When an investment promises a guaranteed return above what a cash investment would yield, chances are it's a Ponzi scheme. “Do you think this investment is legit?” That's a question I receive at least once a week. While it's great that people are...
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Beware these fraudulent companies
Over the last few months, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) has issued several warnings against fraudulent companies and individuals that it believes are putting people’s hard-earned money at risk. None of these companies or individuals...
Will foreign talent reforms work?
Will President Ramaphosa's SONA announcement on reforms to attract foreign talent really benefit South African critical skills employers? "We certainly welcome these initiatives as a win for organisations that are desperate to acquire scarce skills...
Listen: Unpacking the annual budget speech
There have been mixed reactions to Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana’s annual budget speech this week. The general feeling is that while the financial manoeuvrings by National Treasury are commendable, there appears very little faith in...
How to manage family demands
National Treasury’s response to Eskom can be a lesson on managing family demands. You get a call from a family member who urgently needs money for some emergency. Your finances are stretched, and you have already provided support to the person. How...
Why small decisions matter
When it comes to our financial health, small decisions that we make every day can have a big impact. Have you ever wondered why those pants just seem to be getting tighter each year even though you’re not really eating that much more? Or why your...
Listen: Proving your tax non-residency status can be tricky
If you want to stop paying tax in South Africa, you need to prove your tax non-residency status to SARS – which is not a simple matter. In this podcast, Maya chats to expat tax attorney Martin Bezuidenhout of Tax Consulting South Africa, about what...
Choices and financial freedom
Have we become so caught up in a world of material desires that we've lost sight of what truly brings us joy and freedom? The fear that prevents us from leaving jobs we hate, keeps us holding onto unhealthy relationships, or stops us from taking...
Do you have financial PTSD?
While financial PTSD might not be officially recognised by health professionals, it is a reality for many people. Money is an emotional topic for most people, regardless of age, income or profession. Having money in abundance can unlock a world of...
Understand what debt counselling means
Capitec recently sent out a warning to its customers about false advertising by certain debt counselling companies. The warning stated: “Have you ever been promised immediate debt relief or a payment holiday that doesn’t affect your credit score?...
Previous Articles
The implications of an unsigned will
Only around 30% of people who write up a will actually sign it, but an unsigned will can cause major family dramas. The only things certain in life are death and taxes, as Benjamin Franklin famously said. We will all die at some point, and when we do, our estate will...
Does your husband’s bae qualify for his retirement benefit?
There has recently been some social media chatter where aggrieved wives are complaining that the girlfriend of their deceased husband has been paid out a portion of his retirement benefit. In one case the girlfriend was married to another man yet was being financially...
Check whether that tracing agency is legit
My husband recently received an SMS from a tracing agency to say that there was an unclaimed benefit from his late father’s pension fund. Our first reaction was that this must be a scam. His father had retired from the fund over 30 years ago. But the fact that the SMS...
Don’t become a money mule
TymeBank is cautioning customers and consumers in general not to let other people use their bank accounts, even if they are promised payment in return. If you do, you may be considered a “money mule”. “There’s a risk that you may be helping criminals to commit crimes...
The 12-month financial plan
If you've decided that 2023 is the year to take control of your finances, try this 12-month financial plan to get your financial life into shape. The biggest mistake we make when it comes to our financial goals is that we make big resolutions like “I will pay off all...
Our favourite reward programmes
Clicks dominates, but for lower-income earners, Shoprite and Capitec are the favourite reward programmes. Clicks ClubCard is the most used loyalty programme in South Africa, according to the 2022 Truth & BrandMapp Loyalty Whitepaper. The Whitepaper, now in its...
A different take on gift-giving
Nic Horn, Director and Regional Head at Citadel, suggests that families take a different approach to gift-giving this festive season. The festive season is typically a time of frivolous spending, but there are some families that use this time of the year to improve...
Failing to plan: a recipe for disaster
People with lower incomes who plan properly are more financially secure than those earning higher salaries but failing to plan. Each year, I am involved in the Money Makeover Challenge, in association with City Press and Absa. It is a highlight in my calendar as it...
Listen: Find the courage to change your financial situation
2022 Money Makeover runner-up Zinzy says that when she entered the money bootcamp six months ago, she needed to find the courage to have difficult discussions with people who owed her money. In this podcast discussion, Maya (@mayaonmoney) is joined by both Zinzy and...
Social media investment scams: don’t get caught out
Recently, fraudsters impersonated my social media profile. They used a slightly different spelling of my handle and copied my social media page, making it identical to my legitimate page. The only way you could tell the difference is that the fake profile had far...