Have you made provision for who should care for your beloved animal friends after your death? A giant ginger cat called Kevin. A tiny guinea pig named Didi. Cheetah the Doberman. Many of us have pets we’ll never forget. They love us...
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Listen: Why are high earners struggling?
Many of us believe that if we simply earned a bit more money, all of our financial issues would disappear. Yet so many South Africans who are considered high-net-worth individuals, are struggling with debt. They earn very good salaries, yet still...
How to prepare your student loan application
The student loan application process can be complex, so do your homework and don’t get caught short. Rising tuition fees have resulted in rising demand for student loans. Standard Bank has noted a surge in student loan applications, including for...
Listen: The young professional’s guide to money mastery
Fulufhelani Mashapha recently published her book Mind Your Cents - A Practical Approach to Financial Freedom. Fulu had asked me to read her draft copy and to write the book’s foreword, and I took the opportunity to interview her about her...
Crypto tax in South Africa: what you need to know
If you hold crypto assets, you need to understand crypto tax — how the South African Revenue Service (SARS) taxes your investments and trades. SARS has provided some guidance on how it handles the taxation of crypto assets, but many people still...
Listen: Knowledge is power
What do you not know about your finances that may be hurting you? Knowledge is power, so isn't it time to find out? A couple of months ago, a friend of mine sent me the link to neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman's podcast on the effects of alcohol...
The best way to fund your holiday
Therèse Havenga, Head of Business Transformation at Momentum Savings, sets out how much a holiday can really cost you if you don’t plan ahead. I usually sleep too late when it comes to booking a holiday. I’m so task-oriented at work that holiday...
How interest on your credit card really works
Interest on your credit card is calculated differently in South Africa from how it works in various other countries. Social media is full of tips on how to maximise the interest-free period on your credit card. The problem is that credit cards in...
Make your stokvel work harder for you and your community
A stokvel is more than just a savings group; it helps people build wealth and make their communities stronger. The end of the year is “stokvel season” – a time when most members receive their payouts. It’s also a great time to take a closer look at...
Buy Nothing Day
We are all being inundated by Black Friday specials. My inbox is full of both press releases and offers from retailers. But how many people know about Buy Nothing Day? Buy Nothing Day was set up as a protest against consumerism. It is held on the...
Previous Articles
Find your unclaimed benefits on the Standard Bank app
Standard Bank has made it easier for clients to access previously unclaimed dividends, pension, and insurance benefits. In collaboration with the unclaimed benefits tracing company Robin Hood, Standard Bank has made the process of claiming these benefits seamless...
Criminals using AI to target retirees
Criminals are now using AI to create sophisticated phishing emails, build hacking tools and uncover weaknesses in IT systems. While the world marvelled last year at the ease with which artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT completed tasks for everyday users, the...
Listen: Inside the Medium-Term Budget 2024
Last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the Medium-Term Budget, which is tabled every year in October. In this podcast, I am joined by Gcobisa Magazi, director of public finance at National Treasury, to discuss the Medium-Term Budget. Most people only...
The AI bullet train
Technology in general, and AI in particular, is moving ahead at breakneck speed. We need to make sure we are on the train, not hit by it. I recently attended the SingularityU South Africa summit, sponsored by Old Mutual. Listening to speakers like David Roberts and...
Tokenisation: what you need to know
In January this year, Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, said that “the next step going forward will be the tokenisation of financial assets, and that means every stock, every bond … will be on one general ledger.” Last month, crypto asset exchange Mesh.trade launched...
Are credit scores being used to sell credit products?
Over the last few years credit scores have become big business. Banks now have customers’ credit scores accessible on their banking apps, and they actively encourage customers to check their scores. There has also been a proliferation of credit score products, such as...
Use the rate cut to pay off your mortgage
The recent rate cut provides a great opportunity for you to make a dent in your mortgage. When the Monetary Policy Committee recently voted to cut interest rates by 25 basis points, many households – especially those with mortgages and car finance – would have heaved...
Technical issues hamper GEPF payments
The sheer number of savings pot withdrawal applications by GEPF members has caused some technical glitches, but these are being dealt with and the speed of payouts should start improving soon. As at Friday 4 October, the GEPF had received 252 592 applications for...
Advance payments on car finance explained
Advance payments on car finance can be confusing, as different finance houses may have different ways of treating these advance payments. Any debt that you pay off sooner than required will save you money on interest. However, you need to understand how advance...
Two-pot withdrawals: GEPF members to start receiving payment soon
The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has confirmed that it will start processing payments for those members who have made applications to withdraw from their savings pot as part of the implementation of the new two-pot retirement system. The GEPF had...