For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. Nelson Mandela How are you building into the lives of others? This is a challenging question. In an age that has focussed on individual rights and freedoms, it’s easy to become so insular that we forget about the chains of others whilst we’re fighting so hard to cast off our […]
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Financial wellness mindsets for life’s autumn
Autumn is a precious time of year and is perhaps an altogether more positive metaphor for another special time: the tail end of middle age when we are far from elderly, but far from young. You look up one day and realise that while you were busy building a life with your family, or perhaps pursuing a fulfilling career, the years rolled by more quickly than you thought. There’s still time on the proverbial clock, but […]
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Freedom of expression – what our spending says about us
The way we spend our time and the way we spend our money says what’s really important to us. Rick Warren It’s really easy to spot the errors in other people – too easy in fact! However, when it comes to our own blindspots, it’s not as easy to spot the errors in our thinking. Holding up the mirror and reflecting on the choices we’ve made can be difficult and scary – which is why it’s always […]
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Make your life easier – Part 3
Don’t avoid digital help. Whilst there are many dystopian stories about how robots will take over the world, those projected realities are highly unlikely to ever manifest. AI, big data and cloud storage can be our friend in making our life easier – which is what technology was always intended for! Granted, we can easily become disconnected from the material and relational world around us if we immerse ourselves too completely in the digital world, so […]
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Freedom to invest, better
The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. Chinese Proverb We officially live in a world where COVID-19 is a milestone in human history. Perhaps we shouldn’t call it a milestone but a waypoint? Regardless, few people alive today, and in generations to come, will know a history that doesn’t include the impact that this virus has had around the world. It’s important for us to acknowledge […]
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Make your life easier – Part 2
Every time we say ‘YES’ to something new, it seems to just make our life more complicated down the line; more events to attend, increased responsibilities and less time to relax and do what we really want to do. Finding just the right amount of order in your life is one of the secrets to making your life easier (learning to say ‘No.’ is another secret…) Whilst we can’t just stop growing and adding more to […]
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Offshore investing and the new expat tax
As of 1 March 2020, an amendment to the South African Income Tax Act will have definite ramifications on the lives of South Africans living and working abroad. Now that this infamous ‘expat tax’ is in effect, SA expats are now obligated to pay up to 45% of their foreign income to the taxman when it exceeds R1 million per annum, which includes any fringe benefits provided as part of the job. But what about investors? […]
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Make your life easier – Part 1
Every day our lives get a little more complicated. That’s the reality of the world that we’re currently living in. It’s not easy to keep order in your life – even if you’re one of the few who excel in keeping things in line! Finding just the right amount of order in your life is one of the secrets to making your life easier (learning to say ‘No.’ is another secret…) When you can find what […]
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Freedom of choice
“In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.” Franklin D. Roosevelt We live in an age where freedom is considered one of our greatest, basic human rights. Freedom comes in many forms, but as Franklin Roosevelt said, it’s something we need to achieve for ourselves, it is not something that we can be given. This is shown in our choices – which means that whilst we can claim the freedom to choose, […]
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The NHI: What we know so far
South Africa has just had its annual Budget Speech, with one of the many controversial topics not addressed being the National Health Insurance scheme. Yet President Ramaphosa stated very recently that he expects it to be fully rolled out within the next five years. The NHI was initially to kick off on 1 March 2020 but is currently years away from full implementation, with much still unknown about how NHI will actually work. So, what do […]
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