Tag: personalfinance

Nearly half of under-60s with retirement products have dipped into their savings pots, mostly to get through the month. Our 2026 Retirement Insights Survey suggests the right response is empathy and better design. Nobody raids their retirement savings unless they are facing difficult economic pressure today. That is worth saying upfront. The two-pot retirement system has become one of the most moralised subjects in South African money conversations, and the moralising has taught us very little.

As a 25-year-old professional starting in my career, investing in shares felt unfamiliar and intimidating. I considered it a market for the wealthy, and certainly not a place that I could leverage for my own personal and professional benefit. I had a savings mindset, not an investing mindset. Therefore, I invested any surplus cash in a bank account earning interest.

Money with Carla challenges many assumptions South Africans hold about building wealth. Carla Venter draws on her experience in finance, investing and international markets. She combines professional knowledge with practical lessons from her own journey towards financial independence.

Most of us insure our cars against accidents, theft and damage. But what about when something simply stops working? An electrical fault, gearbox failure, or major mechanical problem can quickly become an expensive surprise. This is why some drivers choose to obtain an extended motor warranty.

Most climate change conversations focus on shifting rain patterns, agricultural yields, or environmental damage. Yet one of its most immediate consequences often goes overlooked: the direct and measurable impact extreme weather events can have on household finances. A Super El Niño is one such event.

Ask most South Africans what a "clipper" is, and they'll tell you it's a R100 note. The nickname dates back decades, when R100 was often made up of ten R10 notes held together with a paper clip. Today, the R100 note carries another symbol that deserves just as much attention: the Cape buffalo. The buffalo offers a surprisingly powerful lesson about saving and the power of compound interest.

Before your South African Revenue Service (SARS) refund disappears into a holiday or shopping spree, consider how that lump sum could change your financial future. Who doesn't love that little ping telling you SARS has just paid your tax refund into your account? Suddenly, Mauritius is calling, and you can already hear the clinking of ice in your cocktail.

South African professionals facing sudden career transitions, such as resignation or retrenchment, find themselves at a critical financial crossroads. The first 90 days after resignation or retrenchment can determine their long-term financial security. Although this period represents a high-risk financial window, it can also create valuable opportunities for recalibration and growth.

As millions of South Africans struggle with debt, simple financial habits can improve long-term financial wellbeing. South Africa's household debt burden has climbed to an estimated R2.4 trillion. This places increasing pressure on households already grappling with rising living costs.

Retirement annuity contributions can carry forward when taxpayers do not claim them. However, most taxpayers never check whether this happened. From today, taxpayers who received a South African Revenue Service (SARS) auto-assessment this month can submit a corrected return if they find something inaccurate or missing. One of the most commonly overlooked corrections involves a contribution that a taxpayer made months, or sometimes years before this year's assessment was generated.