When Should You Start Saving for School Fees? Lessons from 3 Parents With Very Different Stories

The school calendar often brings a mix of excitement and anxiety: for many parents, the joy of their child’s academic progress is tempered by the looming challenge of school fees. 

In these volatile economic times marked by job uncertainties and shifting personal finances, it’s easy to assume that only financial hardship keeps parents from saving. Yet more often, ingrained habits and delayed decisions leave us scrambling. 

Even amid job security and steady paychecks, we fall into the trap of “I’ll deal with it later,” putting off that first transfer, skipping the standing order, or convincing ourselves we’ll catch up tomorrow. Over time, these small delays add up, leaving us unprepared when fees fall due. In other words, it’s not always our bank balance that holds us back, but also our mindset and routines.

To illustrate the profound impact of timing on school fees savings, let's delve into the stories of three parents: Mutiso, Kinyua, and Kiambi. Each took a different approach to saving, leading to markedly different outcomes.

Mutiso – The Early Planner

Mutiso began his savings journey the day his child was born. 

Having hailed from a family that struggled to pay school fees for all his 4 siblings, he grew up seeing the struggle his dad, a simple farmer, went through to educate them. Not forgetting the humiliation from the countless times he was sent back home to fetch school fees. He was determined to never allow his kids to go through the same. He swore that when he became a parent, he would prepare for his children’s education by saving up early. 

True to his word, when his firstborn son was born, he began by allocating Ksh3,500 monthly into a Money Market Fund with an average net return of 10% per annum.

Over the years, he harnessed the quiet power of compound interest. By the time his son was ready to join Junior Secondary School at the age of 12, his savings had grown to approximately Ksh974,000.

This substantial amount ensured that Mutiso could comfortably cover his child's Junior Secondary School fees and had a significant head start for future educational expenses, all without financial strain or resorting to loans.

Kinyua – The Midway Saver

Kinyua was also from a humble background. Just like Mutiso, he managed to get through school, find a stable job, and start a family. He, however, took a different path. 

Since he had a secure job with steady pay, paying school fees for a grade one kid was a piece of cake! However, as economic times became tougher and expenses rose, now a father of 2 kids with more family needs amidst the rise in the cost of living, things were beginning to get tight for him.

The school fees that were once an easy bill felt like an uphill climb —an inconvenient dent in his budget.

He started seeing a bit of his younger self in his children—the uncertainty, the possibility of being sent home for fees. That thought shook him. He knew he had to act. By the time he had this awakening, Kinyua’s firstborn daughter was heading to Grade 3.

He made a few life adjustments and began contributing Ksh3,500 monthly to an MMF, which offered an average net return of 10% per annum. Kinyua’s Money Market Fund savings grew to approximately Ksh207,000 in 4 years.

While Kinyua's efforts were commendable, the shorter saving duration meant he had to supplement the fees from other sources, including his salary.

Kiambi – The Last-Minute Scrambler

Kiambi, our third parent, came from a humble background, just like Kinyua and Mutiso. He fought his way through life and, of the three, ended up with the highest-paying job.

But despite his financial advantage, Kiambi lived in the moment. The "YOLO" mindset shaped his money habits. He didn’t see the need to save for school fees, often brushing it off as an easy bill he’d always manage when the time came.

Then the pandemic hit. At his workplace, there were pay cuts and layoffs. Kiambi was lucky enough to keep his job, but his salary took a significant hit. Five years on,  the financial shake-up left a mark. Saving, especially for school fees, was the last thing on Kiambi’s mind.

And then the rubber meets the road!

When his child received an admission letter to Junior Secondary School, Kiambi was caught flat-footed. Raising the required Ksh72,000 at once was simply not possible. He had to take out a quick loan and a salary advance just to get by.

Kiambi’s last-minute approach came at a cost— financial strain, stress, and the burden of repaying loans with interest, affecting his overall financial stability.

Wrapping Up

Saving for your children’s education is not about how much you earn. In most cases, it is a matter of priority and the right strategy. 

Mutiso showed us that a modest, consistent Ksh3,500 into an MMF from day one can grow into a worry-free school-fees fund. 

Kinyua demonstrated that even a later start—saving Ksh3,500 monthly for four years, lightens the load, though it still calls for careful budgeting. 

And Kiambi’s story reminds us that the highest income offers no protection against panic loans if you wait too long.

Their journeys prove one thing clearly: the best time to start saving was yesterday; the next best time is today!

Consider setting up that standing order, opening that MMF account, or another savings vehicle that will earn your money some interest and make education a non-negotiable line in your budget. Because when the school term arrives, you want to be ready, confident, calm, and debt-free.