Saving money for Christmas

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. From now on, all our troubles will be out of sight.” — Frank Sinatra In the wise words of Sinatra, make sure your Christmas is as stress-free as possible so that you can focus on and enjoy the important things that the festive season […]

5 ways to manage stress

1st November 2017 marks National Stress Awareness Day in the UK, and the South African government even declared the whole month of October to be Mental Health Awareness Month, “with the objective of not only educating the public about mental health but also to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illness are […]

Use your smartphone to save money

A smartphone may be considered to be a pricey accessory, but it could actually save you money in the long run. According to this article published on Essentials, having a smartphone could be just the device you need to help you manage your financial situation and save you Rands overall. 1. Comparison-shopping app Nowadays, most […]

To Airbnb or not to Airbnb?

According to a 2016 Fin24 interview, Nicola D’Elia, the managing director for Airbnb Africa and Middle East, noted that Airbnb hosts in South Africa earn on average ZARR28,000 a month by letting their property on a short-term basis through this popular rental website. Furthermore, Nested released an encouraging report that found that South Africans could […]

The Power of Compound Interest

Many South Africans are unfortunately ill-prepared for retirement, and it’s an unsettling prospect that so many citizens of this developing nation may not be able to support themselves in their golden years. However, the beauty of compound interest means that if you start saving from an early age, investing in your future doesn’t have to […]

The importance of awareness

It may not be a nice topic that we wish to think about or discuss very often, particularly as it can be a sensitive subject if you know someone who has suffered from breast cancer or a scare. However, the disease’s prolific nature is exactly why we need to talk about it — and why […]

The 10% rule — An all-round financial workout

You may be familiar with the 10% savings rule.The idea is that, as soon as you are financially independent, you should save approximately 10% of your income for retirement, and it is a general guideline that gives you a starting point for your savings early on in life. If you consistently save 10% of everything […]

Fashion for the sake of your finances

Watches can now double as fitness trackers… and if you ask anyone who has one – they are considerably more aware of their activity. Sure – they may not actually exercise more, but with an easier way to monitor how active they are, they are more likely to change any behaviours that they are unhappy […]

Top tips for buying an investment property

It’s important when buying an investment property to do your homework so that your property becomes an asset rather than a liability. While astute investors can make good money, there are significant holding costs and initial fees, and a property is not as liquid as other investments. An interesting article in City Press reviews the […]

Why make a will this National Wills Week?

National Wills Week is from 11th to 15th September 2017 and is a time when participating attorneys in South Africa will draft new, basic wills free of charge. To make the most of this time of year, simply make an appointment with a participating attorney before or during National Wills Week. However, if your circumstances […]