“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill) We often look at numbers when planning our finances: how much do we earn from investments, how much have we saved, and when will we be able to retire? These are very important for making the…
“Social media is merely an extension of real life, not a substitution.” (Abhijit Naskar) On social media, anything can go viral. And that includes financial advice. Platforms like TikTok have encouraged the spread of some interesting ideas, including three notable trends: “loud budgeting”, “cash stuffing”, and “no-spend challenges”. At their heart, these all focus on…
“The biggest problem with communication is the false belief that it has happened.” (George Bernard Shaw) Navigating casual financial conversations isn’t about avoiding the subject altogether. It’s about handling it with purpose and grace. The point isn’t to pore over every aspect of your finances around the braai. It’s to keep your peace and your…
All that glisters is not gold.” (William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice) 1. Cash ain’t king Let’s cut to the chase: cash is not optimal for long-term investments. While it is the safest asset class, shares, property, and commodities generally produce better long-term returns. Unit trusts work well in diversifying asset classes. What’s more, cash…
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” (Benjamin Franklin) One of the biggest hurdles for new investors is the jargon. The investment world is filled with acronyms, technical terms, and specialist language that can be intimidating. But this language barrier shouldn’t stop you from asking questions or investing in your future. So, here is…
“A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.” (Coco Chanel) According to the International Labour Organization, women in South Africa earn, on average, between 23% and 35% less than men. Women are also more likely to take time out of the workforce or work part-time to take on caregiving responsibilities. This leads…
“By 2045, we will have multiplied the intelligence, the human biological machine intelligence of our civilization a billion-fold.” (Ray Kurzweil) Imagine that your financial planners (that’s us) possess a superpower: the ability to scan global markets in seconds and identify tax-saving opportunities as the deadline looms. While this may sound futuristic, it’s already a reality.…
“The markets are like weather; you may not like it, but you have to bear it.” (Rakesh Jhunjhunwala) South African investors don’t need to follow every twist in American politics or economics, but you can’t ignore them either. The world’s biggest economy casts a long shadow, and what happens in the US can ripple across…
“He who has health has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.” (Thomas Carlyle) Doing a financial health check can sound like a daunting idea. But it needn’t be. Just checking a few simple things can give you a good idea of whether you’re financially healthy and on the right track. Here are four…
“… the economy needs to grow much faster and in an inclusive manner. This is the central objective of the current administration.” (Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana – Budget 2025) The tabling of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s fourth Budget in February was marked by an unprecedented three-week postponement, following a deadlock around the original Budget proposal…