Before we can think of saving, spending and investing – we first need to make money. Almost everybody would accept more money if it were offered to them. But, as is often the case in life, we need to put something in to get something out. One of the most effective ways to boost professional offerings, find new employment or elevate a business profile is by successfully marketing yourself. Here are some easy ways to positively […]
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Getting comfortable online
Do you remember your first time shopping online? It was somewhat nerve-racking when you had to enter your card details and there was a slight discomfort in the knowledge that you might never see your order arrive. These days everybody shops online, it’s convenient and instantly gratifying. Online video conferencing seems to be going through a similar teething period. As it undergoes mass adoption, most people are still coming to terms with the technology and aren’t […]
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Lessons from the lighthouse
Here’s the thing about the lighthouse – it’s focus is always offshore. At the time of writing this article, the world is still flailing under the storm of the Coronavirus and the conditions have caused us all to rethink many of the foundations in our lives that we once thought secure. Just like the view from the lighthouse, the seas can go from calm to savage in a matter of hours, the visibility can decrease from […]
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Don’t spend based on other people’s income
The practice of storytelling is ubiquitous among cultures all across the globe. Sometimes we seem to forget the power that a story can hold over people. We use stories to make sense of our world and to share that understanding with others. When it comes to something as important as finance it is important that the stories we tell ourselves are based in reality. Yes, the stories that we tell ourselves. We can be forgiven for […]
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Four lekker reasons for life insurance
Unless you’re Gomez or Morticia Addams, you probably feel a little uneasy when it comes to talking about live cover. But here’s the thing; taking out life insurance is not only an act of pragmatism, it’s an act of love. In a world where everyone is consumed with thoughts of themselves, someone who takes out life insurance has asked themselves: ‘What do those around me need? What will help them when I am gone?’ Life insurance […]
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What the low interest rate means for you
In light of the difficult times recently, Southern Africa has been awash in low interest rates. When South Africa significantly cut its base interest rate from an already-low 6.25% down to 4.25%, it officially became the lowest interest rate the country has ever had. In late 2019, the Bank of Namibia’s Monetary Policy Committee reduced the rate to 6.5% from 6.75%, then lending rates at Bank Windhoek were slashed further come 2020. Interest rates, particularly interest […]
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Protect your income… and your savings!
Retrenchment, or losing your job and your income, is one of the most stressful events that can happen in your life. It’s right up there with losing a loved one, moving home or getting divorced. In today’s tough times, more and more people are facing the reality of retrenchment. Protecting our income should be one of our main concerns when building a robust financial portfolio. The problem of losing our income is compounded when the economic […]
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Ways to save when times are tough
Most of us are chronic under-savers even in the best of times. Yet with the current economic environment, lots of previously hypothetical concepts like ‘what if I’m retrenched or have my salary cut?’ are far more concrete – and, unfortunately, more likely to happen. There’s never been a time when saving is more important, but there’s also likely never been a time when it’s more difficult. Do you want to put something away for a rainy […]
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Cold hard cash
Debt statistics are growing – this is very likely in part to the fact that a vast majority of us today prefer credit cards over cash. The benefits of credit cards are obvious. They are more convenient and offer more security. Cold, hard cash, however, can be the best way to organize your spending. Here are three reasons why you should opt for using cash instead of credit cards for managing your daily budget. 1. Less […]
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How to avoid a disabled financial portfolio
In the same way that we never plan to get ill (see our blog from last week), none of us plan to be disabled. And… in so doing, we can inadvertently disable our financial portfolio. We all know that accidents happen, we can do our best to avoid them, but ultimately we can’t stop them. That’s why they’re called accidents. They don’t only happen to the extreme sports enthusiasts, those who live on the wild side […]
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