A Nairobi single mother of two who earns a living doing laundry for clients has opened up about how she manages her household finances, breaking down every shilling in a TikTok video that quickly caught the attention of thousands.
Njeri, who goes by @iamnjeribackup on TikTok, filmed herself at home going through a handwritten notebook, walking viewers through the multiple savings systems and bill payments she juggles each month as a mama fua.
Her fixed monthly expenses include rent at KSh 5,000, gas at KSh 1,100, water tokens, WiFi (shared with a neighbour), garbage collection fees, a barber visit, and weekly food shopping covering dry goods such as flour and rice.
Njeri opens up about sharing WiFi’s neighbour
To cover most of these, she sets aside KSh 1,800 every week, which adds up to KSh 7,200 monthly.
She uses this fund for personal expenses like clothing and other occasional needs, noting that consistent small contributions can actually grow beyond the original target over time.
Beyond these two systems, Njeri also maintains a savings circle on the M-Pesa-linked platform Hisa Yako, where she deposits whatever is left after all her bills are settled, with a minimum of KSh 250.
Njeri’s plan to open bank account
She is also planning to open a dedicated bank account for income earned from brand partnerships through her content creation work, which she intends to keep separate from her household finances.
Njeri was candid about food budgeting too, warning that focusing heavily on savings without accounting for meals could leave a household eating poorly. In her view, food security should sit alongside, not beneath, savings goals.
Her straightforward approach, filmed in a modest home with corrugated metal roofing visible in the background, resonated with many Nairobians who recognised the daily balancing act her budget represents.
