Buying a property off plan is often perceived as a smart option for people looking for a good deal. Negotiating directly with developers on your requirements and even sometimes benefiting from a lower price can seem attractive. However, Wilhelm...
Listen: Should you sign up for a joint bond?
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 26, 2019
Is your adviser really acting in your best interests, what you need to know before taking out a joint bond and why you cannot take your retirement annuity as a lump sum ‒ these are some of the topics discussed in this week's My Money, My Lifestyle...
Are you in control of your credit profile?
Guest AuthorFeb 25, 2019
By Mellony Ramalho, African Bank Group Executive The start of a new year is a great time to review your finances and saving habits and to check up on your credit profile. Often it is only when you apply for credit and get turned down that you...
Video: Tax tips for pensioners
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 23, 2019
One of the great frustrations for pensioners is the fact that they usually pay tax on their retirement income despite having paid tax during their working lives. It is important to do proper tax planning and seek the advice of a professional as...
Listen: What the budget means for your money and investments
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 22, 2019
Was this budget enough to prevent a credit downgrade and what does that mean for our finances? How much tax are we really paying, are prescribed assets still a possibility, and has retirement reform stalled? Listen to financial journalist Maya...
Why cash has been king
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 21, 2019
Investors in cash have had better real returns in the last two years than any time since the end of the credit crisis fallout in 2010. A real return is the difference between the interest you earn and the inflation rate. The normal rule of thumb is...
Listen: Cut those funeral cover costs; Invest and pay less tax
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 19, 2019
The My Money, My Lifestyle podcast is a new podcast in which Maya Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo Makhu (@womanandfinance) talk about the articles making headlines in the Personal Finance section of City Press. This week's topics include...
Earning an income from a cow
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 18, 2019
Livestock Wealth is a 'crowdfarming' platform that connects investors looking to invest in cattle with farmers looking for funds to grow their farms. With lacklustre ‒ and even negative ‒ returns from the stock market over the last three years,...
Video: Should you use a lump sum to pay off debt?
Maya Fisher-FrenchFeb 15, 2019
One of the more frequent questions people ask is whether or not to use a lump sum to pay off debt. For example, you may have R100 000 sitting in a money market account earning 6%, providing an income of R500 per month. At the same time, you have a...
Passive ETFs continue to outperform
Guest AuthorFeb 14, 2019
By Mike Brown, Managing Director, etfSA.co.za The results of the latest Collective Investment Schemes Quarterly Performance Survey (ASISA/Profile Data, 31/12/2018) emphasise, yet again, that passive ETFs continue to come out as the top South...

Previous Articles
Listen: Protect yourself from SIM Swops; Unit trusts or ETFs?
Feb 12, 2019
The My Money, My Lifestyle podcast is a new podcast in which Maya Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo Makhu (@womanandfinance) talk about the articles making headlines in the Personal Finance section of City Press. This week's topics include understanding the...
Understanding how unit trusts are priced
Feb 11, 2019
Allan Gray’s Ray Mhere explains how a unit trust is priced and what it means for you as an investor. Many of us are familiar with unit trusts as an easy and affordable way to access financial markets. Your money is combined with the money of other investors who have...
Video: Give gifts of love
Feb 8, 2019
Before you spend money on a gift for a family member, take some time to find out what makes each member of your family feel loved. In the book The Five Love Languages authors Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell talk about the five ways that you can make someone feel loved....
Can you take over someone else’s life policy?
Feb 7, 2019
If you have an elderly parent who has been paying towards a life or funeral policy for many years but can no longer afford the premiums, it may make sense to take over the policy payments if you are the beneficiary. If the policyholder were to cancel the policy, they...
Listen: How to invest in a cow; Why cash has been king
Feb 5, 2019
The My Money, My Lifestyle podcast is a new podcast featuring the contributors to the City Press Personal Finance pages. From how to invest in a cow, enjoying your money and why cash has been king, Maya Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo Makhu (@womanandfinance)...
Can a credit card save you money?
Feb 4, 2019
A social media follower recently asked me how he could benefit from using a credit card. The answer is that is depends entirely on your self-discipline. If you are the personality type who may make all sorts of promises to only use it for emergencies, but somehow a...
Video: What’s does financial freedom mean to you?
Feb 1, 2019
Financial freedom means different things to different people. For some it might be about having no debt so that you start each month not paying for something you bought six months ago, which is really about living within your means. For others it is enough money saved...
Making money out of farming, without owning a farm
Jan 31, 2019
Investing in farming can be both a good investment and a social good. It is not often I get really excited about a new investment opportunity, but I have to confess that I really like the Fedgroup Impact Farming concept. It is simple to understand and has the...
Listen: How to settle your balloon payment; Should you cash in your pension?
Jan 29, 2019
The My Money, My Lifestyle podcast is a new podcast featuring the contributors to the City Press Personal Finance pages. From how to settle your balloon payment, whether to cash in your pension and all you need to know about tax-free savings, Maya Fisher-French...
How to create self-discipline when it comes to money
Jan 28, 2019
If you want to reduce debt and increase savings in 2019, take some simple steps now to make it easier to reach your goals. Many economists and psychologists have made careers out of trying to understand why we make “bad” choices, which we invariably regret. We know if...








