How I bought my first sneakers

This is how Mandisa saved her money to buy her first pair of Nikes.

My name Mandisa from Langa in Cape Town. I love fashionable things and looking fabulous on weekends when I hang out with my friends. But, my parents cannot afford to buy me everything that I want.

Until I saw a pair of sneakers that I really wanted, I didn’t think I could save. But as it turns out, if you really want to have something, you’ll make a plan for it. Six months ago while window shopping, I saw a killer pair of sneakers for R800. My mom could not afford to get them for me and told me that I had to buy them using my money.

I get R80 pocket money every week. I saved it by packing a lunch box and walking home after school instead of using a taxi. I also asked my mom if I could take on more chores at home. So instead, of my parents paying someone to clean our garden, they paid me to do it.

I saved every rand and cent I was given and all the money I earned. Before long, I had R800 but instead of going to the buy my sneakers at the mall, I went to a factory shop, where labels like Nike, Levis, Adidas and more are sold at a discount. I got my sneakers for R499.

Wearing them makes me feel proud of myself. It was not easy for me to start and to continue saving but I managed. To help me focus, I saved with my friend. This journey taught me that it is possible to save and work towards your goals...like buying a laptop, which I’ve already started saving for.