There is a significant literature that exists within the South African context with regard to stokvels and their monetary value (Verhoef, 2001; Arko-Archemfour, 2012; Thomson and Posel, 2002; Irving, 2005; FinMark, 2013). However, more research is needed, especially qualitative research on reasons why low-income households prefer the use of the sometimes risky informal savings groups above formal financial services. As noted by Rutherford (2000), “Poor people can save and want to save and when they do not save it is because of lack of opportunity rather than lack of capacity”. In this policy brief, we share the experiences and use of stokvels1 in December by project participants in the Social Protection and Local Economic Development (LED): Graduation Pilot Project2 through nine case studies.