FNB’s Patricia Temba says paying every instalment on time is not enough — true financial health is measured by how much breathing room remains after debt is paid
Seen Here: FNB Executive Head of Collections Patricia Temba says the real test is what remains after debt repayments — whether you still have enough breathing room to cover essentials, save, handle unexpected expenses and live comfortably without reaching for more credit. Debt should be a tool for progress, not a trap that quietly takes away your financial freedom. Photo Credit: Supplied
JOHANNESBURG, 4 September 2026 — For many women, financial distress does not begin with a missed payment or a threatening phone call from a creditor. It can start much earlier — quietly, with a growing dependence on credit to get through an otherwise ordinary month.
A bond is paid. The car instalment goes off. Credit accounts remain up to date. On paper, everything appears under control.
But if there is virtually nothing left after those commitments — and an unexpected R2,000 expense would have to be funded through another loan or credit card — the numbers may be telling a different story.
According to Patricia Temba, Executive Head of Collections at FNB, the ability to make monthly payments on time should not be the only measure of financial wellbeing.
“Women are often told that being good with money means paying every account on time,” says Temba. “But making every payment on time does not necessarily mean your finances are in good shape. The real test is whether your debt still leaves enough room to live comfortably, build savings and handle unexpected costs without relying on more credit.”
When good debt stops being healthy
Debt is not inherently bad.
A home loan can help a person acquire an asset, while student finance can potentially improve earning capacity. Vehicle finance may enable someone to get to work or operate a business.
These forms of borrowing can serve a productive purpose.
The problem is that debt does not remain affordable simply because its original purpose was sensible.
A home loan that was manageable when it was taken out can become more burdensome as interest rates and household costs change. A vehicle repayment that once fitted comfortably into a budget can become difficult when school fees rise or a household loses an income. A credit card initially used for an emergency can gradually become a routine source of money for groceries, electricity or other everyday expenses.
“The reason you originally borrowed may not have changed, but your life may have,” says Temba.
“Income levels, household expenses and financial priorities evolve over time. That’s why consumers shouldn’t only ask whether they’re still making their repayments, but whether those repayments still leave sufficient room to save, absorb unexpected expenses and live comfortably.”
That distinction is critical.
Healthy debt should support financial progress — not consume the financial flexibility needed to deal with life.
The pressure behind the numbers
For many women, the household budget is about far more than personal expenses.
A salary may have to support children, a household, an ageing parent or extended family, while also covering transport, education, food, utilities and other obligations.
None of these responsibilities is inherently problematic. The danger lies in the cumulative pressure they can place on an income.
A series of individually manageable commitments can become collectively unsustainable.
That is why Temba encourages consumers to move beyond the simple question of whether a debt is “good” or “bad”.
The more important question is:
Can I pay this debt and still have enough money to live?
Eight warning signs your debt may be becoming a problem
Temba says consumers should pay attention to several warning signs that debt may no longer be working in their favour.
These include:
- Paying a credit card and immediately using the available balance again.
- Increasingly using credit to buy groceries, pay electricity or cover other routine expenses.
- Using one form of credit to keep up with another.
- Having enough money to meet instalments but almost nothing left afterwards.
- Needing to borrow money to cover relatively small unexpected expenses.
- Debt repayments leaving too little for everyday household needs.
- Receiving a salary increase without experiencing any improvement in financial breathing room.
- Avoiding account balances or statements because of anxiety about what they might reveal.
None of these signs necessarily means that a person has failed financially.
They may instead indicate that the financial circumstances surrounding the debt have changed.
“Being in debt does not automatically mean you’re in financial trouble,” says Temba. “What matters is whether your debt remains affordable and sustainable.”
The payday reality check
One of the simplest ways to assess financial health is to stop looking at individual accounts in isolation and examine what remains after payday.
Once all debt repayments have been deducted, can you still comfortably afford groceries, transport, electricity and other essentials?
If an unexpected expense arises, is there at least some cash available to deal with it?
Or does the monthly budget depend on shifting expenses between credit cards, overdrafts and other forms of borrowing until the next salary arrives?
Temba suggests asking a particularly revealing question:
What am I giving up to make sure every account gets paid?
If meeting debt obligations consistently means putting essentials on a credit card, borrowing to pay another account or relying on the hope that next month will somehow be easier, the warning signs should not be ignored.
Act before the missed payment
Financial difficulty is often addressed too late because consumers wait for a missed payment before acknowledging that something is wrong.
By then, the range of possible solutions may be narrower, while missed payments, additional interest and fees can make recovery more difficult.
Temba recommends starting with a complete financial picture.
Consumers should record:
- Everything they owe.
- The monthly repayment on each debt.
- Interest rates and applicable fees.
- The proportion of their income going towards debt.
- What remains after debt repayments and essential living expenses.
If the numbers no longer add up, engaging with a credit provider early can be an important first step.
Depending on the circumstances and the type of credit involved, consumers may have options available to help manage a period of financial pressure.
Seeking assistance should not be viewed as an admission of failure.
It can be an indication that circumstances have changed and that the financial plan needs to change with them.
Financial strength is not about carrying the most
Temba says women are often praised for their ability to stretch a salary, solve problems and keep households running under pressure.
But financial resilience should not be confused with the ability to carry increasingly heavy financial obligations.
“We often celebrate women for making a plan, stretching a salary and ensuring that everyone and everything is taken care of,” she says. “But managing money well shouldn’t be measured only by how much pressure you can carry.”
The most important lesson is that a debt that was affordable yesterday may not be affordable today.
Financial wellbeing is not simply about whether every account has been paid. It is about whether those payments leave enough room for life — including savings, emergencies and the unexpected costs that inevitably come with it.
Sometimes the strongest financial decision is not finding another way to stretch the budget.
It is recognising early that the debt that once helped you move forward is now holding you back — and taking action before a warning sign becomes a crisis.
