For most of us, our mortgage is our biggest financial burden – and one that’ll be with us for decades. However, it’s important to remember that the life of a home loan doesn’t need to be as long as the contract suggests; you’re free to pay it off faster and take that financial load off…
Understanding financial health Financial health is an important part of our lives. When we take care of our financial health we can better manage financial stress and achieve our financial goals. Financial health is made up of three components: the ability to meet everyday commitments like paying your bills and making loan repayments the resilience…
The world is an amazing place, with so much to see and do. In fact, sometimes it can feel as though there is so much to experience it can be quite a challenge selecting a destination, but if you follow your heart and explore your passions when planning a trip you can’t go wrong. Considering…
If you’re lucky enough to have received a windfall, perhaps an inheritance or a retrenchment payout, your first decision will be what to do with it. Assuming you have decided against a shopping splurge, finding the best place to invest a lump sum is all about the effect on your tax bill and how soon…
When life tosses up an unexpected event – such as retrenchment, a medical emergency or even just a big bill to fix the car – it can be nerve-wracking worrying about how to deal with the crisis. And, if funds are short, that just adds to the stress. But imagine that you have a secret…
With the number of unpredictable events that have happened in the past few years, from COVID to inflation, being financially prepared for a crisis has never been more important. If an emergency were to happen, like an unexpected job loss, car repair or illness, having an emergency fund can help you maintain your everyday life…
The concept of retirement is changing, with fewer people working towards a final retirement date and then clocking off for good. Instead, those who have the flexibility to choose are often transitioning out of the workforce over several years, or even returning after a break. Whether you simply want to wind back your working hours…
It’s not just school leavers who dream of a gap year. Those of us who’ve been working for a decade or two (or more) may also long for a real break from career and commitments. It does not even need to be a year – just enough of an extended break to reset and to…
At the end of the day, we are accountable to ourselves – our success is a result of what we do – Catherine Pulsifer It can be both empowering and a little uncomfortable to think that we are responsible for our successes – and failures. Being willing to accept the consequences of our actions, choices…
Do you struggle to control your spending around your friends and family? If the urge to ‘keep up’ with a certain lifestyle is stretching your finances, it could be time to take action. From splitting the bill at an expensive restaurant to having the ‘right’ house, car and clothes, many of us fall victim to…
