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...
How does my access bond work?
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...
Listen: How to pay off your home and car
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...
Monitor those payment holidays
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...
Video: Make interest-rate cuts work for you
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...
Could technology revive the lay-by market?
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...
Stay on top of your repayments
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...
Video: Create a debt repayment plan
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...
Listen: Know the difference between good, bad and ugly credit
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...
Borrowing from days already worked
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...
Previous Articles
Video: Pay back that payment holiday
We've seen many financial institutions offer their customers a debt payment holiday during these trying times. And while it may seem like a welcome relief, be careful because it might end up costing you a lot more than you realize. According to the Old Mutual Savings...
Paying the price of payment holidays
Payment holidays offered during the three-month period from April to June 2020 will cost an additional R20.7 billion in debt for the estimated 1.6 million South African consumers who participated. This is according to calculations by DebtBusters, South Africa's...
Video: Check your credit insurance
If you are being retrenched or forced to take unpaid leave due to the lockdown, you may be able to claim from your credit insurance policy. Many people, especially those with short-term debt and even store cards, may have credit insurance without even being aware of...
Reduce the impact of that payment holiday
If you have taken a debt payment holiday, make sure you catch it up. I have previously warned readers against taking the three-month payment holiday offered by the banks unless you had no option. This is because the interest is capitalized and like most holidays, it...
How to save for your goals to avoid debt
One of the main reasons we have a credit crisis in South Africa is that we never plan and save towards our goals, because it’s just easier to borrow. Change your dependency on credit by planning for those money moments and start saving for your short-term goals in a...
The defaults have started
Credit bureau Experian has released figures confirming that South Africans are in deep financial trouble. The number of credit active South Africans who have missed a debt repayment for the first time ever is at a record high. This is based on the Experian Consumer...
Q&A: Interest rates
We’ve had significant cuts in the interest rate this year. On 1 January 2020, the prime interest rate was 10%, and as of 22 May, it had been reduced to 7.25%. The current repo rate of 3.75% is the lowest it's been for almost 47 years. So it's not surprising that many...
Video: When to use the budget facility on your credit card
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...
Loan scheme now available for small businesses
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...
What to do if your debt counsellor goes AWOL
If your debt counsellor is not registered, or not contactable, or not providing you the required service, then you can transfer to another debt counsellor. All you have to do is approach a new debt counsellor and complete the application form. It will then take about...