Tag: WealthBuilding

You’re lying on the couch after a long day, scrolling through Instagram. Someone is drinking cocktails in Bali. Someone else is unboxing a new handbag. A 25-year-old is smugly explaining the “five things she did to become financially free”. Another reel tells you that your savings “should” reach a certain number by 40. That number makes your stomach drop. You put your phone down and feel vaguely as though you’re failing at life.

An additional percentage point in annual investment fees may seem insignificant. However, over a lifetime, it can compound into millions in lost retirement savings. Yet many South Africans remain unaware of the fees they pay to invest and grow their wealth. An investor paying just 1% more in annual investment fees could retire with R3.5 million less than someone paying lower fees.

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.

We expect young women to make major money decisions from their first salary, yet many are never taught how. Building financial confidence has to start long before the first payslip arrives. After a month of grafting – and what seems like a lifetime of waiting – your first salary finally hits your bank account. Of course, everyone from your bestie to your gogo has an opinion on what you should do.

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.

If you're eager to get into the stock market because you've heard it's a fast track to wealth, think again. The reality is that most individual stocks result in losses over the long term. This finding emerged in a recent article by Hendrik Bessembinder, which analysed the investment outcomes of 29,754 common stocks listed on the US public markets from 1926 to 2025.

We live in a world of information overload, and it can be challenging to know what is real and what is not. When it comes to money, social media is littered with "finfluencers" who present information and share "secrets" about managing and growing money. Some of it is real, while much of it is fake. As a result, it can be very difficult to know the difference.

There is a noticeable shift taking place in South Africa's property market. However, it does not follow traditional routes. Owning a home no longer necessarily means living in it. Increasingly, millennials and Gen Z are renting in areas that suit their lifestyle. At the same time, they buy property elsewhere as investment opportunities.

The concept of delayed gratification – resisting an immediate reward or temptation to receive a bigger or better reward later – is not a new one. However, modern life makes discipline harder than ever. We now live in a world shaped by on-demand convenience, algorithm-driven marketing, relentless social pressure and easy access to short-term credit. In this environment, ignoring fleeting trends becomes difficult.

For years, a familiar narrative has shaped our understanding of South African consumers. It suggests they are over-indebted, under-saving and prone to conspicuous consumption. Statistics often reinforce this view. These include low household savings rates, rising unsecured lending and high levels of personal debt. On the surface, the conclusion seems obvious. However, it remains incomplete.