SNAPnSAVE is a cashback shopping app that puts money back into your wallet when you buy certain products – irrespective of where you shop. You download the app, select the products you want to book and then have 48 hours to go shopping and scan...
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The simple truth about investing
In late August I attended the Allan Gray Investment Summit which brought together a range of investment professionals. Most of the day was dedicated to experts discussing investment strategies and their top share picks. But it was the final speaker...
What constitutes bad advice?
Due to the recent poor performance of living annuities, many investors believe that they received bad advice and now want to cash in the investment. This comes down to a question of good or bad advice which is a FAIS (Financial Advisory and...
Insuring your child’s car
Car insurance for a person under the age of 25 can be extremely high as they have a much higher risk rating than someone who has been driving for many years. They are also at that age where they are more likely to undertake risky driving behaviour....
Pros and cons of a joint home loan
With the average house price for a first-time buyer nearly reaching the R1 million mark, few people can afford to buy a home on their own. A R900 000 home loan will require a monthly repayment of R8 800 – this is before you have even started paying...
Market returns disappoint retirees
Poor investment decisions at the time of retirement can have serious consequences which are often only realised several years later. You need to fully understand the implications of your investment choices. Retirees who have been relying on...
Money Makeover Challenge
Six South Africans, six months, major financial decisions: follow their journey as they move from debt to wealth creation. Join me as I take six ordinary South Africans through the Absa/City Press Money Makeover Challenge where they will undergo a...
Giving up #just1thing could save over R1000 in a month
Sue Torr, a Director at Crue Invest, has conceptualised the #just1thing campaign to show people how sacrificing something small, like a cup of coffee or manicure, can have a meaningful, positive effect on your bank balance. The saying “short-term...
Good news for those claiming UIF
Please note that this website cannot answer your questions about your UIF application. You must apply and submit your continuation forms via the UIF website. If you are struggling with the online application process, you can email Ms Ditoro...
Which are the top medical schemes?
Discovery and Momentum medical schemes top the tables in the 2017 GTC Medical Aid Survey across most plans. The extensive survey, conducted by financial advisory firm GTC, takes various criteria into account when ranking the scheme options. Jill...
Previous Articles
New search engine for unclaimed benefits
Over R42 billion of retirement money remains unclaimed, which – according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) – accounts for 1.8% of all retirement money. Over the last few years, efforts have been made by administrators of retirement funds and the FSCA...
Does a new car make us happy?
I recently spent some time interviewing potential candidates for the City Press/Absa Money Makeover competition. It is so interesting that almost all applicants state that their biggest financial mistake was buying a new car. As one applicant said to me: “I feel so...
The myths and truth about forex trading
Forex trading has taken on mythical dimensions, with many believing it’s a way to trade themselves out of poverty and into riches. What is the truth? “I run an online share trading platform and I don’t consider myself a forex trader; in fact, I would not want to try...
Common mistakes when drafting a Will and how they impact your wishes
By Kezia Talbot, Legal Advisor and Remay de Kock, Legal Adviser at BDO SA. It is officially National Wills Week. Wills can get quite tricky – there are several common mistakes that are made when drafting a Will that can have a serious impact on your wishes. One of the...
Cheaper credit insurance
On 9 August, the new limits on how much a lender can charge for credit insurance came into effect. Credit insurance is usually required when taking out a loan; the policy assists in the repayment of the loan if you die, are retrenched or become disabled. For several...
Bitcoin: cutting through the hype
By Mike van der Westhuizen, Portfolio Manager, Citadel, and Nishlen Govender, Investment Analyst, Citadel Recent Bitcoin mania has raised a heated debate as to what the world’s largest cryptocurrency (by market capitalisation) is actually worth. Until recently Bitcoin...
Running your business as a personal piggybank could scuttle future growth
By Gary Palmer, CEO at Paragon Lending Solutions Death and taxes – the two certainties in life. While we spend a good portion of our time working out, eating right and minimising personal risk to avoid the former, getting too clever in avoiding the latter could cost...
Should you be investing in clothing retail stocks?
You may be aware of the clothing retail sector’s golden decade that South Africa has just experienced. However, with consumer confidence in the economy at lows not seen since the 1980s, clothing retail stock prices have tumbled to levels that look temptingly cheap...
Investing in retirement
Finding a balance between market returns and a guaranteed income in retirement When you retire from a pension fund or a retirement annuity fund, you are only allowed to take one-third of the value of your fund in cash; the remaining two-thirds must be invested into an...
US tech sector: continued run-up or correction coming?
Since the infamous “dotcom” meltdown nearly two decades ago, people have tended to question any sort of extended run-up in technology-sector stocks. Stephen Dover, executive vice president and head of equities at Franklin Templeton Investments and chief investment...