Writer DS

A recent survey by Student Village revealed that South Africa’s students may be driving themselves into debt while at university. The survey, which features insight from over 3000 students from universities across the country, found that the top purchases eating into student budgets include indulgences such as alcohol, clothing, jewellery, takeaways, and music. An alarming

Keeping warm during the icy months from April till July can become expensive. We’ve grown accustomed to relying on appliances to keep us pleasantly warm 24-7. With winter here and temperatures getting lower we are reminded of the ‘cold realities’ of the current cost of power. Not to mention load shedding. However, there are practical

Receiving a portion or all of your inheritance, whether as a reward or due to the passing of a family member, often puts individuals in a better financial position. However, this injection of cash into one’s bank account can easily go to waste. If it’s not used wisely you could very well end up with

A little under a decade ago, acquiring cash or purchasing goods or services was a lot more difficult than it is today. Moving from cash, cheques and credit cards to non-physical methods of payment. One thing all these new developments have in common is that they have made spending money much easier. Here is what

The recent amendments in the National Credit Act (NCA) will make it more difficult for consumers to turn to unsecured lenders when short on cash. With stricter structures for affordability assessments by lenders put in place, it has never been more important for South Africans to maintain a good credit standing. Yet, a worrying amount

The latest amendments to the National Credit Act, gazetted on Friday 13 March, carry far-reaching implications for both consumers and unsecured credit providers. These amendments were made in response to the exorbitant growth of over-indebtedness among South Africa’s consumers. Currently standing at an incredible R1.57 trillion. These amendments have taken us one step closer to

The rate of divorce continues to increase in South Africa, as seen by the massive increase of 28% in divorces reported by the Justice Department in their 2012-13 annual report. As a result, many South Africans are finding themselves in the strenuous position of not only ending a relationship but also managing the many financial

46% of people who completed our survey stated that they do not have a financial plan or budget for 2015. Being uncertain of what a budget is, and how to set one up, is a common stumbling block when it comes to your financial planning, and ultimately your financial freedom. That’s why we are happy

Stokvels – which date as far back as the 1800’s – are by no means a new concept in the arena of financial saving techniques. However, this seemingly unusual yet highly effective practice has recently seen a rapidly growing interest among South Africans. With its popularity largely accredited to mass disillusionment with the current state

It seems that all indications of an epic 2014 summer vacation has come to an abrupt end. With 2014 now only a distant memory many South Africans are faced with Janu-worry 2015 and it’s a scary one. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by Janu-worry 2015 know that you are not alone. As far