We did this podcast a year ago, about paying off your vehicle and home loan sooner – but I thought it was worth sharing again, as Absa has now released updates on its banking app for car finance. Absa car finance customers can use the app to pay in...
Going into debt review is like going on a diet: it’s difficult to stick to and the results won’t be immediate, but it can be life changing. While there are serious issues around the way some debt counsellors conduct themselves, for Grace Bekwa,...
Buying a home is a major financial commitment. While the rate of interest on a home loan is lower than for other forms of credit, the length of time it takes to pay off the loan means you end up paying a hefty interest bill. By reducing your...
While debt review can be a lifeline for an over-indebted consumer, it should not be entered into lightly. You need to be aware that once you enter debt review, you cannot apply for new credit, and you cannot exit debt review until all your debts...
According to the Experian Consumer Default Index, repayment of car debt has shown a marked deterioration as the extended Covid-19 lockdown puts South Africans under more financial pressure. Marc Friedman, CEO of car sale platform Weelee.co.za says...
National Treasury has made it clear that it does not support any calls to allow members to borrow money from their pension funds. This was in response to a Private Member’s Bill to amend the Pension Funds Act. This Bill was put forward by DA MP Dr...
The Credit Ombud wants to remind consumers that there are ways to ease the woes that come with being unemployed while having debt, and you shouldn’t just ignore your credit providers. If you’ve just lost your job or have had your salary reduced due...
For many people COVID has had a major financial impact and some may be considering entering debt review. In this podcast Maya (@mayaonmoney) speaks to David O’Brien of debt counselling firm Meerkat to explain how debt counselling works and how to...
Advance payments on car finance do not work the same as on your home loan, so it’s worth understanding how to make the most of it. Any debt that you pay off sooner than required will save you money on interest. However, you need to understand how...
There has been an increase in loan scams as people become financially desperate and see a cheap loan as a way out of a financial crisis. My own inbox is flooded each day with emails from companies claiming to offer really cheap loans. Many of these...
Even before lockdown, many people were finding it difficult to meet their debt repayments and facing the prospect of defaulting. Once you are in default, the collection and legal fees start mounting up. Debt that you were already struggling to repay could easily...
If you are confused about the effects of depositing extra funds into your home loan, you are not alone. During lockdown, many people looked into their finance agreements, which resulted in a lot of queries about what happens when you pay an additional amount into a...
If you are confused about how advance payments work when it comes to your home loan and car finance, you are not alone. In this podcast, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) unpack exactly how access bonds work and when advance payments on your car can be...
We have received several complaints from readers who have been unhappy with the management of their payment holidays. Many bank customers believe they were not fully informed about the consequences of taking a payment holiday or in some cases were granted a payment...
When we began 2020, who could have imagined that mortgage rates would fall by almost one-third, decreasing from 10% all the way down to 7% percent. Economists are even predicting further rate cuts this year. While this has been great news for borrowers, it has not...
I remember as a teenager buying on lay-by. Jet stores had a red and orange jersey that I had fallen in love with. I didn’t have the money to buy it, and in those days store cards were uncommon ‒ and certainly not available to a teenager. I bought the jersey on lay-by...
Most agreements to suspend debt repayments or monthly premiums have come to an end. Make sure you understand how this will affect your finances. In the initial stages of lockdown, most banks, insurers and retirement product providers offered installment or premium...
We often believe that the only way to pay off debt is with a windfall like a big bonus or winning the lotto. But this thinking gets us caught in an anti-wealth trap. We spend on our credit cards all year and use our bonus or 13th cheque to settle the debt, only to...
Is there such a thing as good credit? What forms of credit should you avoid at all cost? In this podcast, Maya (@mayaonmoney) and Mapalo (@womanandfinance) discuss the good and dark side of credit and whether the concept of the lay-by will come back into fashion as...
A salary advance could be an attractive alternative to a traditional payday loan. A few years ago, I came across an article about how Walmart in the US allowed its workers to access a portion of their already-earned salary before month end. For example, if you have...