Big spender tries out frugality
Mo G (Mpho Madise), a DJ for Gauteng-based radio station Kaya FM, buys expensive presents for his family and travels in comfort but has taken up the challenge to live on R100 a day for a week. He talks to Lucky Biyase about money and how his view of it ha
What is more important: fame or fortune, and why?
Fortune is more important to me. That’s why I don’t have a lot of kids — just one — because I believe in making sure that one gets the best and that everyone is extra comfortable.
Are you a saver or a spender?
I’m not much of a saver, but my wife has been trying to help me be one. When it comes to the festive season, I’m always the one who buys my family the most expensive presents. What has been your biggest extravagance?
It has to be when I travel with my family. I go all out, from business-class tickets, five-star hotels and eating at the best restaurants in the world. What is the best thing you’ve spent money on?
The ring I bought my wife, and house, and also making sure my son is getting the best education at Hilton College.
Do you invest in shares or any
other assets?
thing Yes, forI do. me, Propertyand I learntis a bigit from the late Barney Cohen. What local goods and services do you miss most overseas?
I miss watermelon from Woolies, the friendly people of South Africa and hearing their different languages. How do you prefer to pay for things: cash or card?
I always pay with a card, and that’s always a problem when I need to pay for parking. Do you tip easily, or do waiters have to work hard for tips?
I always tip a waiter or waitress. It doesn’t matter how bad they are. Car guards, on the other hand, I’m bad with them. Have you ever been really short of cash?
Yes, I have. I always have my mom to ask, but I haven’t done that in a very long time. What was your most lucrative job? What did you do with the
earnings from it?
When I was doing the breakfast show for Radio 2000 at the age of 23, I cleared over R50 000 after tax. That was good, and also when I was a shareholder in an events company at the age of 21 and we had an account with SABMiller. If you were not a radio DJ, what other job would you have done to make a living and, of course, lots of money?
If I wasn’t a DJ, I would be an astronaut and working for Nasa. I understand they pay well.
Do you give to beggars?
It depends on how I’m feeling because there are too many of them now at traffic lights. I have been challenged to live on R100 a day this week and it’s been very hard and I had to use public transport, like a taxi, which I haven’t used for over 20 years, and buy food that I haven’t had in a while. The challenge came after the budget speech, and I’ve been posting my journey on my Instagram @Mo_GSA. I’ve learnt a lot from that experience, and maybe now I need to give a lot more to beggars.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learnt about money?
From my R100 challenge, that I need to save a lot more and not live for the moment. What is the best money advice you have ever received?
Try to save, don’t buy what you don’t need and make sure you have a roof over your head. If you were given R50-million, what would you spend it on?
I would buy my dream house in Sandhurst.