Why interest rates are rising
The normalisation of interest rates is set to be a major theme for global financial markets in...
The ‘silent’ changes affecting South Africans who are emigrating
The transition from the old emigration regime to the current regime ‒ ceasing of tax residency ‒...
Listen: Investing in farming
“It is not only a crowdfunding platform, but a crowd value creation platform ‒ an ecosystem of...
Vote for your GEPF trustees
The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) will be holding its elections for new trustees from...
Manage Your Money
This site is a collection of articles written by finance journalist Maya Fisher-French as well as other contributors. The aim of Maya on Money is to help you with those day-to-day money decisions related to South African finance matters. Articles cover all those areas that you need in order to manage your money effectively such as budgeting, saving, investing, banking and insurance. Feel free to engage with us on social media.
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Manage your Money!
My Money
Why interest rates are rising
The normalisation of interest rates is set to be a major theme for global financial markets in 2022, says Carmen Nel, economist and macro strategist at Matrix Fund Managers. Normalisation of interest rates means different things in different economies. In the...
Five ways to boost your income and financial knowledge
Angelique Ruzicka shares five ideas for how you can improve your financial knowledge and possibly boost your income. Boosting your income, especially during a pandemic, can feel nigh on impossible, especially when costs are going up and you’ve been told there’s no...
Financial tools to keep you on track in 2022
Advances in technology mean that it’s now so easy to keep track of your finances and achieve savings goals, using smartphone apps, websites, and other online financial tools, says Angelique Ruzicka. If you’re still using Excel or some other rudimentary means to keep...
What will the rand do in 2022?
Ryan Booysen, MD at DG Capital Forex, stares into his crystal ball to predict where the rand will go in 2022. The rand ended 2021 on the back foot, after the Omicron announcement and subsequent global kneejerk reaction of isolation and red-listing the country. And...
My Debt
SARS gets serious over non-compliance
Jashwin Baijoo, Legal Manager, Africa Tax and Compliance at Tax Consulting SA, warns all non-compliant taxpayers that SARS could be coming for them sooner rather than later. In media statements in recent months, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has made clear...
Should I use my retirement lump sum to settle my debt?
A question that I often receive is whether it's a good idea to use one's lump sum on retirement to pay off short-term debts, such as car debt or one's credit card. For example, Ntombise recently wrote to me: “I have just retired from work and expect a lump sum...
The 2022 survival budget
As if the last two years were not tough enough, there is no silver lining awaiting us in 2022. In 2021 we absorbed further fuel-price increases, a 15% hike in electricity costs, and an interest-rate increase of 25 basis points – and this is only the start. It is...
Pay off my bond or invest?
Stephen Katzenellenbogen and Brendon Wright of NFB Private Wealth Management address a common dilemma faced by many: should I put all of my spare cash into my bond, or invest it instead? Many people are working towards the goal of being free of all debt, including...
My Investments
Listen: Investing in farming
“It is not only a crowdfunding platform, but a crowd value creation platform ‒ an ecosystem of partners rather than a conglomerate owning everything.” Farming is becoming an increasingly popular asset class. Crowdfunding for farming ticks many boxes as a “good”...
What will the rand do in 2022?
Ryan Booysen, MD at DG Capital Forex, stares into his crystal ball to predict where the rand will go in 2022. The rand ended 2021 on the back foot, after the Omicron announcement and subsequent global kneejerk reaction of isolation and red-listing the country. And...
Reflecting on the year that was
Victoria Reuvers, Managing Director at Morningstar Investment Management South Africa, looks at how financial markets performed in 2021. As a runner, the change in seasons gives me time to reflect. Autumn is my favourite season, and always reminds me that change is...
How ‘bad timing’ affects retirees’ income
Retirees need to work with their financial advisers to carefully determine the structure, size, and affordability of their future pension withdrawals, particularly in a volatile market environment, says Jean-Pierre Matthews, product head at Matrix Fund Managers. When...
My Property
Pay off my bond or invest?
Stephen Katzenellenbogen and Brendon Wright of NFB Private Wealth Management address a common dilemma faced by many: should I put all of my spare cash into my bond, or invest it instead? Many people are working towards the goal of being free of all debt, including...
Who will inherit your property?
When a person dies intestate (which means without a will), it can become a legal and financial nightmare. If you have property, it’s important to have a will in place which takes the law into account (such as the type of marriage contract you have), and clearly...
Video: Home loan tips
Buying a home is a major financial commitment. While the rate of interest on a home loan is lower than for other forms of credit, the length of time it takes to pay off the loan means you end up paying a hefty interest bill. By reducing your interest rate, you can...
How to save on home loan insurance
When applying for a home loan, the bank will insist that you take out home loan insurance to cover the repayments in the event of death, disability, or retrenchment. Evelyn Doubell, Private Wealth Manager at NFB Wealth Management finds that it’s usually cheaper to...
My Car
What to do if you cannot afford your car payments
As lockdown drags on and job cuts continue, more and more people are facing financial difficulty when it comes to paying off debt. Many people have asked for advice about what they should do if they cannot afford their car payments. The bottom line is that you must...
Listen: Advance payments on your car finance
We did this podcast a year ago, about paying off your vehicle and home loan sooner – but I thought it was worth sharing again, as Absa has now released updates on its banking app for car finance. Absa car finance customers can use the app to pay in additional funds to...
Struggling with car debt? Take action now!
According to the Experian Consumer Default Index, repayment of car debt has shown a marked deterioration as the extended Covid-19 lockdown puts South Africans under more financial pressure. Marc Friedman, CEO of car sale platform Weelee.co.za says that to avoid a...
Competition will cut car ownership costs
Freedom to have your car repaired by a non-dealer will increase competition and reduce the cost of repairing and insuring your car. A couple of years ago when I was buying a second-hand car that didn’t have a service plan, I discovered what a rip-off my dealership had...
My Insurance
Using critical illness insurance to supplement medical cover
Many financial advisers are using life products to supplement medical costs. While current legislation does not allow for cover like critical illness insurance to be marketed as a product to cover medical costs, for most policyholders, that is exactly what it is used...
Options if medical schemes are unaffordable
Medical schemes remain unaffordable for many working South Africans. According to Gary Allen, chief executive at Sanlam Health, an individual should not be spending more than 10% of their income on health cover. Considering that a basic hospital plan can set you back...
Tips for filing a successful insurance claim
Filing an insurance claim can feel like a complicated and confusing undertaking. Karabo Kopeka, Head of Claims at MiWay Insurance, provides tips on how to avoid some common pitfalls. Claiming from your insurance can often be a challenging task, especially following a...
Funeral policy fraud on the increase
When fraudsters access your personal information, they can use this information to take out a funeral policy in your name, and then claim benefits on the policy using a fake death certificate and other supporting documentation. “Finding out you are the victim of a...
My Retirement
Immediate access to retirement funds unlikely
Retirement reform paper calls for comment but no move on immediate access. Retirement fund members hoping to access their retirement funds for urgent financial relief will be disappointed by the retirement reform paper issued by National Treasury last month. In the...
How ‘bad timing’ affects retirees’ income
Retirees need to work with their financial advisers to carefully determine the structure, size, and affordability of their future pension withdrawals, particularly in a volatile market environment, says Jean-Pierre Matthews, product head at Matrix Fund Managers. When...
Video: Plan for retirement
Retirement is something we can plan for ‒ and the better our planning, the more we get to enjoy our retirement years. In this video, I am joined by Guy Chennells, Head of Product at Discovery Employee Benefits, who will give us some tips around what you need to be...
Retirement diversification in action
Rocco Carr, Business Development Manager at Glacier by Sanlam, explains how we should be thinking about different layers when it comes to retirement diversification. What does diversification mean? The dictionary meaning of diversification comes down to the process of...
My Estate
How to provide for your financial dependants
Providing for your family if something happens to you is a priority for every parent. There are several things a member of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) needs to do to make sure their financial dependants are taken care of. Update your nomination forms...
Is a living will legally valid and enforceable?
Juan Buys, Fiduciary Specialist at PPS Fiduciary Services, explains that a living will may not always be enforceable. Sometimes family members face a difficult situation when a decision has to be made about a loved one in circumstances in which they are not able to...
Beware the pitfalls of bequeathing property
When bequeathing property, make sure you have done your estate planning properly. For most middle-class families, the primary residence is the most valuable asset in their estate, as retirement funds fall outside of one’s estate. It is not uncommon for parents to...
Who will inherit your property?
When a person dies intestate (which means without a will), it can become a legal and financial nightmare. If you have property, it’s important to have a will in place which takes the law into account (such as the type of marriage contract you have), and clearly...
MY MONEY
Read up to date articles on Finance, Budgeting and more...Managing your day-to-day money flows – it all begins here. This section provides tips and actions you need in order to tell your money where to go.
Why interest rates are rising
The normalisation of interest rates is set to be a major theme for global financial markets in 2022, says Carmen Nel, economist and macro strategist at Matrix Fund Managers. Normalisation of interest rates means different things in different...
Five ways to boost your income and financial knowledge
Angelique Ruzicka shares five ideas for how you can improve your financial knowledge and possibly boost your income. Boosting your income, especially during a pandemic, can feel nigh on impossible, especially when costs are going up and you’ve been...
Financial tools to keep you on track in 2022
Advances in technology mean that it’s now so easy to keep track of your finances and achieve savings goals, using smartphone apps, websites, and other online financial tools, says Angelique Ruzicka. If you’re still using Excel or some other...
Why interest rates are rising
The normalisation of interest rates is set to be a major theme for global financial markets in 2022, says Carmen Nel, economist and macro strategist at Matrix Fund Managers. Normalisation of interest rates means different things in different...
Five ways to boost your income and financial knowledge
Angelique Ruzicka shares five ideas for how you can improve your financial knowledge and possibly boost your income. Boosting your income, especially during a pandemic, can feel nigh on impossible, especially when costs are going up and you’ve been...
MY DEBT
Credit agreements, Debt Review & more...
SARS gets serious over non-compliance
Jashwin Baijoo, Legal Manager, Africa Tax and Compliance at Tax Consulting SA, warns all non-compliant taxpayers that SARS could be coming for them sooner rather than later. In media statements in recent months, the South African Revenue Service...
Should I use my retirement lump sum to settle my debt?
A question that I often receive is whether it's a good idea to use one's lump sum on retirement to pay off short-term debts, such as car debt or one's credit card. For example, Ntombise recently wrote to me: “I have just retired from work and...
The 2022 survival budget
As if the last two years were not tough enough, there is no silver lining awaiting us in 2022. In 2021 we absorbed further fuel-price increases, a 15% hike in electricity costs, and an interest-rate increase of 25 basis points – and this is only...
SARS gets serious over non-compliance
Jashwin Baijoo, Legal Manager, Africa Tax and Compliance at Tax Consulting SA, warns all non-compliant taxpayers that SARS could be coming for them sooner rather than later. In media statements in recent months, the South African Revenue Service...
Should I use my retirement lump sum to settle my debt?
A question that I often receive is whether it's a good idea to use one's lump sum on retirement to pay off short-term debts, such as car debt or one's credit card. For example, Ntombise recently wrote to me: “I have just retired from work and...
MY INVESTMENTS
Saving, Investing, Investment Products & more...
Listen: Investing in farming
“It is not only a crowdfunding platform, but a crowd value creation platform ‒ an ecosystem of partners rather than a conglomerate owning everything.” Farming is becoming an increasingly popular asset class. Crowdfunding for farming ticks many...
What will the rand do in 2022?
Ryan Booysen, MD at DG Capital Forex, stares into his crystal ball to predict where the rand will go in 2022. The rand ended 2021 on the back foot, after the Omicron announcement and subsequent global kneejerk reaction of isolation and red-listing...
Listen: Investing in farming
“It is not only a crowdfunding platform, but a crowd value creation platform ‒ an ecosystem of partners rather than a conglomerate owning everything.” Farming is becoming an increasingly popular asset class. Crowdfunding for farming ticks many...
What will the rand do in 2022?
Ryan Booysen, MD at DG Capital Forex, stares into his crystal ball to predict where the rand will go in 2022. The rand ended 2021 on the back foot, after the Omicron announcement and subsequent global kneejerk reaction of isolation and red-listing...
MY PROPERTY
Household, Bonds, Mortgages & more...
Pay off my bond or invest?
Stephen Katzenellenbogen and Brendon Wright of NFB Private Wealth Management address a common dilemma faced by many: should I put all of my spare cash into my bond, or invest it instead? Many people are working towards the goal of being free of all...
Who will inherit your property?
When a person dies intestate (which means without a will), it can become a legal and financial nightmare. If you have property, it’s important to have a will in place which takes the law into account (such as the type of marriage contract you...
Video: Home loan tips
Buying a home is a major financial commitment. While the rate of interest on a home loan is lower than for other forms of credit, the length of time it takes to pay off the loan means you end up paying a hefty interest bill. By reducing your...
Pay off my bond or invest?
Stephen Katzenellenbogen and Brendon Wright of NFB Private Wealth Management address a common dilemma faced by many: should I put all of my spare cash into my bond, or invest it instead? Many people are working towards the goal of being free of all...
Who will inherit your property?
When a person dies intestate (which means without a will), it can become a legal and financial nightmare. If you have property, it’s important to have a will in place which takes the law into account (such as the type of marriage contract you...
MY CAR
Finance, Insurance, Purchasing & more...
What to do if you cannot afford your car payments
As lockdown drags on and job cuts continue, more and more people are facing financial difficulty when it comes to paying off debt. Many people have asked for advice about what they should do if they cannot afford their car payments. The bottom line...
Listen: Advance payments on your car finance
We did this podcast a year ago, about paying off your vehicle and home loan sooner – but I thought it was worth sharing again, as Absa has now released updates on its banking app for car finance. Absa car finance customers can use the app to pay in...
Using critical illness insurance to supplement medical cover
Many financial advisers are using life products to supplement medical costs. While current legislation does not allow for cover like critical illness insurance to be marketed as a product to cover medical costs, for most policyholders, that is...
Options if medical schemes are unaffordable
Medical schemes remain unaffordable for many working South Africans. According to Gary Allen, chief executive at Sanlam Health, an individual should not be spending more than 10% of their income on health cover. Considering that a basic hospital...
MY INSURANCE
Life, Short-Term & more...Using critical illness insurance to supplement medical cover
Many financial advisers are using life products to supplement medical costs. While current legislation does not allow for cover like critical illness insurance to be marketed as a product to cover medical costs, for most policyholders, that is...
Options if medical schemes are unaffordable
Medical schemes remain unaffordable for many working South Africans. According to Gary Allen, chief executive at Sanlam Health, an individual should not be spending more than 10% of their income on health cover. Considering that a basic hospital...
Tips for filing a successful insurance claim
Filing an insurance claim can feel like a complicated and confusing undertaking. Karabo Kopeka, Head of Claims at MiWay Insurance, provides tips on how to avoid some common pitfalls. Claiming from your insurance can often be a challenging task,...
Using critical illness insurance to supplement medical cover
Many financial advisers are using life products to supplement medical costs. While current legislation does not allow for cover like critical illness insurance to be marketed as a product to cover medical costs, for most policyholders, that is...
Options if medical schemes are unaffordable
Medical schemes remain unaffordable for many working South Africans. According to Gary Allen, chief executive at Sanlam Health, an individual should not be spending more than 10% of their income on health cover. Considering that a basic hospital...
MY RETIREMENT
Pre and Post Retirement & more...
Immediate access to retirement funds unlikely
Retirement reform paper calls for comment but no move on immediate access. Retirement fund members hoping to access their retirement funds for urgent financial relief will be disappointed by the retirement reform paper issued by National Treasury...
How ‘bad timing’ affects retirees’ income
Retirees need to work with their financial advisers to carefully determine the structure, size, and affordability of their future pension withdrawals, particularly in a volatile market environment, says Jean-Pierre Matthews, product head at Matrix...
Video: Plan for retirement
Retirement is something we can plan for ‒ and the better our planning, the more we get to enjoy our retirement years. In this video, I am joined by Guy Chennells, Head of Product at Discovery Employee Benefits, who will give us some tips around...
Immediate access to retirement funds unlikely
Retirement reform paper calls for comment but no move on immediate access. Retirement fund members hoping to access their retirement funds for urgent financial relief will be disappointed by the retirement reform paper issued by National Treasury...
How ‘bad timing’ affects retirees’ income
Retirees need to work with their financial advisers to carefully determine the structure, size, and affordability of their future pension withdrawals, particularly in a volatile market environment, says Jean-Pierre Matthews, product head at Matrix...
MY ESTATE
Wills, Marriage Contracts, Life Cover & More...
How to provide for your financial dependants
Providing for your family if something happens to you is a priority for every parent. There are several things a member of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) needs to do to make sure their financial dependants are taken care of. Update...
Is a living will legally valid and enforceable?
Juan Buys, Fiduciary Specialist at PPS Fiduciary Services, explains that a living will may not always be enforceable. Sometimes family members face a difficult situation when a decision has to be made about a loved one in circumstances in which...
Beware the pitfalls of bequeathing property
When bequeathing property, make sure you have done your estate planning properly. For most middle-class families, the primary residence is the most valuable asset in their estate, as retirement funds fall outside of one’s estate. It is not uncommon...
How to provide for your financial dependants
Providing for your family if something happens to you is a priority for every parent. There are several things a member of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) needs to do to make sure their financial dependants are taken care of. Update...
Is a living will legally valid and enforceable?
Juan Buys, Fiduciary Specialist at PPS Fiduciary Services, explains that a living will may not always be enforceable. Sometimes family members face a difficult situation when a decision has to be made about a loved one in circumstances in which...
Video: Get financially fit for your next holiday
After living in lockdown for over 18 months, many of us just want to go on holiday. Like any major expense, if you plan for it, it doesn’t have to break the bank. Many tourist destinations and establishments are offering great specials, making it more affordable for...
Video: Plan for retirement
Retirement is something we can plan for ‒ and the better our planning, the more we get to enjoy our retirement years. In this video, I am joined by Guy Chennells, Head of Product at Discovery Employee Benefits, who will give us some tips around what you need to be...
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