Stress down, but pressure remains

South Africans are less worried about money, but are still under financial pressure

- BENAY SAGER

SOUTH AFRICANS are notably less worried about money than they have been for the past two years, with levels of financial stress returning to those last experienced in 2022. Despite this, money stress remains a significant issue for many people.

This is according to the fourth annual DebtBusters Money-Stress Tracker, which surveyed over 27 000 respondents during May and June. This makes it one of the largest online surveys about how financial stress impacts South Africans’ lives.

Financial stress and its ripple effect

The 2025 survey found that:

• 70% of respondents experienced money stress. This is down from 78% in 2023 and 75% in 2024. Although the extent of financial anxiety is declining, the impact on daily life remains substantial.

• Of those experiencing financial stress, 91% felt it affected their home life, 73% their work life, and 73% their health.

• Women continue to bear a disproportionately higher burden of financial stress, with nearly three out of four female respondents reported feeling stressed. Women are around 10% more stressed about finances.

• Women are 20% more stressed about work life, home life and health compared to men, although stress levels for both genders have decreased by 5% to 15% across all facets of life since 2024.

• The shift is attributed to fewer national crises, such as loadshedding, reduced inflation, and people starting to better manage their finances, allowing them to look beyond short-term survival.