Recent statistics made available by Liberty Life reveal that cancer is the leading cause of claims paid by the assurer in 2016. One in four claims paid by Liberty were for cancer, and the proportion of claims for cancer is increasing, even at younger ages. Motor vehicle accidents are typically cited as the reason that young people need disability or income protection cover, but cancer was a greater cause accounting for 12.3% of claims (motor vehicles […]
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Different money personalities
Dealing with money matters can feel like negotiating a minefield for many couples, which is highlighted in this article by Maya on Money. Money has been cited to be the biggest reason for divorce, and differing attitudes towards money in any relationship can cause friction. So let’s take a look at some basic ‘money personalities’ and you can decide with which you most identify. This may not only help you to manage your relationships, but also […]
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Inflation Illusion
Old Mutual Balanced Fund manager, Graham Tucker, explains in an article published on Fin24 how many investors suffer from something he calls ‘inflation illusion’. This essentially means that many people aren’t completely aware about the effects of inflation or how much it will impact their savings over time. For example, the average inflation rate of vehicles since 1990 has been 5.8%. This means that a medium-sized sedan that cost ZAR260,000 in 2016 will likely cost ZAR1.05m […]
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Bitcoin: What to make of Digital Currencies
Bitcoins are just one of the over 900 new format currencies known as cryptocurrencies to have emerged over the past few years. As they have become more mainstream in their appeal the price of bitcoins and their crypto-cousins has skyrocketed, causing investors to wonder if they have been missing out. What then is a cryptocurrency, and should we consider these to be potential investments? What is a cryptocurrency? Simply put, a cryptocurrency is a digital global […]
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5 tips to preparing your business for December leave
December is often the busiest time of year for businesses, and the season comes with increasing demands for both employers and employees. It is also the time of year when many South Africans take the opportunity to take a well deserved break. However, as exciting (and much needed) a holiday may be, this does often create added pressure — both personally and professionally speaking — and many people find it difficult to juggle all their commitments. […]
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Saving money for Christmas
“Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. From now on, all our troubles will be out of sight.” — Frank Sinatra In the wise words of Sinatra, make sure your Christmas is as stress-free as possible so that you can focus on and enjoy the important things that the festive season brings, such as spending time with family and friends. It’s easy to get carried away in the consumerist whirlwind of the […]
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5 ways to manage stress
1st November 2017 marks National Stress Awareness Day in the UK, and the South African government even declared the whole month of October to be Mental Health Awareness Month, “with the objective of not only educating the public about mental health but also to reduce the stigma and discrimination that people with mental illness are often subjected to.” Even though there may not be a public holiday to mark the event in South Africa, stress is […]
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Use your smartphone to save money
A smartphone may be considered to be a pricey accessory, but it could actually save you money in the long run. According to this article published on Essentials, having a smartphone could be just the device you need to help you manage your financial situation and save you Rands overall. 1. Comparison-shopping app Nowadays, most prices and product information are available online, so it doesn’t take much more than a few clicks of the mouse to […]
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To Airbnb or not to Airbnb?
According to a 2016 Fin24 interview, Nicola D’Elia, the managing director for Airbnb Africa and Middle East, noted that Airbnb hosts in South Africa earn on average ZARR28,000 a month by letting their property on a short-term basis through this popular rental website. Furthermore, Nested released an encouraging report that found that South Africans could recuperate their house value quicker through Airbnb than via traditional rental options. With such prospective returns, it’s clear that Airbnb can […]
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The Power of Compound Interest
Many South Africans are unfortunately ill-prepared for retirement, and it’s an unsettling prospect that so many citizens of this developing nation may not be able to support themselves in their golden years. However, the beauty of compound interest means that if you start saving from an early age, investing in your future doesn’t have to be the heavy financial burden that many people fear (and thus postpone). The power of compound interest actually makes saving from […]
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