We Save Ksh240K for Our Kids’ Fees a Year in Advance; How We Do It

School fees remain one of the biggest financial pressures for Kenyan parents, especially when children are in boarding school. For many families, school opening dates are often accompanied by salary advances, SACCO loans, and frantic calls to relatives as parents try to raise fees on short notice.

For this edition, we cover James (who earns a net salary as a lecturer assistant) and Susan (a communication officer in government), a Nairobi couple who decided to tackle the problem differently. The couple, whose children are currently in Form Two at schools in Mumias and Migori, started saving for secondary school fees a year in advance after years of struggling to raise fees when their children were completing primary school.

Today, they are already saving for their children's Form Three fees.

Also Read: Schools to Charge Extra Fees as KUPPET Disputes Ksh18 Billion Capitation Release 

Here is their story.

School fees was one of the biggest sources of financial stress in our household for years.

When our children were in primary school, we always found ourselves reacting instead of planning. We would wait for schools to reopen before thinking seriously about fees. Sometimes we relied on our salaries. Other times we took short-term loans or delayed other financial obligations to ensure the children reported back to school on time.

The problem wasn't that we didn't care about planning. We simply underestimated how quickly school fees deadlines arrive.

When our children joined Form One in 2025, my wife and I agreed that we did not want to continue living from one school opening date to the next.

We sat down and calculated exactly how much money we would need for each child every year.

The actual school fees for each child come to approximately Ksh85,000 annually. However, we realised that fees are never the only education expense.

There are shopping requirements, pocket money, transport costs, emergency requests from school, academic trips, and other unexpected expenses that arise during the year.

To cater for all these costs, we budget Ksh120,000 per child every year.

With two children in boarding school, that means we need approximately Ksh240,000 annually.

Once we knew the figure, the solution became much simpler.

Instead of treating school fees as a once-a-year expense, we converted it into a monthly target.

We divided the Ksh240,000 by twelve months and arrived at Ksh20,000 per month.

That became our school fees contribution.

Also Read: I Was About to Buy a Plot in Isinya; Then I Realised It Wouldn't Help Me Escape Rent

The first thing we did was open a separate Money Market Fund account dedicated entirely to education expenses. We wanted the money to remain accessible while earning some returns and, most importantly, to be separated from our day-to-day spending.

Every month, we transfer Ksh20,000 into that account without fail.

Because we started this system when the children joined Form One, we are always saving for the following academic year. The money we saved in 2025 is what we are using to pay for their Form Two fees now without taking loans.

At the moment, we are already building the fund that will pay for our children's Form Three education.

This year alone, we have saved Ksh140,000, and we will be topping up with Ksh20,000 at the end of August when we receive our pay. This puts us well on track to meet our target before the school year begins.

One of the biggest benefits of this approach is peace of mind.

When schools reopen, we do not have to depend on whether salaries have been paid or whether we qualify for a loan. The money is already available because we have been preparing for it throughout the year.

The school fees fund is just one part of our broader family budget.

I earn a net salary of Ksh100,000, working as an assistant lecturer, while my wife earns Ksh80,000, giving us a combined household income of Ksh180,000 per month.

We live in a two-bedroom apartment in Buruburu, where rent costs Ksh30,000 per month.

Since I work along Ngong Road and my wife works in Nairobi CBD, fuel costs approximately Ksh20,000 monthly.

Food and groceries take another Ksh15,000, while utilities, including electricity, water and internet, account for around Ksh10,000.

We also spend approximately Ksh10,000 on household shopping for items such as detergents, toiletries and other necessities.

Another important budget item is support for our extended families. We set aside Ksh10,000 every month, with each of us contributing Ksh5,000 towards helping our families whenever needed.

Apart from the school fees fund, we save another Ksh20,000 monthly towards long-term financial goals and contribute Ksh10,000 to an emergency fund.

Our househelp earns Ksh15,000 per month.

Also Read: How I Pay Ksh45K School Fees for My Kids Without Digging into My Pocket

To maintain some personal financial independence, we each keep Ksh10,000 in separate personal accounts for individual expenses, bringing the total personal allocation to Ksh20,000.

Looking back, the biggest lesson for us is that school fees should never be treated as an emergency.

Today, instead of worrying about the next school opening date, we focus on keeping our savings contributions consistent.

That simple change has transformed how we manage one of the biggest expenses in our household.

What We Learn From James and Susan's Story

• Treat school fees as a monthly expense, not a termly emergency.
• Include hidden education costs such as shopping, transport and emergencies in your school fees budget.
• Separate school fees savings from everyday spending using a dedicated account.
• Start saving for the next academic year as early as possible.
• Consistency matters more than large one-time deposits.