pick 'n Pay don't have credit cards first of all.
Secondly the ones who do have credit cards usually put it on straight.

(Yes I have seen the stats)

As Cara has very logically pointed out, it is not sustainable at all. I don't see many starving people in Pick 'n Pay

Why does it seem like all logic has left this forum for today.

 

[Syndyre]

Why does it seem like all logic has left this forum for today.

Just today?

 

[bwana]

it is true
ive spoken to some of the ppl at pick n pay...and most ppl buy food on the budget facility of their credit cards.

scary...

Then why is it pnp doesnt even ask me if I want to use my budget facility to buy my groceries?

 

[Syndyre]

Then why is it pnp doesnt even ask me if I want to use my budget facility to buy my groceries?

Maybe you just look classy. I've only ever been asked at Woolworths actually.

 

[dlk001]

Maybe you just look classy. I've only ever been asked at Woolworths actually.

I'm sure some do judge on looks. When plastic bags were free, at some stores, they often doubled the plastic bags when they thought the contents were heavy and you were using a Taxi.

 

[Cara]

I buy all my food with woolies or spar card, averages around R1200/month - I am skinny

Sorry Noswal ... didn't mean to be down on thin people

If you shop at Woolies and are still on the slender side (trying to be PC here, forgive me if it is trite ) then you obviously haven't tried that chocolate mousse trifle thing they have ... it's delicious and probably about the whole day's caloric intake! I try to slip one of those in occassionally to try and beat away malnutrtion

 

[Darth Garth]

Most people who shop at Pick 'n Pay don't have credit cards first of all.

Afaik it is a 1 to 4 split but the monetary value of transactions charged to cards exceeds cash.

 

[Darth Garth]

Then why is it pnp doesnt even ask me if I want to use my budget facility to buy my groceries?

It must be more than R300.