Financial stress is tightening its grip on South Africans. This is according to the latest Money Stress Tracker – released this week by DebtBusters. The report has found  that more than 70% of consumers have reported money-related anxiety. Escalating living costs, mounting debt repayments and fears of running out of money before month-end are among the biggest concerns in 2026, while home-life stress has climbed to a five-year high, highlighting the hidden emotional toll that financial strain is taking on households. For more our producer Sisanda Jonas spoke to Benay Sager, Executive head of DebtBusters and began by asking him to unpack the findings of the 2026 Money Stress Tracker