“The secret of Big Macs is that they’re not very good, but every one is not very good in exactly the same way.” (Joel Spolsky) The concept is straightforward: in theory, the same things should cost the same globally. The Big Mac is a great product to compare because it’s sold in over 100 countries…
“Speculation leads you the wrong way. It allows you to put your emotions first, whereas investment gets emotions out of the picture.” (John C. Bogle) It’s tempting to believe we can control our emotions regarding money matters. However, being human means we’re susceptible to emotional biases that lurk silently beneath the surface, influencing our choices…
Phishing – or the fraudulent distribution of emails/SMSs/WhatsApp’s from what appears to be a reputable source – is on the rise. Through SMSs, messaging apps or by telephone, fraudsters use phishing scams to persuade you they are from a credible organisation, for example your bank or investment platform. They will ask you to reveal confidential…
“You can’t buy love, but you can pay heavily for it.” (Henry Youngman) When describing their ideal partner, most people would probably say they are looking for someone who shares their values. The things that are important to them, should also be important to the person with whom they choose to spend most of their…
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” (Benjamin Franklin) A is for Asset Your possessions are known as your assets, while any debts are called liabilities. If your home’s mortgage is fully paid up, your home is an asset, but if you’re still paying off a hefty home loan and incurring maintenance costs, it could be a…
“Returns matter a lot. It’s your capital.” (Abigail Johnson) Let’s start at the beginning – Annualised returns The annualised rate of return on investment represents the average yearly return you would have received over a specified period. It expresses an investment’s performance as if it had grown steadily each year, taking compounding into account, even though…
What happened in April? For the first time this year, investors got nervous about whether the stock market rally that began in October last year was at risk. Stock market volatility increased, a sure sign of increasing investor concerns. The so-called global fear gauge, the VIX Index, rose to almost 20 in mid-April before retracing…
In this article, we will describe 4 common scenarios where having life cover is important and how best to structure it. Death can be an expensive affair and in this regard, here are few very important tax and legal fee considerations: Estate Duty The first R3,5 million of your net estate is free of Estate…
All it takes to excel at something – whether it’s mastering the ukulele, poaching the perfect egg or learning to solve the Rubik’s Cube – is consistent practice and dedication. John Maynard Keynes, one of the greatest economists and risk-taking investors around, took it a step further. He strongly advised putting financial planning and investing…
“A resilient spirit, coupled with financial knowledge, is an unstoppable force.” (Anonymous) There’s more to this material world than meets the eye. As human beings we are all trying to gain self-awareness and instinctively value compassion, empathy, and open heartedness. You may ask, “How on earth does this have anything to do with financial planning?”…
“Invest for the long haul. Don’t get too greedy and don’t get too scared.” (Shelby M.C. Davis) In 2021, South African investors could have made a return of 36.9% if they’d been invested in the local property index. That same year they could have made 33.1% in rands if they were invested in global property.…
