Don't fall into the trap of taking on unnecessary consumption debt in a misguided attempt to build up your credit record. Far too many 20- and 30-year-olds are struggling to meet monthly debt repayments, impacting their ability to break the...
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An easy investing platform
So you finally decide to venture into the world of shares and market movements, but where can you find a platform that is friendly for the beginner investor? Often eager investors give up when they are faced with a trading or investing platform...
Borrowing could get cheaper, but less available
Late last year the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) made two announcements that could see the cost of borrowing reduced. The DTI has adjusted the maximum interest rate that will be allowed on loans from May 2016 (see below) and also released...
Where can I report an illegal garnishee order?
Nkosenhle writes: I took a loan from a credit provider in 2002 and after a few payments I was unable to continue, so the company issued a garnishee order against my salary until the amount was paid off. Despite having settled the amount, after a...
It takes discipline to reach your goals
I recently required surgery to my ankle after sustaining a serious injury quite a while back. Thanks to this ongoing ankle saga, if I ever want to be able to hike and run again I am going to have to commit to some serious rehabilitation work which...
How much tax will I pay if I cash in my pension?
Willie writes: I am planning on leaving my employer after 25 years and I want to cash in my pension fund of R2.1 million. How much tax will I pay? I am 50 years old. Maya replies: When you resign and cash in your pension, the tax is worked out on a...
Should credit cards have a health warning?
In this podcast we search for the truth behind credit cards – are they really a good thing to have in your wallet? We chat to Chris Labuschagne, CEO of FNB credit card and we asked him how many of their customers pay off their cards in full at the...
What your credit report says about you
Make sure you know more about your credit report than your creditors do. Mosala wrote to me when she discovered that she had been ‘blacklisted’. She had lost her job and fallen behind on some payments, and wanted to find out out who had blacklisted...
The ins and outs of a buy and sell agreement
Tanya Lochner of Glacier Fiduciary Services discusses a buy and sell agreement as an exit strategy where there are two or more partners in a business. A business needs to prepare for the event of one or more of the partners dying or becoming...
The One Rand Family: lessons from a social experiment
The One Rand Family project followed the experience of a relatively well-off family living on cash only ‒ in fact R1 coins ‒ for a month. If you haven’t followed the trials and tribulations of the One Rand Family aired on e.tv during July, it’s...
Previous Articles
Proactive consumers pay less for insurance
If you haven’t contacted your insurer lately, you’re probably paying too much for your insurance. When I moved home I contacted my insurer, MiWay, to inform them of the change of address and that my car would no longer be in a locked garage. They informed me that my...
Interest rate increase could make consumers more vulnerable
By Sanisha Packirisamy, economist at Momentum Asset Management. It is clear that the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) remains aware of the potential negative local effect of a rise in US rates should the US decide to hike rates this year. In the event that global...
Are you insured against power surge damages?
If you haven’t specifically taken out cover for power surges you will receive a nasty shock when your electronic goods are fried during load shedding, as one of my readers discovered. “I have faced a huge financial setback with my gate motor, alarm system and three...
The impact of debt on our retirement
Debt is the main reason people withdraw their retirement benefits when changing jobs, according to key findings of the 2015 Sanlam Benchmark Survey, a comprehensive annual review of South Africa’s retirement industry. After interviewing thousands of retirement fund...
Is South Africa heading towards a tax revolt?
Taxpayers have been pushed too far. South Africans are becoming more belligerent about tax amid growing concerns at the apparent waste of taxpayers’ contributions through highly controversial government spending. Some commentators have speculated that South African...
Hundreds of South Africans fall victim to loan scam
It was only when Patricia received a call from Wonga’s head of communications that she realised she had been the unwitting victim of a phising scam that has so far conned over 200 people into parting with their money. Two weeks ago Patricia received an SMS from – what...
The impact fees have on your living annuity returns
For most people, cost is a primary consideration in almost every purchase decision. Except, it seems, when it comes to critical financial decisions, such as buying a savings or investment product. Many South African retirement investors therefore also overlook the...
When a car becomes a debt trap
If you can no longer afford your car, it's time to take action. Here are your options. Lucky wrote to me to find out whether or not he should sell his BMW for a loss as the cost of the car is having serious consequences on his other financial commitments. Lucky’s...
Is life insurance really for life?
The inefficient structure of existing life insurance products impact value and sustainability of cover for clients. BrightRock’s needs-matched life insurance addresses these shortcomings by pricing cover correctly for the term and trajectory required. Since its launch...
Keeping your cellphone costs manageable
Cellphones have become an indispensable part of our lives. Unfortunately, those cellphone bills can become all too costly, all too quickly. Here is a basic summary of some good options to help keep those costs down. Looking at cellphone contracts and costs can be...