Some months, your money seems to disappear like it never existed. You get paid, you blink, and suddenly you're back to checking your balance and trying to work out how you'll make it to the next payday. It can happen even if you don't spend recklessly. Inflation makes everything more expensive: the price of rent and fuel rises, food costs more, or an emergency expense always seems to crop up.

That's why, when experts tell you that you need to save for the future, it can feel a bit out of touch with your reality. You might believe that investing is something for people who earn more, stress less, and don't panic when the petrol light comes on.

Why saving should start today

But you shouldn't wait 'until you can afford it' to start your savings journey – smart saving and investing is how you build wealth in the first place, to create a future in which you can afford more. It doesn't matter whether you take the first steps on your savings journey in good times or in tough times – what matters is that you take them.

You don't need a perfect budget or a massive salary. You can start simply, with these 3 steps:

Step 1: Manage and reduce debt

Have you ever worked out how much of your money goes to paying interest? Debt can take a large chunk of your income every month, leaving you with less to save. If you have a credit card, store account, or personal loan, and you pay only the minimum required instalment, a significant portion of every payment goes to interest every month, rather than reducing the capital balance owed.

The goal here isn't to become debt-free overnight. It's to start chipping away by paying a little more than the minimum every month. This reduces the capital balance faster, which reduces the monthly interest payments and can shorten the term over which you'll be paying off the debt.

If you're juggling multiple monthly debt payments, a consolidation loan might simplify things. It will let you pay off selected debt and give you one loan payment to make once a month. Consolidating debt could save you money each month and give you better control over your finances. As you reduce your debt repayments relative to your income, you can devote more of your money to savings and investments.

Step 2: Start an emergency fund

Life doesn't wait for you to be financially stable. Your car doesn't care about your budget. Your geyser has no interest in your savings goals. And medical emergencies certainly don't wait for payday.

An emergency fund isn't optional – it's a safety net for your finances. It helps you meet urgent, unplanned financial needs without adding to your debt. Once you have set aside up to 6 months' salary in your emergency fund, it should cover everything from unexpected appliance repairs all the way up to a major crisis, like losing your job – your emergency fund can keep you afloat while you look for a new source of income.

Saving even a few hundred rands a month can make a difference. Over time, it will grow into an amount big enough to give you breathing room if disaster strikes. But you must also be disciplined enough not to spend your savings on non-emergencies. Separate your savings from your everyday spending and set up a debit order to transfer a fixed amount into your emergency fund when your salary is paid every month. That way, the monthly contribution counts as one of your essential budget expenses, and you're less likely to spend the money on impulse.

Step 3: Plan for retirement

Retirement can feel very far away, especially when you're just trying to survive the month. But the fact that it's so far away makes it easier to start planning your retirement now – because any money you contribute to a retirement investment has more time to grow, which increases the compounding of interest.

You don't need thousands of rands – you just need consistency. Starting early matters more than starting big. If you are not a member of a retirement fund or want to supplement your savings in an employee retirement fund, then a retirement annuity (RA) can help you save tax-efficiently, building an investment that allows you to maintain your lifestyle when you retire.

Build a strong financial foundation with Nedbank

There's so much conflicting financial advice out there. That's why starting simple matters. These 3 steps focus on the basics:

• Get out of the red.
• Protect yourself from unpleasant surprises.
• Build long-term financial security.

For now, just get the basics in place – it makes building wealth so much easier. Nedbank offers a range of savings, investment and retirement solutions to help.