If your debt counsellor is not registered, or not contactable, or not providing you the required service, then you can transfer to another debt counsellor. All you have to do is approach a new debt counsellor and complete the application form. It...
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Active versus passive during COVID-19 market turbulence
By David Shochot, CEO: Stylo Investments Proponents of active management argue that this style of investing adds value in a bear market. They argue that with sharp market falls and with asset price volatility, the flexibility of an active manager...
Video: What is considered a good credit score?
Say you have been working hard at improving your credit score by settling outstanding debts and you are now paid up and you want to buy a house or a car. How long before that reflects on your credit score to the extent that you are now considered a...
Premium relief on medical schemes unlikely
Don’t expect a blanket premium relief, but if you are struggling, contact your medical scheme for options. If you are struggling to meet your medical scheme contribution this month, don’t hold out for a blanket offering of a premium waiver. Medical...
Listen: Investing with guarantees
With the economic fallout expected from COVID-19, investors have either seen their portfolios seriously hurt or are too afraid to enter the equity market now. Sitting in cash is an option, but what if markets recover and investors lose out on...
How your stokvel can make you money
While you are sitting in lockdown, now may be the time to turn that WhatsApp group into a stokvel. In her book Stokvels: How they can make your money work for you, author and financial educator Palesa Lengolo writes, “I have watched how some...
Money Makeover: Talking money so that your partner will listen
Any financial journey cannot progress unless your partner is on board. If you share a household, you share your finances. Money is a highly emotional topic; it is cited as the number one reason for divorce. So, having a relationship where you can...
Video: Understanding loyalty programmes
75% of South Africans who earn at least R10 000 a month belong to one or more of the 100-odd loyalty programmes in South Africa. While loyalty programmes are popular, are they really working for you or just cluttering up your wallet with another...
Unpacking interest rates
Last month, the South African Reserve Bank cut rates by 100 basis points and this led to many questions about the mechanism of interest rates. We unpack how interest rates work both for borrowers and savers. What is the difference between the repo...
Listen: Teaching your kids about money
Most parents make supreme sacrifices to provide for their children. Research shows that mothers in particular will put their children’s needs before their own. We want to offer our children the perfect world where they want for nothing, where they...
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Free advice for distressed SMEs
Financial and strategic advisory company Fluence Capital is now offering pro-bono support and guidance for South Africans facing the potential loss of their business due to the COVID-19 shutdown. “Many companies tend to wait until the last minute to seek help when...
Raising your kids with values
This Mother’s Day I will have been a mom for 20 years, as my son celebrates his 20th birthday this week. Being under lockdown and living through COVID-19 has been a huge teaching and learning opportunity when it comes to raising our children to become responsible...
Video: Should you use your home loan to buy a car?
Home loans are usually the cheapest form of financing and it may seem like common sense to use this lower interest rate to pay for shorter-term debt like car finance. In theory you save money by paying a lower interest rate, however, most people forget that a car is...
Why successful investors avoid gambling
Financial markets are no place for gambling on a single share or even a single asset class, says Tlotliso Phakisi, Investment Analyst at Cannon Asset Managers. One of the most famous poker games ever recorded took place at the 2008 World Series of Poker, where...
Listen: Money Makeover: Love and Money
Regardless of how motivated you are to improve your finances, you will struggle to make progress unless your partner is also on board. In our third City Press/ABSA Money Makeover podcast, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) talk “marriage and money” and...
How credit insurance can cover your debt
If you are being retrenched or forced to take unpaid leave due to the lockdown, you may be able to claim from your credit insurance policy. Many people, especially those with short-term debt and even store cards, may have credit insurance without even being aware of...
Money Makeover: Adapting financial plans for the lockdown
For our Absa/City Press Money Makeover candidates, the COVID-19 lockdown has been an unexpected obstacle on their journey to financial freedom. While Mishack has lost out on overtime pay, Colen is worried about his investment properties and Bellah’s construction...
Video: What happens when you pay off your home loan?
If you have been paying extra into your home loan and have settled it before the required date, you need to decide whether you wish to keep the mortgage bond in place. The home loan is the credit facility that the bank grants, while the mortgage bond refers to the...
When do you qualify for a chargeback?
When you use your credit card for transactions, you qualify for chargeback rights if merchants don't deliver goods and services. Cowyk Fox from Absa Retail and Business Bank explains: “In essence, a chargeback prevents customers from suffering financial loss and...
Listen: The interest rate cut and your money: 101
As a result of the unexpected 100bps cut in interest rates, we received many questions about interest rates, and the impact the rate cut has on both borrowers and savers. Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) unpack how interest rates work and do some...