"FROM SHACK TO MY OWN HOME": GENT SHARES STORY OF SAVING MONEY TO BUILD HIS OWN HOME

• A man inspired South Africans after posting his journey from living in a shack to building his own home through dedication and saving
• In his TikTok video, the content creator shows how he gradually purchased building materials, cleared land, and worked with builders to create his open-plan home
• Social media users flooded the comments with congratulations and thanks for the motivation, with many saying his achievement made them believe in their dreams

A South African man has given hope to many after sharing his inspirational journey of saving money to build his own home from scratch. Instagram user @ray_thaplugg posted a video documenting his path from living in a shack to owning a beautiful house that he built himself step by step.

In the heartwarming clip shared in mid-February, the Gauteng-based content creator shows his dedication to achieving one of his biggest life goals, proving that with patience and hard work, owning a home is possible even without enormous wealth.

The video takes viewers through each stage of his building process, starting with the man clearing the land where his future home would stand. He then shows how he purchased building materials like cement blocks, sand, and other essentials from a building warehouse.

With materials in hand, he hired skilled builders who worked alongside him to turn his dream into reality. The clip reveals the construction process from foundation to finished home, including the structure setup, roofing installation, plastering, and electrical fittings.

The end result is a beautifully designed open-plan home, complete with a bathroom, bedroom, and a spacious living area. @ray_thaplugg emphasises how this achievement came after a long and challenging journey, but his belief in himself and determination to reach his goal kept him going despite the difficulties.

Watch the Facebook reel below.

Benefits of home ownership

Owning a home gives you both financial benefits and mental benefits that make it worth the effort. When you rent, your monthly payments help someone else, but when you own a home, you build your wealth that can grow over time.

A home is one of the most valuable things a person can own. Once you've paid it off completely, it gives you permanent shelter no matter what happens in your life, and you can pass it down to your family members, giving them a big advantage.

When you own your home, you can change it however you want to match your taste, unlike renters who must ask permission to make changes. While having to do your maintenance is part of ownership, being able to create a truly personal space makes this worth it.

Also, homeowners can use home equity, the difference between what your property is worth and how much you still owe on it, as security for other financial needs like home improvements or buying a vehicle.

SA celebrates his achievement

South Africans were deeply moved by the man's accomplishment, with many sharing heartfelt congratulations in the comment section:

@marciaraphadu expressed joy:

"The best thing I've seen today, heartfelt congratulations 🥂"

@dineomatsila praised the inspiring content:

"Congratulations on your new house ❤️🎊🎊This is the kind of content we wanna see... You motivate us, keep up the good work 👏"

@mahiraah___ shared how the video affected her:

"Congratulations, just watching this made me feel so good. You inspire me👏🏼🤌🏼"

@ridhwaana kept it simple but sincere:

"Congratulations. A job well done."

@relebohile4425 showed brotherhood support:

"Congratulations, my brother 👊🏻👍🏻"

More house stories making news

• Briefly News recently reported on a realtor who sparked heated online debates after listing a three-bedroom Johannesburg apartment for only R470,000.
• A brave Cape Town couple purchased what neighbours called "the ugliest house on the street" for a bargain price, but the jaw-dropping transformation they revealed after months of hard work left social media users begging to know their renovation secrets.
• An emotional video of a young man taking his grandmother to see the progress on their new family home went viral.

2025-04-15T11:09:06Z