How I Saved 1 Million Rwandan Francs by Reorganizing My Family Spending

💰 How I Saved 1 Million Rwandan Francs by Reorganizing My Family Spending

By Marc Reflects

Let’s be honest, whether you're single or raising a family, money can vanish fast. One moment it’s there, the next moment you're wondering where it all went. I used to think my income wasn’t enough  until I discovered that what you spend matters more than what you earn.


One of my most eye-opening realizations came when I hired a housemaid. Before she joined us, our monthly water bill was around 4,000 RWF. Not long after, it doubled  not because she was wasteful, but because we weren’t tracking or managing how water was being used in the home. Kids playing endlessly with water, lights left on, devices charging day and night… all seemed small  but small leaks can sink big ships.

“Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” — Benjamin Franklin

🔍 The Turning Point: Awareness Is the First Form of Wealth

When I began monitoring our spending — truly looking at where each franc was going — I saw we were wasting money simply by not being intentional. That’s when I decided to reorganize everything: utilities, rent, school transport, groceries, data bundles, even my own habits.

I started asking myself a simple but powerful question before every purchase:
“Is this reasonable, necessary, and in my interest?”
You’d be amazed how often the answer is no.

🛠️ Practical Steps That Changed Everything

Here are a few small but effective shifts that helped us save more than 1 million RWF over time:

  1. Moved closer to the children’s school: This cut down transport fees by over 30,000 RWF per month.
  2. Replaced frequent data bundles with monthly Wi-Fi: Saving 10,000–15,000 RWF consistently.
  3. Set electricity-use rules at home: Everyone, even the kids, learned to turn off lights and sockets when not needed.
  4. Batched errands and avoided random trips: Reducing unnecessary fuel and transport costs.
  5. Started budgeting weekly: This helped us avoid spontaneous and emotional spending.

“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” — Will Rogers

💡 The Mental Shift: From Consumer to Steward

It’s not just about cutting expenses — it’s about changing your mentality. I stopped living like others. I stopped copying lifestyles I couldn’t afford. I started living within my means, even if it wasn’t glamorous.

Every single coin matters. You don't need to wait for big money to start thinking like an economist. When you cultivate financial responsibility in your home even teaching your children to value electricity and water , you build habits that will serve generations.

📊 A Wake-Up Call in Numbers

  • 🔹 Families that track their spending are 70% more likely to achieve their savings goals
    (Source: U.S. Bank National Study of Money Habits, 2022)
  • 🔹 You can save over 10% of your income just by reorganizing transportation, utilities, and rent decisions.

You may not see the savings in one week, but over months — even years — the impact is massive. That’s how I saved over 1 million RWF: not through luck, but through small, consistent decisions.

Final Thought: It Starts With One Franc

You don’t need to start big. Just start by asking:

  • Can I move closer to my workplace or school?
  • Can I save 1,000 RWF today?
  • Can I reduce screen time and data use?
  • Can I change one wasteful habit this week?

“Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” — Warren Buffett

We often wait for a raise or windfall, but wealth begins with what you already have. The moment you choose discipline over convenience, purpose over pressure — that’s the day you start building your financial freedom.

💬 What’s one expense you can cut this week? Share your experience. Let’s grow together. — Marc Reflects

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