As the slogan goes, Nairobi ni shamba la mawe.

And from the budget that was read by Treasury CS Ukur Yatani on Thursday, its time to fasten your seatbelts. 

Many people in the city are struggling to make ends meet, and also to make investments out of their small earnings. 

The majority of Kenyans depend on employment, and for them, they only handle huge cash once a month. 

After getting the money, most of it is consumed by bills such as rent, water, and electricity. 

The remainder slowly fades away in between the month when it is used to purchase food, clothing and pay transport fees. 

Here are some of the hacks to survive on a tight budget; 

• Housing

Consider living in affordable houses that are not located at high-end estates. 

It is important to survey various areas to compare prices before narrowing down on one house. 

Also, if you do not mind, you can stay with a friend or relative to share the costs. 

But make sure the safety of the area is good. 

• Transport costs

If you commute to work daily, consider living in a house that is close to your workplace. 

For example, if you work in Westlands, your best options are houses around Waiyaki way, in areas such as Kinoo and Uthiru. 

• Shopping

Be smart in choosing the places you go for your food, clothing, and house accessories. 

Other than buying clothes at high-end places, you rather go to Gikomba market and get some nice Camera wears

Also, buying groceries from your local Kibanda could be more costly than going to an open-air market. Consider the latter. 

• Phone and Internet bills

Everyone needs phones for communications. And these devices could be digging deep into your pocket without your realization. 

Settle on a mobile service provider that offers lower call or SMS rates. 

Also, with the COVID-19 pandemic, most jobs are now done remotely. 

Consider the cheapest and efficient Wifi Package. 

Also, you could share a network with your immediate neighbor if the network is strong enough.