A stokvel is more than just a savings group; it helps people build wealth and make their communities stronger. The end of the year is “stokvel season” – a time when most members receive their payouts. It’s also a great time to take a closer look at...
We are all being inundated by Black Friday specials. My inbox is full of both press releases and offers from retailers. But how many people know about Buy Nothing Day? Buy Nothing Day was set up as a protest against consumerism. It is held on the...
Standard Bank has made it easier for clients to access previously unclaimed dividends, pension, and insurance benefits. In collaboration with the unclaimed benefits tracing company Robin Hood, Standard Bank has made the process of claiming these...
Criminals are now using AI to create sophisticated phishing emails, build hacking tools and uncover weaknesses in IT systems. While the world marvelled last year at the ease with which artificial intelligence (AI) tool ChatGPT completed tasks for...
Technology in general, and AI in particular, is moving ahead at breakneck speed. We need to make sure we are on the train, not hit by it. I recently attended the SingularityU South Africa summit, sponsored by Old Mutual. Listening to speakers like...
There are several reasons why your personal inflation rate probably doesn't match the consumer price index, which is the "official" inflation rate. When the official inflation figures for June were released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA),...
Earned wage access is the concept that workers should be able to access a portion of their monthly salary before payday. Is it a good idea? What do you do if you have an unexpected expense during the month or find yourself a bit squeezed? In a...
Absa has launched its Ultimate Banking proposition as a one-stop banking solution for its customers, at an attractive monthly fee. Absa customers currently using a Gold transactional account should consider switching to Absa’s recently launched...
Anyone who intends to withdraw from the savings pot of the two-pot retirement system from 1 September 2024 must be registered for tax. Those who are not registered must register before they apply to their relevant fund. If a person is not...
Optimism for rate cuts varies between banks, but don’t expect a rate cut windfall. The aggressive rate increases since November 2021 have brought significant financial stress to consumers, especially those with large asset-based loans such as...
Murder for insurance is not that common, but insurance fraud comes in many different forms. Anyone who doubts that insurance companies pay out on death claims, should read Killer Cop, the Rosemary Ndlovu story. Over a period of six years, she had family members...
If you have an investment policy or product, the adviser who sold you that product is most likely receiving ongoing advice fees or commission. These fees are deducted from your investment returns, and you should be receiving ongoing service from that adviser. Yet many...
While most of us are aware of the importance of diversifying our investments globally, we don’t often think about diversifying our risk cover. Taking out life cover in US dollars is one way to leave a legacy in a hard currency that should maintain its value. In the...
Most credit card companies try and hook you by saying that they give you 55 days interest free on your purchases. In fact, most credit card holders don’t get any interest-free period on their credit cards. This is because if you don’t pay your card in full on due...
Reputable and regulated financial services providers will never sell investments via a WhatsApp group, Telegram, a social media platform, email, or an unsolicited random phone call, so you can be sure that investment opportunities punted via social media are scams. As...
If you can start to manage your money responsibly as a student or new job entrant, you will be able to start to build long-term wealth. The key to wealth is not how much you earn, but how much you spend. Brenda wanted some advice on how to manage her money. She is...
In this second episode of the Santam Insure Your Future Money Bootcamp, I’m again joined by Mapalo Makhu as we dive into the topic of budgeting, and how taking control of your day-to-day spending can significantly reduce financial anxiety. We hear from Thato, who...
When you build and manage your investment portfolio yourself, this is often called DIY (do-it-yourself) investing. In this article, we explore the pros and cons of DIY investing and how to get the most out of your strategy. South Africans are experiencing financial...
Introducing the Santam Insure Your Future Money Bootcamp podcast series. Are you ready to take control of your financial future? The Santam Insure Your Future Money Bootcamp podcast series is here to guide you through a transformative journey that will help you...
SARS is upping its debt-collection game, so if you’ve got tax debt, now is the time to do something about it. If you are in debt with SARS or have received a notice of final demand, there’s no need for panic, says Thomas Lobban, Tax Legal Specialist at Latita Africa....