How it works
Circles, rounds, and turns—clearly explained
A savings circle is simple in spirit: everyone pays in on a schedule, and each round one member receives the pot. Sousou is the shared ledger and calendar for that rhythm—so your group spends less time on confusion and more time on trust.
Circles, rounds, and turns are the backbone. Once those click, the rest is bookkeeping.
Circles
The group itself: people you invite, a fixed contribution amount, currency, and how often payments fall due (weekly, monthly, and so on). One member is the creator; others join by invite.
Rounds
One step in the schedule. In each round there is exactly one recipient. Everyone who is not the recipient for that round pays their contribution by the due date. When all payments are recorded, you move to the next round.
Turns
Each member’s turn to receive the pot. You move through the roster turn by turn; after everyone has had their turn, the full rotation is done. Then you can start another rotation, adjust rules if everyone agrees, or pause.
From first setup to your first payout
Create or join
The creator sets the circle name, contribution amount, frequency, and currency, then sends invites. Members accept and see the same schedule and order as everyone else.
Pay each round
When it is not your turn to receive, you contribute by the due date. The app shows who is due, how much to pay, and who has already been marked as paid.
Receive the pot
When the round lists you as the recipient, others pay toward your pot. Money moves through whatever channel your group already uses—bank transfer, cash, mobile wallet—then the admin records it in Sousou.
Finish a full rotation, then decide
After everyone has had their turn to receive, the rotation is complete. Start again with the same or a new order, change amount or frequency with group consent, or close the circle when you are done.
A concrete example
Picture six members and a $50 contribution every month. Each round, five people pay in and one person receives the pot.
- Round 1: Member A receives $250 (5 × $50). Rounds 2–6: B, C, D, E, and F each receive the same.
- Six rounds later, everyone has paid five times and received once—everyone has taken a turn.
- Sousou does not move that money for you; it keeps the schedule, roles, and payment marks aligned so nobody has to remember the state in their head.
Where does the money actually go?
Sousou is not a bank and does not hold member funds. Your circle agrees on how cash moves (same bank, mobile money, cash handoff, etc.). The app is the single source of truth for who should pay whom, by when, and what has already been confirmed—so the social agreement stays visible.
What you see in one place
- Members and roles (creator, admins, members)
- Contribution rules: amount, currency, and frequency
- Current round, next recipient, due dates, and who is marked paid
- Past rounds and completed rotations for a clear audit trail
- Reminders and updates so the group stays on the same page
Trust still lives with people
Software cannot replace choosing members wisely or talking things through when life gets messy. Sousou reduces ambiguity: the rules and history are visible to the whole circle, which makes good-faith groups easier to run and misunderstandings easier to prevent.
Want more detail?
We publish longer guides on rounds, turns, trust, and getting started—useful for admins and new members alike.