Budgeting is a pivotal item in managing personal finances, which many people have either succeeded in or failed at terribly. A properly prepared budget could lead to properly informed purchases and expenditure which in most cases builds the base block for saving to take place.
In Kenya, transport is an item that always has to feature in the monthly budget you prepare. Most people either pay their own fare, pay for their school going children or set aside money to fuel their own cars for the month.
However, has it ever occurred to you that you cannot make sensible estimates for your commuting cost for the month, especially if you use the public transport system (matatus)? There are routes in Nairobi whose operation SACCOs have regulated and controlled fares but still the unpredictability of what you are going to pay as fare for the day costs people a lot.
In the months of April and May, heavy rains resulted to massive traffic jams in Nairobi,. Consequently, commuters had to pay fares of up to 300% more than they usually pay. It has become common knowledge amongst commuters that whenever it rains, bus fare will increase and the probability of long-hours traffic jam is inevitable.
On average, you will find that you use between Kshs. 500 to Ksh 2,000 more than you projected in your monthly budget for those who use the public transport system. This distorts your financial plans and in normal circumstances, your miscellaneous item in the budget does not allow you to stretch past certain levels.
Sanity in the public transport has been improving, but with a bit more regulation in the sector in terms of standardizing fares would help commuters plan well for their money. Properly defined policies in the industry would save the citizens millions of shillings in time saving and hard cash saving.