The 25x Rule: Busting the Myth of the Magic Number
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is to act with yesterday’s logic.” (Peter Drucker) For a long time, South Africans have been told to use a simple formula to figure out how much money they will need in retirement: multiply their annual expenses by 25. The...
The Most Important Financial Concept Is …
“The power of compounding reflects the principle that small, consistent improvements yield disproportionately large results over time.” (Morgan Housel) In his book The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel makes a great observation about Warren Buffett: more than 97% of...
Love and the Law: Cohabiting? Get Your House in Order Now
“All you need is love… and a good lawyer.” (Anonymous) February, with its Valentine’s Day chocolates, roses and declarations of undying love, should be a month for romance, not legal niceties. But in the real world, love and the law are inextricably linked because any...
Electronic Wills Aren’t Valid: Stick to Pen and Paper
“Let’s choose executors and talk of wills.” (William Shakespeare in Richard II) You may have read one of the many online articles about an electronic will being validated recently by the High Court. Don’t be misled into thinking that electronic wills are now valid as...
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
“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!
“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
“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
“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
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?
“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...
South Africa’s exit from the FATF Greylist: What it means for investors?
On 24 October 2025, South Africa reached a major milestone when the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) officially removed the country from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, commonly known as the “greylist.” South Africa was originally greylisted in...