It is hard to predict what the housing market will do with accuracy due to all of the economic and political factors affecting it. You might end up waiting months or years for something to change, and even then it may not be in your favour. However, when selling (or buying) a home one should still consider whether it’s a buyer or sellers’ market. In a buyer’s market there are more people looking to sell houses […]
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Watch out for online scams
The internet is rife with scam artists and most people are aware of this, but that just drives the fraudsters to get more creative with their deceptions. FNB recently issued a warning to clients about an email-based scam doing the rounds that tricks people into giving up their banking information. And they’re not the only ones – most banks have been hit with similar or other fraud attacks, with Standard Bank receiving the most recent – […]
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Will you be misunderstood?
Wills need to be worded very carefully to avoid confusion and misunderstanding during an already emotionally difficult time (and especially so when leaving property behind). Intentions can be easily misconstrued when layman rhetoric is interpreted in a legal manner. Even fairly straightforward sounding clauses can be interpreted differently. When it comes to property, you can assign several different rights to heirs. There are some presumptions in our law that will favour one outcome over another and […]
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Save or Service Debt?
Saving is important, but if you have a credit card debt or an overdraft to pay off does it still make sense to save? It is always a good idea to be saving IF you are in a position to put some money away. Due to the accessibility and convenience, credit card and overdraft facilities, in general, have higher interest and monthly account charges. So how do you know if you are in the position to […]
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Soup’s Up!
Winter is the perfect time for soups, they are jam-packed with vitamins to help you fight against the flu, the ingredients are basic, it’s affordable (you can use cheaper cuts of meat – for example), you can keep it for ages if frozen and… it’s warm! Warm, hearty foods on a cold day both comfort and sustain. Slow cookers can be bought for relatively cheap and use little energy – so set the soup up before […]
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Mid-Year Financial Review
When are you most likely to check on your investments? Is it when they are doing well, or is it when the markets are down and you’re feeling anxious? Chances are it’s the latter. This isn’t always the ideal time to make investment decisions as emotions are running high. That’s why taking the time to do annual and mid-year reviews gives you a better baseline from which to assess your portfolio. Also… much can happen in […]
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Father’s Day Ideas
Fathers can be difficult to shop for, if they were easy to shop for then maybe they wouldn’t have so many ties. Now you might be thinking that this is another article telling you how to skimp on a present – it isn’t. Instead, I want you to think about how you can add value instead of reducing costs. The kind of gifts that keeps on giving. Here are some ideas to demonstrate: A skill-improving class […]
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Cancer claims reveal risk trends
Recent statistics made available by Liberty Life reveal that cancer is the leading cause of claims paid by the assurer in 2015. 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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What happens after a market downgrade?
There has been much murmuring in the financial field as of late regarding queries with respect to investing locally, or shifting all portfolios offshore, specifically in the light of the widespread media coverage and speculation regarding South Africa’s credit rating and the likelihood of a downgrade to “junk status” – which could happen as soon as the third quarter. While there is some speculation about when it might happen the general consensus seems to be that […]
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A car or a home?
At some point in your life you are likely to be faced with a choice, should I buy a car or a place of my own? The answer is not always as straightforward as you first think it to be. There are a lot of factors to weigh against one another before you can say that you’ve made a considered decision. This blog isn’t going to give you an answer, but it will help you ask […]
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