"I recently read an article that stated that by investing R500 per month you can save R2.3-million. You said that this is the power of compound interest growth although one has only contributed R60 000, the rest is all growth from the investment...
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Can you live without debt?
I was recently asked whether or not it was possible for a family of four to live without short-term debt. I think the question needs to be reversed. We need to be asking why we believe we need debt in order to live. According to the Old Mutual...
Debt free in retirement
"I am looking at possible retirement in 3 to 4 year’s time. The current value of my pension fund is R4.5 million but I have a home loan of R800 000. Should I use part of my fund to settle the bond?" asks David Maya replies: You don’t want to cash...
The one-hour budget
What a budget really means is spending less than you earn and saving the balance. Most of us think we know the state of our finances, but right now can you say exactly how much do you spend each month? But it would take less than an hour to draw up...
RSA Retail Bond Restart Option: The best cash investment
Many investors will by now be familiar with the RSA Retail Bond range offered by National Treasury that offers aggressive interest rates for savings between R1000 to R5 million. What few people are aware of however is that National Treasury offers...
Did you change your locks?
Today I received a press release from an insurance company which made me realise I have been very lax about my security. The article raised the point that most people do not change their locks when they move into a new home. I just realised I never...
Will gold shares benefit from a higher gold price?
For quite some time now gold analysts have been advising investors to invest in physical gold rather than gold companies as the costs of mining gold have negated much of the benefit of the rising gold price. However Kobus Nell, Resources Analyst at...
The legalities of renting a home
Whether you're a tenant or a landlord, it's wise to keep in mind the legalities of residential letting in South Africa. Landlords need to follow correct procedures in terms of recovering rental. A landlord is obliged to send a letter of demand...
Smart investments for pensioners
Investors have endured continuously falling short-term interest rates, which are now reaching 30-year-lows. This begs the question as to what pensioners should do with their investments in the fixed interest domain, given the current environment....
Five mistakes to avoid when saving for retirement
The average retiree will have generated savings that will purchase a pension of only 30% of the salary they were earning before retirement. It's a gloomy statistic, suggesting that we're either not well informed, are not getting the right advice or...
Previous Articles
What do rich people know that we don’t?
South Africa is one of Africa's richest nations and we are seeing an increase in wealthy families. These families generally have one aim in mind – to grow wealth and, where possible, pass it on to future generations. Leaving a legacy is something we'd all like to do...
Calculate how much energy your electricity appliances use
Knowing exactly how much electricity you use is essential if you are going to introduce an effective power saving campaign at home and save money. Your electricity bill will give you the details on what your tariff is. According to De Wet Zwarts of Solar...
Market will still deliver returns
I have been avoiding adding to the already uncountable amount of column space dedicated to fund managers’ views on the recent market correction and importantly the prospects lying ahead. But, like the proverbial moth circling the flame, I have found the attraction...
Ten reasons to invest in an RA
If you're thinking of investing in a retirement annuity (RA), consider the advantages according to Rowan Burger, head of investment strategy at Liberty Retail South Africa. "To prevent people from relying on the government to provide for them in their old age, there...
Mixed fortunes for Western Cape property
The very first question which the sample of agents, surveyed for the 2nd quarter FNB Estate Agent Survey for the City of Cape Town, is asked is how they perceive residential demand activity levels. This is a subjective rating, on a scale of 1 to 10, and our City of...
How to reduce your monthly car expenses
South African consumers may be buying cars with alacrity, but the cost of running a car isn’t insignificant. With this in mind, Chris de Kock, executive head of sales and marketing at WesBank, has come up with some tips to help us all save on our monthly car expenses....
How do I consolidate my debt?
" I want to consolidate my debt and apply for a home loan, how do I go about it?," asks Howard Maya replies: Debt consolidation is usually done when you already own a home and you can use some of the equity (the difference between the value of the house and the...
Should I buy Krugerrands?
I am interested in buying Krugerrands. They appeal to me as they are a physical investment that I can actually store at home, show friends and family and pass down to children and grandchildren. The question is, is it a sound investment? Would I be better off in...
Gold Bugs Bite
A few days ago I received an email from a colleague asking me where he could by gold “lots of it”. This took me back a few years to December 1999. I was working for a stockbroking firm and a friend of mine, who had never owned a share in her life, called me wanting to...
Paying for financial advice
Dumisani asks: In 2009 I took out a retirement annuity with Momentum to supplement my company provident fund. I contribute R500 per month to it. I recently requested that my portfolio of underlying unit trusts to be restructured into a higher risk portfolio and I was...