Practical, judgement-free guides to budgeting on SA prices, getting out of debt, saving and making your payslip make sense — each with a free tool.
The core difference: funeral cover pays a fixed amount within days, specifically so the family can bury with dignity without borrowing. Life insurance pays a much larger amount after normal claims processing, to replace your income — the bond, the…
The beginner’s playbook in one paragraph: open a low-cost investment account (ideally inside a TFSA for the tax-free wrapper), set a monthly debit order — R300 to R500 is a genuine start — and buy a broad index ETF: one…
The 30-second version: your payslip runs gross salary → deductions → nett pay (what lands in your bank). The standard deductions: PAYE (income tax your employer withholds for SARS based on the tax tables), UIF (1% of your salary, capped…
The 2026 essentials: a Tax-Free Savings Account lets your money grow with zero tax — no tax on interest, dividends or capital gains, and no tax on withdrawals, ever. From 1 March 2026 you can contribute up to R46,000 per…
Your free options: by law (the National Credit Act), you’re entitled to one free credit report per year from each registered credit bureau. South Africa has four licensed bureaus registered with the National Credit Regulator — Experian, TransUnion, Compuscan and…
The honest summary: debt review (formally debt counselling) is a legal process under the National Credit Act where a registered debt counsellor restructures all your debts into one reduced monthly payment, negotiated with your creditors and confirmed by a court.…
The targets: first milestone — one month of essential expenses (not salary; the survival number: rent, transport, food, debit orders). Full fund — three months of essentials, stretching toward six if your income is unstable (commission, freelance, contract work). Keep…
The plan in one paragraph: list every debt (balance, interest rate, minimum payment), keep paying all the minimums, then aim every spare rand at one debt at a time — either the smallest balance first (snowball, best for motivation) or…
The method in one paragraph: take your take-home pay (after PAYE and UIF), and split it three ways — roughly 50% to needs (rent, transport, food, family support), 30% to wants (data bundles beyond the basics, eating out, DStv), and…
