As a college student, I know a thing or two about saving money: thrift stores and Ikea are your best friends, Bloomingdale’s is your enemy, and Ramen noodles and coffee are your lifeblood. Normally, this blog will be about ways to save on everything from groceries to entertainment costs. Recently, however, I earned the job of a lifetime; this spring I will be working for ten weeks in a South African newsroom. While I love saving money at home, I thought it would be interesting to look at the most expensive homes in South Africa.
Granted, I will not be staying in any of the places listed below, but a girl can dream, right?

Camps Bay, Cape Town

Camps Bay is one of South Africa’s newest “6-star” residential developments (because five stars just were not enough). The tiered community sits between the 12 Apostles mountain range and the ocean. All of the homes in this subdivision come fully-equipped with a touchpad and wireless control over lighting, air-conditioning and security.

Sandhurst, Johannesburg

On the other side of the country there is this gem, perfect for my classmates and me. The realtor calls this palace a “palatial chateau.” Although I do have a love of reflection ponds (of which this property has several), the real gem in this home is the tasting room, which will be great as I test out all of the local cuisine.

Bela Bela

I am a country-girl at heart so maybe this sprawling, 15-bedroom home would be more appropriate. The town of Bela-Bela is named after the hot springs that the town was built around, which will be a great place to rest my achy muscles after a long day. The home is a cool $8 million or 55 million rand, so I may want to start saving now.
While it would be great to live in one of these homes during my stay in South Africa, I think it may be a little out of my budget for this trip.

Speaking of budgets, check out my blog every Monday for money-saving tips for any budget (except maybe the ones who can afford these homes).