"I'm sitting with some cash and would like to invest it so I can get good returns on it. I have no knowledge of the investment game but I am looking at a long term investment. I've noticed the buzz around Capitec Bank and I would like to ask you if...
Five tricks to reduce your home loan
Liziwe NdalanaNov 7, 2012
Homeowners can reduce the term of their home loan and the total that they pay in with careful budgeting and clever tricks. A house is usually the biggest asset that you will buy in your lifetime, but it's made affordable by the 20-year term of...
How risk affects your investment performance
Maya Fisher-FrenchOct 20, 2012
Whenever you read anything about investing you hear words like volatility, risk and growth assets but how exactly does this affect your investment returns? There are two types of investors: one group is very risk averse and prefers to stick to...
South Africans may soon be able to invest in unit trusts tax free
Maya Fisher-FrenchOct 14, 2012
In an effort to improve household savings which have declined over the last fifty years from over 6% to a negative 0.05%, National Treasury has made proposals which will allow investors to invest in a range of investment products tax-free. These...
Stop doing dumb things with your money
Maya Fisher-FrenchSep 17, 2012
There are two questions I am always asked by fellow journalists. Firstly why on earth did I leave the lucrative world of stock broking to become a journalist and secondly as a journalist why don’t I write about shares and the markets. The simple...
Why money is different for women
Maya Fisher-FrenchSep 14, 2012
With so many articles and books written about "women and money" one may ask the question as to why we have this focus on “women and money” -surely money is gender neutral. The reality is that despite all the advances women may have made in the...
What to expect when you are expecting
Liziwe NdalanaSep 14, 2012
“What to expect when you’re expecting”, the latest American blockbuster that was released in South Africa in June this year, put the spotlight on the journey by parents-to-be as they prepare to become parents for the first time. This is both an...
How financially healthy are you?
Maya Fisher-FrenchSep 1, 2012
PODCAST How do you measure your financial health? By the amount you earn or the amount you save? Does your sense of financial wellness come from the car you drive and the house you live in or do you measure it by the amount of emergency savings you...
How to invest in risky markets
Maya Fisher-FrenchAug 30, 2012
Every time we open the newspaper, switch on the radio or watch TV we are inundated by information on the imminent collapse of Europe and the impact it will have on global growth. As a result stock markets across the world are extremely volatile so...
Starting a property portfolio
Maya Fisher-FrenchAug 28, 2012
Isaac shows how with discipline and a goal it is possible to build up a portfolio of properties on a limited salary that will one day pay you an income. It is important however to make sure that you do not over extend yourself and risk losing your...
Previous Articles
How to have that holiday you are “desperate” for
Aug 25, 2012
A recent survey conducted by Groupon South Africa found that while people are desperate to go on holiday over 50% said they simply cannot afford it as holiday accommodation is too expensive and the current tough economy is holding them back. A further 27% of people...
Women and finances
Aug 23, 2012
By Samantha Matthew, Investment analyst, Glacier by Sanlam In the last few decades women have made strides in almost every facet of life – from politics, to education and the workplace - no longer content to sit in the background; we have seen women in general come to...
Invest in debt clearance before retirement
Jul 25, 2012
Pieter van Zyl, Director at FinFive, shares his view on why debt clearance is the first step in a solid investment strategy In today’s uncertain economic environment, planning for your financial future has never been more important. As the cost of living increases, so...
When should you guarantee your capital?
Jul 9, 2012
Structured funds that guarantee investors’ capital tend to be very popular after a market crash. Typically investors that get caught up in the market hype have full exposure to the equity markets and therefore suffer heavy losses when the markets fall. Investors then...
A bank for children and their grandparents
Jun 26, 2012
Bidvest Bank’s offering is perfect both for the young and old. Grandparents often want to open a bank account for their grandchildren to encourage them to save. The problem with many existing products is that there is always a monthly bank fee that eats into the...
When small businesses thrive
Jun 22, 2012
My brother is my hero, for the simple reason that every day, as a small business owner, he makes a difference. Three years ago he made a massive leap of faith by leaving his employer to start his own business, today he employs six people and has a turnover in excess...
Investing as a 20-something
Jun 13, 2012
For most young people just getting out of debt is the main priority, however what if you are one of those rare “savers” who have saved a lump sum by the time you are in your early 20’s – where is the right place to invest it and how to you balance your savings with...
Creating wealth from your first holiday job
Jun 4, 2012
How a 22 year old accumulated R360 000 through saving and investing. A wise man once said that thrift is a form of income. What he meant was that it is what you do not spend rather than what you earn that will determine your wealth. Twenty-two year old Rob, who...
The power of the debit order
May 18, 2012
A monthly debit order is undoubtedly one of the most powerful investment tools. It creates a savings discipline as it goes off your account before you have spent your money on consumables. But now studies show that, rand cost averaging, which effectively is what you...
Surviving the squeeze
May 16, 2012
What we can learn from our parents who survived the inflation beast of the 1980’s There is no doubt that our day to day living expenses are becoming increasingly more expensive as necessities like electricity, travel and food take a bigger bite out of our salary each...