Is your personal budget a disaster area? Check which things you can save on - and which you shouldn't.

Between interest rate increases, petrol price hikes and food shortages, South Africa is in a state of shock. Ask anyone shopping at the supermarket whether their salary increases have kept up with inflation – chances are you'll get a tub of yoghurt on your face. The no-name brand version.

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But looking after yourself is not just about money - it's also about giving your body what it needs.

So what are the things you shouldn't skimp on?

Contraception. Most medical schemes don't pay for the Pill, but you can get most types of contraception free at government clinics, and often at a minimal fee from gynaecologists. Even if you have to pay for it yourself, it is still much cheaper than a baby. Same goes for condoms.

Brakes and tyres. Somewhere between the latest and greatest imported tyres and retreads from a dodgy dealer, lies the truth (in both financial and safety terms). Have your brakes checked regularly. New brakepads cost much less than your insurance excess or facial reconstruction.

A decent bed. You spend a third of your life on it. A sagging mattress will give you back problems in the long run, and this will cost much more than it would have cost to buy a decent mattress in the first place.

Insurance. Don't overkill here. You need comprehensive insurance on your home contents and car – combine the two if you can. If you have a bond, you will have house insurance, so you're covered if a wall caves in or your gate blows down. You only really need life insurance if you have dependants. Medical aid or a hospital plan is a non-negotiable.

A decent toothbrush. Proper regular brushing will save you a fortune at the dentist. And don't wait until the bristles of the toothbrush have flattened out and frayed before replacing it.

Fruit and veg. An apple a day keeps the doctor away – and it's no joke. Fresh fruit and vegetables in season are cost-effective, and eating these every day will lower your chances of picking up viral infections doing the rounds. It will also aid your digestive system.

Enough sleep. Getting your regular seven or eight hours may take some planning, but sleep is a commodity without which your body cannot function properly. Building up a sleep debt is detrimental to your health and could lower your resistance to diseases.

Time out. Relaxing time is a non-negotiable. If you are constantly on the run and never get time to chill out, your body has a way of forcing you to rest. This is called flu.

Regular exercise. Even nine minutes a day of brisk walking cuts your heart attack risk by 50 percent. Your body needs exercise. Walk to the shop, use your gym membership, join a walking group – do whatever it takes.

...But do you really need...

Exclusive-brand makeup. Skincare products are one thing, if you've got a tricky skin. But mascara? The South African industry has nothing to apologise for, so stop footing the bill for all that import tax.

Cigarettes. They're expensive, and eventually half of all smokers will die from smoking-related diseases. So smoking is a bit like paying lots of money so that you can become ill and miserable.

Medication. Whenever you get prescribed medication, ask about generic equivalents. These often cost much less and mostly have the same contents as the expensive drugs.

New cars. New cars are great, but they lose much of their value the minute you drive them out of the showroom. You can save thousands by buying a year-old model from a reputable dealer.

Clothing brand names. If you need brand-name clothing to make you feel better about yourself, you should be spending the money on therapy. you're 14 one can still understand it, but once you have your own driver's licence, it's time to grow up.

Hire purchase/cash loans. Sometimes one doesn't have a choice – very few people have the ready cash to buy things like cars and homes. But once you start running up huge amounts on credit for clothing, household goods and electrical appliances, red lights should start flashing.

Vitamin supplements. They have a role, but it should be supplementary: your starting point should be eating the food that contains those vitamins. Living on hamburgers and chips and taking a vitamin tablet is no substitute for eating a healthy diet.

New books. Books are great, building up your own library is fun, and new books even smell wonderful, but also check out kilo bookshops, the library, and book clubs.

Designer groceries. By all means go to delicatessans to buy specific items, but paying deli prices for commodities that are found in supermarkets is silly. Do a shop once a month for basic household goods at the cheapest supermarket in the area.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24, updated April 2008)

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