In November 2001 the first Ipod went on sale at a price of $399 which was around R3300 at the time. If instead of buying the Ipod you had bought shares in Apple (the American company that produces the Ipod), your investment would be worth $26Â 000...
If you use your cellphone when travelling abroad you usually return to a phone bill that makes your credit card bill look tame. Here are some cost cutting tips from MTN: Use SMS roaming only, while abroad - simply dial *111*14# to activate SMS...
Online shopping is making our lives a lot easier and saving time fighting queues at shopping malls, but it has its own set of risks. Brian McGrory, Head, Consumer Debit Products at Visa identifies ways to keep your shopping safe. Christmas is...
Adrian Saville, CIO of Cannon Asset Managers, suggests shares to buy with your December bonus I have been using the Samsung I9000 Galaxy for the past year and I am hooked. Given the incredible agility and resilience of this device, together with...
My son asked me the other day what the point of saving 10c is because it can’t buy anything. He has a point; quite frankly any coin under 50c is just annoying and makes your purse heavy. However, the previous week I had been at lunch with some...
Seeing tow trucks parked at my local intersection recently reminded me of a scam whereby tow-truck drivers dupe unsuspecting accident victims into allowing them to tow the victims' vehicles. The scam involves the driver telling you he will call...
When you invest globally, you can invest in either rand-denominated (asset swap) or foreign domiciled funds, which are denominated in foreign currencies. According to Stephan Schalekamp, manager of fund research and development at Stanlib, an...
City Press was recently sent a copy of a loan agreement between a customer and micro-lender Letsatsi Finance. In this agreement Letsatsi Finance lent the customer R8000 and included insurance on the loan at a monthly cost of R320. According to the...
Today I received a press release from an insurance company which made me realise I have been very lax about my security. The article raised the point that most people do not change their locks when they move into a new home. I just realised I never...
Whether you're a tenant or a landlord, it's wise to keep in mind the legalities of residential letting in South Africa. Landlords need to follow correct procedures in terms of recovering rental. A landlord is obliged to send a letter of demand...
Dumisani asks: In 2009 I took out a retirement annuity with Momentum to supplement my company provident fund. I contribute R500 per month to it. I recently requested that my portfolio of underlying unit trusts to be restructured into a higher risk portfolio and I was...
Companies with footprints in the Middle East and North Africa are probably more interested in political risk and insurance than in the markets right now. With Libya in chaos and with tensions in Bahrain and Yemen escalating, it's fair to say the region is chronically...
"A friend of mine bought a car and now he can’t afford the installment. Is it wise to take it back to bank or to a dealer and will he get something back?" asks Thabang Maya replies: It is very important that your friend sells the car rather than waiting until the bank...
The best way to define outperformance when it comes to investing is by way of an example. In the investment world, a fund manager aims to outperform a specific benchmark that his or her fund's performance will be measured against. In that way, a fund manager's...
The ombudsman for long-term insurance mediates in disputes between members of the long-term insurance industry and policyholders. The service is free and the ombudsman helps to resolve disputes quickly, through mediation and with cost-effectiveness in mind. When...
South African "semigrants" – those people relocating to different parts of the country, rather than emigrating – are mainly moving for economic reasons, according to a survey undertaken by First National Bank. Relocation for work, or better business opportunities,...
It really depends on your needs. Nedbank, Capitec and FNB seem to be the banks offering some of the best products. But you need to understand your banking profile first. Capitec can be cost effective if you do not do a lot of transactions in a month, but when I...
Andrew Kemp, head of asset consulting at Liberty Corporate, gives Maya on Money the low-down on Alpha and Beta. Maya on Money: What do Alpha and Beta mean to an investor? Kemp: Alpha and Beta are two investment terms which are often bandied around by investment...
First-time home buyers and self-employed potential buyers struggle to enter the property market. Nearly 50% of employed bond applicants are declined every month and about 58% of self-employed applicants can't secure home loans, which is not good news for those who...
FNB and the Automobile Association (AA) offer these really helpful tips that could save you money in the long run. Used cars have to pass a roadworthy test – ask for proof of roadworthiness. All legitimate vehicles have three main identity numbers, the number plate,...