If you follow my articles, podcasts or videos, you will know that I talk a lot about emergency funds. The concept of an emergency fund was really drummed into me when I edited Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover for South African readers. I always...
Despite having credit shortfall insurance, many policyholders find themselves out of pocket when it comes to claiming because they don't properly understand how the cover works. In its 2019 annual report the Ombud for Short-Term Insurance (OSTI)...
Payment holidays are a lot like real holidays – they end up costing more than you realise. In this podcast, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) look at the costs of debt-payment holidays and how to get back on track after taking one.
The debate around prescribed assets grabs headlines from time to time, but when you cut through the hysteria there is largely a consensus that pension funds could be used to boost infrastructural development in South Africa. The important question...
While Bellah is never short of new ideas, the problem has always been the financial management of her businesses and her cash flow. Last year her construction business had a turnover of R1.3 million, but she had no idea whether she was making a...
Over the last 20 years the National Lottery has paid out a total of R285 million in jackpot prizes. But as they say, the lottery is a tax on the mathematically challenged. The chances of winning are really, really small. You only have a one in 14...
The days of having a beer after work and driving home will soon be over – and that’s not just because of the lockdown restrictions. Once South Africa’s strict new drunk-driving laws have been passed, drivers won’t be allowed to drink alcohol at...
Have you ever thought about how much you will earn over the next five years? If you have just started working and are taking home R15 000 a month, over the next five years you will earn nearly R1 million – without any promotions or salary...
One of the things to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis is that the financial industry needs to innovate in order to keep up with a rapidly changing workforce that is increasingly comprised of self-employed people. Most financial products remain...
Do you know that over a 20-year period, you could give away more than a quarter of your investment returns to the taxman? That is why tax-free investment accounts are becoming so popular and why they have a place in everybody’s investment plan. The...
If the current coronavirus crisis has taught us anything it is to make sure our investments are diversified. When it comes to investing in financial assets, we ensure diversification by investing in funds that provide exposure to local and offshore equities, bonds,...
Due to an urgent personal situation, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) were unable to record a podcast this week. However, we share with you this excellent discussion we had last year about taking a different perspective on how we view our finances. In...
Bank customers will have a nasty surprise if they allow their debit orders to bounce. When Anil contacted his medical scheme to cancel his premium as he knew he had no funds, he discovered it was too late. The debit order went off and Standard Bank charged a R61...
A side gig where you offer your skills or services can be a great way to earn some extra cash to settle debts, start investing, or provide for those luxuries. However before you start, you need to do your homework and make sure you understand whether this is going to...
The year is not yet halfway through, but it feels as if decades of turmoil have been compressed into it already. By Izak Odendaal and Dave Mohr, Investment Strategists at Old Mutual Wealth As the clock struck midnight on 31 December, apocalyptic bushfires were still...
Technology has made investing via a structured product more accessible to the average retail investor. With the economic fallout expected from COVID-19, investors have either seen their portfolios seriously hurt or are too afraid to enter the equity market now....
Have you fallen into property investing by accident? Are you an existing property investor looking to consolidate, or planning on buying your first property? In this podcast Maya (@mayaonmoney) chats to Miguel Martins of Absa Home Loans, a property investor himself,...
By Jenny Gordon, Head: Technical Advice Investments, Product and Enablement at Alexander Forbes From 1 June to 30 September 2020, retirees with a living annuity will be able to draw down between 0.5% and 20% of the asset value of their living annuity. People will be...
If you are a regular watcher of Money Matters you will know that the best way to manage a credit card is to pay it off in full at the end of each month. A credit card acts as a revolving loan. If you are only paying off the minimum instalment required each month, it...
National Treasury recently announced that it had provided a guarantee of R100bn to banks to provide additional funding for small businesses. This will be increased to R200bn if it is necessary and the Scheme is successful. “This guaranteed loan scheme will bolster...