Ever set yourself a goal to get your ‘summer body’ ready? On some level, all of us have moments when we’re not happy with our bodies and the way they look – whether it’s seasonal, emotional or hereditary… and we resolve to do something about it. For many of us… these turn out to be short-term goals. We could work at the change for a few weeks, or even a few months, but if we manage […]
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Reasons to be happy about inflation in SA
People are often quick to comment on doom and gloom posts and add their voice, and with the current subdued economic outlook, there seems to be plenty to be grim about. But what if we looked at something, like inflation, and highlight a positive South African success story? “… Inflation??” you cry. Hear this out. When people speak of inflation, it’s often the villain of the financial story. It’s blamed every time we swipe our cards […]
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When to re-think your medical plan
The first benefit of medical cover is peace-of-mind, the second is that you will be protected from potential financial ruin should your hospital bill be more than you can manage. It is important to be on a medical plan that suits both your monthly affordability and caters to most of your medical requirements. Since changing your medical plan or option can be costly, you need to change at the right time and for the right reasons. […]
Continue readingSilver lining investments to get you through slump time
They say to make hay while the sun is shining, but what about during overcast conditions? The current outlook for SA investors is not as stormy as it was two years ago, but it certainly isn’t clear skies. While we started the year filled with new optimism in a new president and the looming threat of state capture vanishing, other problems have remained. Thanks to Eskom, plummeting business confidence scores, policy uncertainty and a host of […]
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Sharing Is Caring
You’ve learnt lessons throughout your life. Some of them are unique to you, but many will apply to others too. Being open to sharing these will benefit those nearest and dearest to you – and help you reflect on what you’ve learnt. This is profoundly true when it comes to how we make decisions around our finances. Sharing these lessons may be a sensitive topic but it’s worth breaking the ice! Encouraging these conversations promotes honesty […]
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Reasons for SA SMEs to smile
It’s not always easy to see, but there are unexpected positives in South Africa’s current financial situation. Of all the segments of our population who could be grumbling, many would say that SME owners are right up there. Squeezed like the middle-class tax payers, but with the added brutal success figures of less than 10 percent after two years, SMEs seem to have it doubly rough. But could there be a silver lining? Things cost the […]
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The retirement gap needs a new rap
Retirement (as well as education and the job market) is one of our greatest future-unknowns. We know it will happen… but we are finding it harder to understand and predict what it might look like. This doesn’t mean we should abandon planning for it. If anything, it simply means that we need to change the way we start to talk about, engage with and plan for retirement. According to a global survey done by BlackRock, about […]
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Investing masterclass: Four tips for the long game
When it comes to coffee-shop conversations, little is said about the long game in the investment space – it’s often about which asset manager did well this year, what outperformed everything else in the last quarter… etc. But, if you’re an investor, chances are high that you’re saving for future events that have a five-year-plus event-horizon (as we all should!). Here are four thoughts for investors looking to improve their long-term results. If you’re feeling shaky […]
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The dollar’s time is running out
South Africans (and many others) sometimes suffer from an unbalanced bias when it comes to the United States: we assume that anything American is top-class. Certainly, when talking about the markets, South Africa’s indices and analyses are always about what America is doing. The dollar has, for a long time, been the most influential currency. However, this may not be for much longer. Investors are preparing for what’s becoming known as ‘de-dollarisation’. What is de-dollarisation? De-dollarisation […]
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Starting your business is going to get easier!
South Africa is an enterprising and entrepreneurial nation… which is why it’s interesting that it can be so tough to do business here. Of all new businesses started in South Africa, nine out of ten of them will close their doors within the first two years. Government grants are talked up but are thin on the ground, B-BBEE requirements are onerous and keep changing, and then there’s the red tape. Bureaucracy has been South Africa’s Achilles’ […]
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