Flipping the script: How Nosipho broke the cycle of a poor money mindset

“I had a poor money mindset. I was going in blindly… but I had to flip the script.”

Nosipho doesn’t mince her words. She calls her former relationship with money exactly what it was: uneducated, uninformed, and emotionally driven. But that’s not where her story ends. In fact, it’s where it begins.

Today, Nosipho is an intentional investor and budget-conscious mum of four children. She’s rewriting the narrative she grew up with – and making sure her children grow up equipped with financial skills she had to learn the hard way.

A legacy of budgeting – with missing pieces

Nosipho’s early money habits weren’t reckless, but they weren’t empowered, either. Raised by financially responsible parents, she recalls learning through observation. “My mother used to invest,” she says, “but it wasn’t something we sat down and discussed. She’d tell me she cashed something out, but she never explained how it worked.”

Both her mother and father were careful spenders. “They were not careless with money,” Nosipho shares. “They did what needed to be done. But they didn’t go deeper with me.”

That gap – the difference between seeing something and understanding it – is what Nosipho is determined to change with her own children. “We have conversations now. I give them money and let them use it themselves. I want them to budget, to see the results of their decisions, and to learn to research for themselves.” 

“They must be trendsetters, not followers. I tell them, don’t feel pressure because others have more – use what you have, and use it wisely.”

The lessons hidden in loss

Nosipho’s financial turning point came wrapped in grief. After her mother passed away while she was in varsity, she inherited some shares – small amounts divesting at a time – but didn’t know what to do with them. Some went to pay off student debt. The rest, she spent.

“I didn’t know any better. I didn’t understand what shares or dividends really were. If I knew more, I could’ve done better,” she reflects.

Her father’s passing years later presented a second, similar moment. This time, she’d learnt from her past. Instead of channeling the funds into short-term needs or letting them slip away, she made a conscious decision: to invest the full amount into her Franc account.

“I said, ‘Pretend like you don’t have this money,’ and put it all into Franc. I just want to see how it’s going to work for me.”

This time around, she also had a clearer plan. With her eldest daughter heading to university, Nosipho is using her investments to help support her education – but she’s also looking beyond, starting to explore other options like government retail bonds to diversify her portfolio.

Rewriting the mindset

Nosipho’s phrase “poor money mindset” comes up often – and for her, it doesn’t mean spending recklessly or living beyond her means. It’s about operating in the dark.

“The poor money mindset comes from lack of knowledge,” she says. “You go into things blindly, not understanding the outcome. And when it doesn’t work out, you don’t know why.”

She’s working actively to change that. Franc’s learning materials, transparent interface, and the onboarding session with a financial advisor helped her start making sense of her money. She’s also signed up for a free online investing course and continues to self-educate through YouTube and articles.

That mindset shift is spilling over into her marriage too. “When you get into a relationship, you need to have the same vision,” she says. “I had to sit down and say, this is what I want for us – for our future and our kids. That’s how I flipped the script.”

Nosipho’s practical strategies for building confidence with money

• Learn actively. “Go to websites, watch videos, take free courses. Don’t wait to be told.”
• Talk about money. She’s breaking generational silence by teaching her daughters openly.
• Set clear intentions. “Have a vision. Know what you want your money to do.”
• Use what works. Franc’s simplicity and transparency helped her get started.
• Start where you are. Even a small inheritance can become the beginning of a financial plan.

Looking ahead

Nosipho’s journey is far from over. She continues to invest monthly through Franc, topping up her account every payday and planning to contribute more when she can. She’s exploring new investment options and laying the groundwork for a more stable financial future – not just for herself, but for the next generation too.

And her biggest message?

“Be educated. Ask questions. Don’t be ignorant. You need to understand your lifestyle and plan around it – not just for now, but to leave a legacy.”