You can apply for debt review if you are unable to meet your debt commitments. However, in some cases, your finances may improve and you may wish to exit debt review. Whether or not you are able to exit will be determined by where you are in the...
When to consider debt counselling
As salaries struggle to keep up with inflation, and the economy in general continues to deteriorate, many middle- and higher-income earners are now relying more heavily on unsecured loans to maintain their lifestyles. As a result, many more South...
Debt levels rise as salaries fall short of inflation
Higher-income earners are tapping into unsecured loans to maintain their lifestyles as their salaries fail to keep up with inflation. Debt Counselling firm DebtBusters recently released their quarterly debt report for the last quarter of 2019, and...
Listen: Drowning in debt? You are not alone
The debt statistics, especially for higher-income earners, are alarming. Figures released as part of National Debt Awareness month show that, on average, higher-income earners have increased their debt by 50% since 2014. In this podcast Maya...
Video: Debt relief
The National Credit Amendment Act (NCA) was signed into law in 2019. The Act included provisions for debt relief. This is not a way to avoid your debt obligations and you need to understand what it really means. This is a free debt review process...
An end to excessive fees on garnishee orders
A landmark ruling by the High Court has found against the excessive over-charging of debt collection fees on garnishee orders. The judgment will not only have a significant impact on the amount lawyers may charge for legal fees on outstanding debt,...
Video: Beware balloon payments
Balloon payments are a way for consumers to buy a car they cannot really afford, and the real cost is seldom understood. A balloon or residual payment is a portion of the selling price that is payable at the end of the agreement. A dealership may...
OBS advises to check your loan statements
Incorrect balances and terms on home loans, personal loans and revolving credit make up a significant portion of complaints to the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), according to its latest report. Of the 5 996 cases it has closed so far this...
Using a personal loan to pay off your home
“I have been paying extra into my mortgage each month but it still taking a long time to pay if off”, says Martha, a reader who wonders if it would make sense to rather take out a personal loan over five years and use the money to settle her...
How to hit the jackpot on Black Friday
By Lee Naik, CEO TransUnion Africa Some people love it. Some people hate it. But whatever your feelings about Black Friday, the one thing you can’t do is ignore it. South African retailers and consumers alike have embraced America’s favourite...
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Q&A: Debt Review
A recent court ruling provided clarity around exactly how and when an individual may exit debt review, but there is still a lot of confusion around the debt review process. I have recently paid off my car and some credit I had, but I still have four outstanding debts...
Video: Loan scams on the rise
There has been an increase in loan scams as people become financially desperate and see a cheap loan as a way out of a financial crisis. My inbox is flooded each day with companies claiming to offer really cheap loans. Many of these emails are using names of...
Increase in unsecured debt is cause for concern
Over 6 million applications for credit were turned down in the second quarter of this year, according to the latest Consumer Credit Market Report. In comparison to the same period last year, the number of new credit transactions and facilities opened decreased by over...
Video: Credit is not for dresses
I was recently sitting in a waiting room, flicking through a magazine. They had an advert for a women’s clothing catalog and the prices were shown as monthly installments. For example, one dress was only R57 a month over 12 months or R109 per month if you paid over...
When can you exit debt review?
Many consumers commit themselves to debt review only to get cold feet several months later. For some, finding themselves cut off from credit lines is just too stressful, while others find their financial situation may have already improved. A recent court ruling...
Do you know whether you have a personal loan or a credit facility?
Jane contacted us after being caught out by a credit agreement in which she thought she had taken out a personal loan. She discovered later that what she had signed up for was a revolving credit facility, which is very different from a personal loan and is constructed...
Debt relief has more questions than answers
There is no question that the debt crisis faced by lower-income households needs to be urgently addressed, however the provisions for debt intervention in the National Credit Amendment Act raise many questions about how and when it will be implemented. The banks have...
Listen: Credit facility vs personal loan: knowing the difference will save you a fortune
Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) discuss the dangers of signing up for a credit facility as well as how your partner’s debt can impact your credit score.
What the debt relief bill really means
Recently President Ramaphosa signed the National Credit Amendment Act (NCA) into law which included the so-called Debt Relief Bill. This has generated an avalanche of headlines claiming that consumers’ debt is to be expunged. These are dangerous headlines and any...
Video: How much does your debt cost?
Have you ever wondered how much your debt is actually costing you? It is probably a lot more than you realise by the time you have included all the interest and fees payable. If you borrow for less than six months, the microlender can charge up to 5% interest a month,...