What Amazon and Ford Can Tell Us About Diversification
"Diversification is the only free lunch in investing." (Harry Markowitz) In mid-1999 you could have bought shares in Amazon for $80 each. If you had been astute enough to put $50,000 into the company back then, those shares would be worth $17.4 million today. In...
When Things Don’t Go According To (The Financial) Plan
It’s all about priorities When we talk about disorder, we don’t necessarily mean calamitous events like divorce or family feuds (although these are both excellent examples). Disorder can simply be the realisation that you don’t actually enjoy living in the dream house...
Take These Three Steps to Break the Money Shame Spiral
"Guilt, of course, is feeling bad about one’s actions, but shame is feeling bad about oneself." (Greg Boyle) When we have problems with money, we tend to feel that they are our own fault. Recently, a group of behavioural economists published research that shows just...
Smart Ways to Give: During and After Your Lifetime
This article deals with a topic that should apply to everybody. Giving money to a loved one or a charitable cause that you care passionately about is one of life’s most rewarding acts. Key considerations Before we go into the pros and cons of the various ways of...
Quotes of the Month – The War in Ukraine
Quote #1 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres - "The war in Ukraine not only has a huge impact on the lives of civilians but also has global consequences…Developing countries already in dire situations can simply not afford skyrocketing prices of food, fuel and other...
3 Steps to Buying Your First House
“Happiness is… buying your first home” (Anon) Few things in life can compare to the joy of finally crossing the threshold of your first home. If you are like most of us, you have been dreaming of this day for years and years – it has finally arrived! The financial...
Key Facts About Ukraine
Ukraine has made the headlines due to the ongoing tensions with Russia. In this map infographic, we examine Ukraine from a structural point of view. The modern state of Ukraine was formed nearly 30 years ago after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Since then,...
Three Reasons You Shouldn’t Wait to Talk to Your Kids About Money
"The first step to teaching your kids how to handle money is being a good example" (Dave Ramsey) In today’s world, everybody needs a healthy appreciation of money and how to manage it. This is not just for practical reasons. Financial issues are a major cause of...
The Different Ways to Invest: What Does It All Mean?
South Africa has a very sophisticated savings and investment industry. The country’s financial markets, regulation and product range are world class. However, ordinary investors don’t always appreciate what their options are. A study by Old Mutual in 2018 found that...
Quotes of the month – What the NFT?
"A non-fungible token (NFT) is a non-interchangeable unit of data stored on a blockchain, a form of digital ledger, that can be sold and traded” (Wikipedia) “To buy NFTs or not to buy NFTs?” …that’s a question many investors must be asking themselves as “NFT hype”...
Investing: Men and Women See Things Differently
“Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other. Perhaps they should live next door and just visit now and then.” (Katharine Hepburn) All of us sometimes make decisions that are not in our best interests. This is because we are affected by psychological...
Three Reasons an Insurer Could Cancel Your Policy
“Honesty is the fastest way to prevent a mistake from turning into a failure.” (James Altucher) When you take out an insurance policy, you are entering into a contract. And, with all contracts, there is always a way for it to be cancelled. For the insured person, this...