We recently asked our readers to tell us about their financial goals. Saving for a child’s education beat all other goals hands down and is certainly a major priority for City Press readers. Let us just hope that our children will value their...
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Getting your admin in order
While it is very important to keep track of your day to day expenses as well as your longer term financial goals, you also need to ensure that your financial administration is up to date. If you need to urgently get hold of vital paperwork do you...
Money management tools
One thing all financially savvy people have in common is that they have a good handle on their money. They know how much they are worth, what they spend each month and where their money is going. They have savings goals and they understand their...
South Africans may soon be able to invest in unit trusts tax free
In an effort to improve household savings which have declined over the last fifty years from over 6% to a negative 0.05%, National Treasury has made proposals which will allow investors to invest in a range of investment products tax-free. These...
Overwhelmed by debt? Call the debt hotline
The National Debt Mediation Association (NDMA) was created as a non-profit centre where consumers can lodge complaints about credit providers as well as issues with the debt counseling process. However, Magauta Mphahlele, CEO of the NDMA, says they...
Make sure you understand your retrenchment offer
After working for his company for 24 years, Joseph was offered a voluntary retrenchment package. Due to his years of service the package is attractive with the company effectively offering him a year’s salary. Joseph is not part of the union and he...
Stop doing dumb things with your money
There are two questions I am always asked by fellow journalists. Firstly why on earth did I leave the lucrative world of stock broking to become a journalist and secondly as a journalist why don’t I write about shares and the markets. The simple...
How do you know it is a ponzi scheme?
PODCAST The recent Western Cape Relative Value Arbitrage Fund (RAVF) scandal that led to suicide shooting of Julian Williams by his associate, Herman Pretorius, is estimated to have lost investors around R1.8 billion. While investors, and financial...
Why money is different for women
With so many articles and books written about "women and money" one may ask the question as to why we have this focus on “women and money” -surely money is gender neutral. The reality is that despite all the advances women may have made in the...
Would you buy a house with your friend or sister?
Higher house prices and stricter lending criteria by the banks have pushed homeownership out of reach of many ordinary South Africans on a single income. But if you really wanted to own a house would you be prepared to share the responsibility with...
Previous Articles
Starting a property portfolio
Isaac shows how with discipline and a goal it is possible to build up a portfolio of properties on a limited salary that will one day pay you an income. It is important however to make sure that you do not over extend yourself and risk losing your entire investment....
The risks associated with Money Market investing
According to Piet Viljoen of valuation-based asset manager RE:CM, investors need to be well informed about the risks associated with money market investments. The primary objectives of a money market fund are capital protection and provision of liquidity. Yet during...
Hedge Funds 101
To some people hedge funds are unfathomable investments which grab international headlines when risky bets result in a sticky end. In South Africa however hedge funds and hedging strategies are mostly used to protect investors’ capital. We look how hedge funds and...
Is it the right time to invest my money?
“I have an extra R300 that I want to invest with Satrix as a debit order. Is this the right time to invest now and which Satrix fund should I chose?” asks Stanley. Maya replies: The world is a challenging place at the moment and we will see far more volatile returns...
Should I apply for debt consolidation?
“I am really committed to getting out of debt and I have R4000 a month to do so. I currently owe R30 000 on my FNB Credit Card, R25 000 on my ABSA credit card and I have a loan with FNB for R15 000. Should I consider debt consolidation?” asks Nina. Maya replies: You...
Budgeting for the self-employed
One of the questions I am often asked by self-employed people is how to budget. Most self-employed people tend to live in a world of feast or famine. When times are tough they skimp, beg and borrow, but when times are good they spend like the good times will never...
How to help your children buy their first home
At the moment estate agents are calling this a buyers’ market as property prices have come off their highs and interest rates are at historic lows. However many young first-time buyers are not able to take advantage of favourable market conditions due to the fact that...
Blacklisting: how to clear your name
Most people only realise they are blacklisted when they apply for credit. A credit provider is very unlikely to provide further credit if you have unpaid bills, if you were unable to pay your last debts, what is the chance you will be able to pay now? Riana Steyn says...
What is best advice?
A sense of disquiet has been growing among independent financial advisers around the pricing of certain investment products sold by tied agents. When a product’s cost structure makes it virtually impossible to beat a cash rate or when other equally good solutions...
Investing as a 20-something
For most young people just getting out of debt is the main priority, however what if you are one of those rare “savers” who have saved a lump sum by the time you are in your early 20’s – where is the right place to invest it and how to you balance your savings with...