Adulting in Kenya: When You’re Too Old for Pocket Money, Too Young for Everything Else

 Adulting came too fast.

One minute you were asking for pocket money to buy smokie pasua, and the next you are standing in a supermarket staring at cooking oil prices, as if you’re in an exam you did not revise for.

Millennials know this struggle too well. We grew up being told education is the key, but now we are juggling jobs, side hustles, school fees, and bills that don’t respect payday 😲

Whether you are employed, running a business, parenting, or juggling all three, the struggles have a familiar rhythm. Here are just a few we can all nod (and laugh) about:

Familiar Struggles We can relate:

The Salary Disappearing Act: You get paid on Friday, but by Monday morning, your money is already tired. Rent, school fees, balance, loan repayment, shopping… Poof! Gone.

The Supermarket Betrayal: You walk in with a simple list of 5 items, but somehow walk out with 10. Worse, even the basics cost more than you remember, and your wallet screams, “We didn’t agree to this.”

Side Hustle, Same Hustle: You started a side hustle to make extra money. Now it eats the same money you were hoping it would bring 😩.

Business Juggling: One client has delayed payment, another wants to “pay kidogo kidogo,” yet your suppliers are not interested in stories.

And when you think you have mastered the art of surviving, life throws in extra hurdles that no one ever prepared you for.

Things That Should Have Come With a Manual

Rent Increase Notices: These hit harder than heartbreak. One day, you are comfortable, and the next, your landlord decides to raise the rent; just like that, your carefully planned budget is back to square one.

Mechanic Math: They never quote directly. It’s always: “Boss, parts ni around 3k, labour tutaongea.” You nod, pretending to understand, but deep down you know it’s a trap.

The Black Tax: In Kenya, you don’t just budget for yourself. You budget for that cousin in college, that uncle with hospital bills, or the younger sibling trying to start life. It’s unspoken, it’s expected, it’s who we are, and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The Business Plateau: No one tells you what to do when your business just… stalls. You have tried marketing, offering discounts, and working late nights, yet the numbers stillrefuse to move. There’s no manual for pushing past that invisible ceiling.

Laugh So We Don’t Cry

The truth is, we have all been there, turning broke struggles into inside jokes.

Millennials, in particular, have mastered the art of laughing through their struggles.

But here’s the thing: laughing is not just a coping mechanism.

It is also a reminder that you are not alone in carrying these adulting battles. We share the memes, we share the stories, and in the process, we share the load.

So, What’s the Backup Plan?

Still, laughter alone won’t pay the rent, fix the car, or stretch the supermarket budget. Sometimes you need a little more than good humour.

That’s where Kifedha comes in , the backup plan you can lean on when life decides to test your patience.

With quick and flexible logbook loans, we provide the support to help you keep moving forward while you figure out the rest.

Because at the end of the day, adulting might not have come with a manual, but it did come with community, laughter, and backup when you need it most.

Remember!

If you need quick, transparent logbook loan, contact us through our contact form, call us on +254791573231 or visit one of our branches across Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado counties to explore your financial options.