Clause & Effect
Turn Intentions into Outcomes: Setting SMART Investment Goals for 2026

Turn Intentions into Outcomes: Setting SMART Investment Goals for 2026

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” (Albert Einstein) Every investment journey starts with good intentions. You want to save more, protect your future, care for your family and give yourself the life you want to lead. But...

Your Top 10 (Legal) New Year’s Resolutions for 2026

Your Top 10 (Legal) New Year’s Resolutions for 2026

“My New Year’s resolution is to stop procrastinating. I’ll start tomorrow.” (Anonymous) Most New Year’s resolutions are vague, unwritten, and destined to be forgotten in the first week of January’s hustle and bustle. But please don’t neglect this Top Ten list of legal...

Property Sales and Side Deals: Verbal Agreements Don’t Cut it!

Property Sales and Side Deals: Verbal Agreements Don’t Cut it!

“With a verbal agreement you have nothing but air.” (Author and entrepreneur Robert Ringer) 2026 opens with positive signals for our property market after last year’s encouraging GDP forecasts, a credit-rating upgrade, and a series of interest rate cuts boosting...

From TikTok to Your Wallet: Understanding Social Media Money Trends

From TikTok to Your Wallet: Understanding Social Media Money Trends

“Social media is merely an extension of real life, not a substitution.” (Abhijit Naskar) On social media, anything can go viral. And that includes financial advice. Platforms like TikTok have encouraged the spread of some interesting ideas, including three notable...

This Festive Season, Learn how to Talk About Money With Grace

This Festive Season, Learn how to Talk About Money With Grace

“The biggest problem with communication is the false belief that it has happened.” (George Bernard Shaw) Navigating casual financial conversations isn’t about avoiding the subject altogether. It’s about handling it with purpose and grace. The point isn’t...

Market Update: November Delivers Several Early Gifts for SA Investors

Market Update: November Delivers Several Early Gifts for SA Investors

Just in time for the festive season, November 2025 brought the economic gifts South African investors had long anticipated. In a series of positive developments, the country achieved its first sovereign rating upgrade in two decades, set its first monetary policy...

Can You Airbnb Your House or Apartment in a Residential Complex?

Can You Airbnb Your House or Apartment in a Residential Complex?

“Landlords grow rich in their sleep.” (John Stuart Mill, economist) If you are thinking of buying (or already own) a house or apartment in a residential complex with the idea of renting it out as an Airbnb (whether permanently or on an “I can make a fortune this...

Are You Financially Fluent or Just Faking It?

Are You Financially Fluent or Just Faking It?

All that glisters is not gold.” (William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice) 1. Cash ain’t king Let’s cut to the chase: cash is not optimal for long-term investments. While it is the safest asset class, shares, property, and commodities generally produce better...

Who Should Inherit Your Wealth?

Who Should Inherit Your Wealth?

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill) Writing a will isn’t only about dividing assets – it’s about expressing your values, protecting your family, and reducing the risk of conflict after you’re gone. Yet many South...

Gift Vs. Loan: The Devil’s in the Details

Gift Vs. Loan: The Devil’s in the Details

“The bluntest pencil is better than the sharpest mind.” (Unknown)     The Festive Season is traditionally a time for giving, and it seems a pity to have to mention the hard realities of the law right now. But, as a recent High Court dispute confirms, things can go...

FOBO: The Silent Saboteur of Wealth

FOBO: The Silent Saboteur of Wealth

“In the face of too many choices, we often choose nothing—and pay dearly for it.”   (Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice) Everyone knows about FOMO. But have you even heard of FOBO, let alone contemplated how it might be kaiboshing your wealth...