We invest our money because we want it to grow or give us an income. But depending on what you invest in, there are different types of investment returns. Interest income is probably the best understood: it is what you earn when you deposit money...
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Beware of your financial adviser asking you to move your investments
It is not uncommon for investors to move their investments from one insurer or asset manager to another. Whether it is because of the promise of better returns, to lower costs or just not being happy with the current company, investors do move...
Listen: Do you really get 55 days’ interest-free credit on your credit card?
Are banks racist? Do you really get 55 days’ interest-free credit on your credit card? Should I buy an apartment or a car – asks a 23-year-old. Maya Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo Makhu (@womanandfinance) discuss this week’s headlines in...
The fight against illegal debit orders
Why has it taken banks so long to take action against illegal debit orders? FNB recently issued a press release stating that it would reverse all debit orders and refund customers who have been victims of ProCall and Mzansi illegal debit orders....
Video: Travel Insurance
An unavoidable expense when planning a holiday, particularly if you're going overseas, is travel insurance. If you have booked your flight using your credit card, you might have automatic travel insurance benefits. However you need to read the fine...
Learn from ordinary South Africans how to turn your finances around
How do you turn your finances around? This is probably the question asked most frequently by people who are feeling overwhelmed by their financial situation. The answer is simple: start taking control of your money rather than letting your emotions...
Listen: How much do you really save by paying a deposit on your car?
How much do you save by paying a deposit on your car? How much tax is in your fuel bill? What does it take to retire early? These are some of the questions discussed in this week's My Money, My Lifestyle podcast, where Maya Fisher-French...
TymeBank launches low-cost offering
TymeBank recently had its official launch, and has already signed up over 80 000 customers. As South Africa’s first fully digital bank, it is what the industry calls a “digital disruptor”. Its only physical presence is at kiosks at PicknPay and...
Where to find the cheapest funeral cover
A reader asked about the pros and cons of taking out funeral cover through a burial home versus going directly through an insurance company. Our research found that the pricing tends to be cheaper if you buy cover through an insurer because, in...
Listen: Will those illegal debit orders be reversed?
Banks reverse illegal debit orders, is TymeBank worth the switch, and dispelling those money myths that hold you back from creating wealth ‒ these are some of the topics discussed in this week's My Money, My Lifestyle podcast, where Maya...
Previous Articles
Off-plan property buyers caught unawares by development delays
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 Jonker, business...
Listen: Should you sign up for a joint bond?
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 podcast, where Maya...
Are you in control of your credit profile?
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 realise you have a bad...
Video: Tax tips for pensioners
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 there are several ways...
Listen: What the budget means for your money and investments
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 Fisher-French discuss...
Why cash has been king
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 that an investment...
Listen: Cut those funeral cover costs; Invest and pay less tax
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 how much can you save...
Earning an income from a cow
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, investors are looking...
Video: Should you use a lump sum to pay off debt?
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 48-month loan of...
Passive ETFs continue to outperform
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 African investment product...