“I've freed up R500 per month and would like to invest this amount every month in a unit trust account, but I don't know anything about unit trusts, how they work or who to contact to do this,” writes Thami. Maya replies: This is an excellent...
How to buy ETFs
It goes without saying that not all Top 40 exchange traded funds (ETFs) are alike. You need to consider what you expect from them before you include them in your portfolio. As with unit trusts, ETF managers use the Top-40 benchmark for their...
What is the cheapest bank account?
It really depends on your needs. Nedbank, Capitec and FNB seem to be the banks offering some of the best products. But you need to understand your banking profile first. Capitec can be cost effective if you do not do a lot of transactions in a...
What should be in my financial plan?
Pay off debt: It is always best to pay off high interest debt like your credit card. If you want to use your credit card for convenience set up a debit order so that it is paid in full at the end of every month. Emergency fund: Everyone should have...
How do I start investing?
You need to take your personal circumstances into consideration but here are some points to consider: Beware of cash: Over time cash will not keep up with inflation so unless you are only saving for one or two years, it is best to invest in a...
Deciding between a unit trust or an ETF
I recently wrote about how a R200 a month investment became worth R35 000 by just investing investing in Satrix 40, an index-tracking exchange traded fund. I mentioned that the returns could have been even better if I had selected one of the top...
