I was recently speaking to a young woman who had just bought her first house. She admitted that she had been caught completely off guard by all the expenses she had to incur. She discovered that buying a house is a lot more expensive than just...
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How investments fit into your portfolio
When it comes to investing for the longer term you need to make sure you build up a sustainable and well-diversified investment portfolio. For example, having no retirement fund but investing all your spare cash in bitcoin or forex trading would be...
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...
Video: Should you cash in your pension?
When changing jobs there is always the temptation to cash in your retirement fund and use it to settle your debt. The feeling of not having those debt repayments each month is hugely liberating. But does it make financial sense? Someone posed this...
Does joint life cover make sense?
The recent Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor found that middle-class households are cutting back on insurance and medical cover. However, if you have a family, life cover is essential to provide for them if something happens to you. If you...
Listen: Is your adviser earning their commission?
If you have an investment policy, chances are someone is earning commission on it. When did you last speak to your adviser and do you even know who they are? Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) discuss commissions, fees, advice as...
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...
The balloon payment shock
One of the more common questions we receive from readers about car finance is regarding a balloon payment. In many cases it seems that consumers eager to buy a car sign on for a financing agreement that they do not fully understand. When we talk...
Listen: Will your debt really be expunged?
If you think the signing in of the debt relief bill means your debt woes will soon be over, think again. Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) look at the implications of the so-called debt relief bill both for consumers and credit...
Previous Articles
Video: Plan for money moments and avoid debt
Most short-term debt is simply a lack of planning. So, this year, instead of taking on more credit, plan for those money moments by starting a contingency fund in a high interest savings account. If you are planning a holiday this year, create a proper budget to work...
How to interpret financial results
You should be able to assess the health of a company by looking at certain key indicators from their financial results. All companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange are required to issue financial results twice a year ‒ interim results and annual results....
The great middle-class squeeze
The average middle-class South African has run out of runway, having already depleted savings and now tapping into whatever credit facilities they may have. These are the figures revealed in the 2019 Old Mutual Savings and Investment Monitor which is conducted each...
Listen: How to pick a share
Building a long-term share portfolio requires more homework than just investing in the latest hot stock you heard about around the braai. Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) discuss what it takes to make the right investment decision.
Understanding your interest rate
You may have seen an advert for a five-year fixed deposit offering an interest rate of 13.3% on maturity. This seems like a really high interest rate, but what you need to understand is that this is the interest you receive at the end of a five-year period. It is not...
Listen: Shape your finances as beautifully as you shape those nails!
In this Women's Day feature, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) talk about how to create a budget that reflects your priorities and values, areas women need to focus on in their financial plan, and how to set up a testamentary trust as a single parent....
Fighting debit order fraud
A new debit order system will be made compulsory towards the end of the year, but will it make a difference in the fight against debit order fraud? Just last month, organised crime syndicates operating on a massive scale ‒ duping banking customers by debiting sums off...
How to give your child the retirement you wish you had
Most parents want to leave their children a legacy, but what if you could leave your children a secure retirement? A retirement that they never have to save a cent towards and that is completely tax free? According to Nic Andrew, executive head of investments at...
Listen: Why a balloon payment explodes your finances
Balloon payments are financial traps to entice you to buy a car you really cannot afford. Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) explain the evils of balloon payments and offer some tips on how to settle that balloon payment hanging above your head.
On-demand credit could morph into lay-by culture
If anyone has made a purchase through online retailer Takealot recently, you would have noticed that you now have an option to finance the purchase through a loan. I don’t need to tell the readers of my website how I feel about this type of instant credit being...