I was recently relating a story to a friend about a conversation I had with my two boys aged 7 and 11 where they had grilled me on financial matters. They wanted to know if we owed money on our house and if our cars were paid off. They wanted to...
Where to save in retirement
“My husband and I were not able to save towards our retirement as we would have wished, but now, at ages 73 and 74 we have both been able to find employment and have been saving as much as we can. Where can we invest with reasonably good interest...
Wealth creation is about how you spend, not what you earn
This week I received two separate emails from readers who wanted to know where to invest their money. What made them stand out was that both of them had accumulated substantial money despite mediocre salaries. They had not built their wealth from...
Buy a house or save for lobola?
"I have just paid off my car and now I must decide whether to buy a property or start saving for lobola and buy the house after I am married. The problem is that I cannot afford both and I need to do one of the two. I am currently renting a flat at...
Buy a car or pay off the bond?
“I am 29 years old and I have managed to save R100 000 with which I was planning to buy a new car (cash). However I realised that the car I am using is still in a good condition and is paid up and I can still use it for 2 more years. I have a home...
How to save R150 000 in seven years
"I am 23 years old and I earn R7000 a month. I want know where and how much to save so that I can buy a car worth R150 000 by the time I am 30 years old. I am thinking of buying a house too but I am tired of borrowing a car. At least my parents are...
How your piggy bank savings can pay for your festive spending
When my husband opened his FNB account at the end of last year he opted for a "Bank Your Change" savings account which is linked to his transactional account. Each time he uses his bank card, the transaction is rounded to the nearest R5 and the...
Should you save when you have debts to repay?
“I have a total debt if R63 000 with various credit providers. I have thought that I should start saving but not when I am under such debt. I would like to consolidate them but I am wondering with which institution. Is there one that you can...
Six ways to cut R1000 off your budget
So you think you can't find money to save? Here are six savings tips which could save you over R1 000 a month. Shop online We cut about R500 to R800 a month off our grocery bill by shopping online. This forces you to buy according to your list as...
The difference between a money-market and unit trust account
“What's the difference between a money market account and a unit-trust money-market account?” asks Roderick Maya replies: A money-market account offered by a bank is simply a bank account with a more aggressive interest rate. It's an investment...
Previous Articles
Am I saving enough?
“I am a 31 year old dedicated saver and I have two main savings besides my pension and I want to know if they are the right investments. I've been increasing these savings by 10% each year and putting some into my bond. Do you think this will give me the right returns...
How do I find the cash to save?
The bottom line is that saving is very difficult – if it was easy our savings rate would be far higher. Every age group has its specific expenses. Someone in their early twenties is most likely paying off student loans, possibly have parents to support and have...
The power of compounding interest
"I recently read an article that stated that by investing R500 per month you can save R2.3-million. You said that this is the power of compound interest growth although one has only contributed R60 000, the rest is all growth from the investment itself. Please explain...
RSA Retail Bond Restart Option: The best cash investment
Many investors will by now be familiar with the RSA Retail Bond range offered by National Treasury that offers aggressive interest rates for savings between R1000 to R5 million. What few people are aware of however is that National Treasury offers a Restart option for...
Five mistakes to avoid when saving for retirement
The average retiree will have generated savings that will purchase a pension of only 30% of the salary they were earning before retirement. It's a gloomy statistic, suggesting that we're either not well informed, are not getting the right advice or are still doing...
Calculate how much energy your electricity appliances use
Knowing exactly how much electricity you use is essential if you are going to introduce an effective power saving campaign at home and save money. Your electricity bill will give you the details on what your tariff is. According to De Wet Zwarts of Solar...
Where do I save for my children?
Bank account: All the banks offer account for children but it depends what you are trying to achieve. If you want to give your teenager a bank account to teach them how to manage their money, these accounts are good options. Alternatively open an account with Capitec...
How do I start a savings club?
Savings clubs are very popular ways to save because they form a social contract between friends which helps create the discipline to save every month. Also when you are pooling your resources you are able to make a more significant investment. Why are you saving? When...
The lowdown on ‘deal of the day’ websites
Everyone loves a good deal or a discount. If you haven't already discovered sites like Zappon, Groupon, What-a-Deal, UbuntuDeal, Wicount or Twangoo (and there are more), you're missing out on some savings. You do need a credit card – though apparently bank transfer...
Want to sort out savings? Get rid of FICA
hile National Treasury bemoans our low savings rates and looks at ways to encourage savings, it should first look in its own back yard. In South Africa’s desperate attempt not to look “third world”, our financial authorities have burdened the formal financial sector...