If you are considering buying a car, try save up so that you can put down a deposit. This will reduce the total cost of the car. By saving up a deposit, you could qualify for a better interest rate. A bank will view the fact that you were able to...
You are Here >
Home > Financial Sense Home >
Public servants can retire early – with conditions
In his budget address on 20 February 2019, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni announced an early retirement scheme for public servants whereby members of the Government Employees Pension Fund could take early retirement from the fund without penalties....
Listen to this before you give the car keys back
Is your dream car causing you nightmares? Do you just want to give the keys back? Maya Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo Makhu (@womanandfinance) discuss the dos and don’ts when it comes to giving your car back. To join the conversation send...
Stick with blue-chip multinationals
By Preston Narainsamy, Investment Professional at Marriott Asset Management Despite a backdrop of robust economic growth in 2018, market returns across the globe were disappointing. The decline was driven by a slowdown in economic activity coupled...
Video: Investment returns
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...
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...
Previous Articles
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 (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo...
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 Boxer stores where you...
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 some cases, the burial...
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 Fisher-French (@mayaonmoney)...
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...