Most of us are chronic under-savers even in the best of times. Yet with the current economic environment, lots of previously hypothetical concepts like ‘what if I’m retrenched or have my salary cut?’ are far more concrete – and, unfortunately, more likely to happen. There’s never been a time when saving is more important, but […]

Most Sub-Saharan African countries are chronic ‘dis-savers’. But, you don’t have to be. Before we look at the options, let’s take a snapshot of recent events. Last July, the South African Savings Institute gave the country a wakeup call when it said that the average household rate had fallen from 0.5% per month in 2018 […]

Communication around your finances is crucial if you want to be more mindful and intentional around wealth creation. There are some conversations that will help you ascribe meaning to your money, and these should happen early on in your planning process (and regularly thereafter). Then there are conversations that will facilitate the actioning of your […]

Depending on your level of investing savvy, you may or may not be comfortable with the term ‘commodities’. As our global systems currently enter one of the toughest times experienced in over a hundred years, you may hear this term bandied about a fair amount. Essentially, commodities are the basic building blocks of the global […]

Anything of any value takes time. Likewise, creating wealth is a long-term process. Well-structured investment strategies have always taken uncertainty into account. Patience, resilience and a robust strategy are imperative to weather the global investment storm that has been raging in recent times. As you embark, or continue, upon your journey to great financial security, […]

When it comes to investing in the markets, the terms bull and bear market are used to describe how stock markets are doing in general. Simply put, are they going up or are they going down? At the same time, because the market is determined by investors’ attitudes, these terms also denote how investors feel […]

In a nutshell, the markets are driven by business activity which is supported by investor confidence. When businesses have investors, they can grow and create more value, which in turn encourages more investors. When businesses can’t run normally (like in the case of a global pandemic), investors fear they will lose money and pull out […]

Here’s the thing about a 20-minute DIY job: it never takes 20 minutes. Either you don’t have the right tools, or the right skills… or the materials turn out to be too hard, too soft, too big, too small etc. On the rare occasion, it might take you 20 minutes or less. You might be […]

Autumn is a precious time of year and is perhaps an altogether more positive metaphor for another special time: the tail end of middle age when we are far from elderly, but far from young. You look up one day and realise that while you were busy building a life with your family, or perhaps […]

As of 1 March 2020, an amendment to the South African Income Tax Act will have definite ramifications on the lives of South Africans living and working abroad. Now that this infamous ‘expat tax’ is in effect, SA expats are now obligated to pay up to 45% of their foreign income to the taxman when […]