MARICA Bole lives with her family in Silana Village in Tailevu.
Silana Village sits along the coastline, giving villagers such as Mrs Bole access to fresh seafood.
“One of our main sources of livelihood here is the sea,” she said.
She also believes that careful planning and discipline are the keys to keeping her household running smoothly.
Living with her family of four, Mrs Bole shops for groceries once every fortnight, working within a strict budget of $180.
While some families may find it challenging to stretch their dollars, she says sticking to a plan has helped her manage rising costs and provide for her loved ones.
“I always make sure I have a list before I leave home.
“If I don’t write down what I need, I might end up buying things that are not necessary.”
She shares that most of her shopping is done at the small shops within the village.
Mrs Bole says these shops stock almost everything her family needs from tea, sugar, flour and rice to potatoes, milk, onions, spices, toiletries and cosmetics.
“I prefer to buy from our village shops because they sell almost everything.
“This is also one way of helping the shopkeepers in the village.”
Mrs Bole only shops at supermarkets when she travels to Korovou, which does not happen often.
“I only buy from the supermarkets in Korovou when I travel there.
“If I shop here in the village, I save time and money on transport.”
Mrs Bole shared that supporting local businesses was important to her, but so is managing the household budget wisely.
She admits that grocery shopping can sometimes be tempting, especially when items are attractively displayed.
“Some items are very eye-catching.
“If you are not careful, you will spend more than what you planned.”
Mrs Bole highlights that discipline is essential for any shopper trying to make ends meet.
“It is important to stick to your budget.
“If your budget is $180, then you must not go over that amount.”
Apart from careful shopping, Mrs Bole’s family is fortunate to have access to their own plantation.
They grow a variety of crops including root crops, chillies, bananas, eggplants, pawpaw and other leafy vegetables.
“Our plantation really helps us save money.
“We don’t have to buy too many vegetables from the market because we grow our own.”
Mrs Bole’s home is near the sea and it also has its own advantage.
She says the villagers valuable source of food and livelihood is also from the sea.
“My family and others in the village catch fresh fish to prepare meals.”
Mrs Bole emphasises that by having access to homegrown produce and freshly caught fish not only eases financial pressure but also ensures her family enjoys fresh and healthy meals.
“We are blessed to have land and sea.
“It makes life a little easier when you can rely on what you grow and catch.”
Mrs Bole’s advise to shoppers is to plant their own food as it saves a lot of money.
She says creating a list before going shopping also help with budgeting as you can control how much money is spent.
